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Re: fair price for ball joint replacement?
Honda automobiles Honda automobiles. (rec.autos.makers.honda)
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#1
 
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Re: fair price for ball joint replacement? -
04-05-2009
, 08:00 PM
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I took it to the shop for my mandatory NY State safety inspection, and they told me the lower ball joints were loose, and recommended replacement. Seems kind of early for a car with 70K miles, huh? |
Yup. Way early. Get a second opinion.
--
Tegger
The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
#2
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Yup. Way early. Get a second opinion. -- Tegger |
months, I have wondered about the front end. On occasion it will track
slightly to the left. I had the alignment checked, it's okay, it did
not need adjustment. I rotate regularly every 6-7k miles, tire wear is
normal. When I go over harder bumps, I hear / feel more of a clunk
than before. I am concerned that someone needing to do more work, will
go ahead and recommend costly work I can't afford. I have jack stands,
is this something I can self diagnose? How do you really tell if the
ball joints need replacing?
Thanks,
Wade
#3
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you need to get under the car and check stuff out. *check all bolts are tightened properly, check things like sway bar bushings are ok, then check ball joints. *i've actually had more problems with upper joints than lower on civics, so check yours on the accord. *jack the vehicle up under the lower swing arm until the wheel is just off the ground, then lever under the wheel with a crow bar. *you should be able to see or feel looseness if any exists. *this works better if you have an assistant carefully do this while you hold a joint - you can definitely feel any looseness then. |
#4
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and someone that's had no fewer than six of them in higher mileage conditions [up to 300k!], three have needed upper ball joint replacements - not one has needed lower unless the boot has been trashed by a pickle fork. |
Up in the Rust Belt, it's weather that kills the lower ones.
They fail all the time here.
--
Tegger
The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
#5
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martin lynch <odiegoogle (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in news:71d73ad0-c11c-478d-a360-61b2fb97baf4 (AT) u8g2000yqn (DOT) googlegroups.com: What would happen if the shop only replaced the ball joint and not the knuckle? Are you suggesting that pressing a new ball joint into the knuckle would weaken the interface and cause it to fail again prematurely? That would be the danger, yes. That would be why Honda does not offer separate ball joints for this model. Ball joints are under considerable stress in operation. |
No idea if "martin lynch" will ever check in on this thread again (I hope
he does, if he hasn't got the work done yet), but I just discovered
something:
Honda had issued a TSB (06-035) which says that Honda has new ball joints
that may be installed into existing steering knuckles on SOME '98-'02
Accords, obviating the need to replace the entire knuckle. The new ball
joint part number is 06523-S84-405. The TSB outlines the exact installation
procedure, which may be performed without removing the knuckle from the
car.
It seems premature ball joint wear is a known issue on these cars. The
original ball joint has a different part number from its replacement,
suggesting different fit, product improvement, or both.
--
Tegger
The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
#6
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jim beam <retard-finger (AT) bad (DOT) example.net> wrote in news:6cydncGqNKiKAEHUnZ2dnUVZ_gydnZ2d (AT) speakeasy (DOT) net: and someone that's had no fewer than six of them in higher mileage conditions [up to 300k!], three have needed upper ball joint replacements - not one has needed lower unless the boot has been trashed by a pickle fork. Up in the Rust Belt, it's weather that kills the lower ones. They fail all the time here. |
Check out my new reply to "martin lynch"'s Sunday message. New info has
surfaced.
--
Tegger
The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
#7
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No idea if "martin lynch" will ever check in on this thread again (I hope he does, if he hasn't got the work done yet), but I just discovered something: Honda had issued a TSB (06-035) which says that Honda has new ball joints that may be installed into existing steering knuckles on SOME '98-'02 Accords, obviating the need to replace the entire knuckle. The new ball joint part number is 06523-S84-405. The TSB outlines the exact installation procedure, which may be performed without removing the knuckle from the car. It seems premature ball joint wear is a known issue on these cars. The original ball joint has a different part number from its replacement, suggesting different fit, product improvement, or both. -- Tegger The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQwww.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
#8
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Much obliged for this message Tegger! I was actually going to call the mechanic tommorow, so I'm glad I checked on here tonight first. I actually have a Civic, not Accord, but a search shows a TSB for the 2001-2005 Civic exists as well (04-079). |
And so it does. My mistake, sorry. Same problem, same solution, different
details.
The new Civic ball joint part number is 51220-S5A-305.
Quote:
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Further google search shows that some District Managers MIGHT repair the ball joint free, even out of warranty. I'm not crossing my fingers but it's worth a shot... |
This is the sort of situation where it really helps to have a good
relationship with your "stealer$hip". I'm glad I maintain that with my
local dealer, who have been very good to me over these many years.
--
Tegger
The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
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