Major Suspension Problem

[Datzun76]

Turned into my driveway and the front left ball joint disengaged from the strut!. The top of the ball joint has zero thread and was badly worn. No warning of this or shaking before hand.

Problem is I am not able to get the top of the ball joint back inside the strut. Trying to so it can be towed to a shop. Not able to get the lug nuts off the wheel either since there is no pressure on the strut. Tried a hydraulic jack to try and get the strut above the top of the joint as well.

Any ideas? I dont want it towed for fear it will tear off the front air dam when trying to roll the car. Only other route I can think of is to disconnect the strut from the top.

Thank God I was not going 50mph when it happened.

[2ManyZs]

Can you jack up the car with a bottle jack under the frame rail? You should be able to remove the tire then and take the two mounting bolts out of the bottom of the strut? This will let you drop the control arm enough that you can get to the mounting nut on the ball joint and replace the joint. You will only need to disconnect the sway bar end link and then the two large bolts that connect the strut housing to the steering arm and you can swing the control arm down and work on it from there. Two more bolts out of the ball joint mount and you're almost done.

[EScanlon]

Contact the tow company and specify that you need a flat bed tow. They have special trucks with flat beds on them, then they winch you up (you DO still have the tow hook on the front of the car don't you?) and as long as you can keep the front wheel straight you can get on to the bed of the truck.

Then once at the shop, worst case they can sling a jack under the bad wheel and fix it.

2¢

[carguyinok]

If you do call in a flatbed make sure you tell them the car is a VERY LOW SPORTS CAR. I drove a flatbed tow rig for two years. It is very rare that the towing company tells there driver anything other then (you have a tow here). My truck was a newer three car unit. One on the roof one on the bed and one off the stinger. For the most part I did repos and wrecks. I will tell you they should know the car has a low nose. Then they can bring ramps so the nose wont rub the bed. I had a set with me all the time but most trucks dont have the room. The bed tilt on most roll back trucks is still too much. Just some FYI before you call.

[Datzun76]

Already had a wrecker come out. He warned me it could cause damage so we both opted not to do it. The car will not move at all since the strut is entirely off where the ball joint comes under it. I tried jacking the car up and putting a hydraulic jack under the strut. Put thick wood stops under the tire and Lowered the car trying to get the strut above the joint to slide it back on but that did not work either. Even if I jack the car up I still need to get the tire off. If I can get the tire and lug nuts off I can get to the bottom of the strut and may be able to get it back on. There is no pressure on the front wheel so when I try to take the lug nuts off the tire just spins. The lug nuts are on super tight. If I loosen the arm the ball joint is on and undo where the sway bar connects will I be able to move the arm lower?

[2ManyZs]

Yes the control arm will drop down as far as you need it to if you unbolt the sway bar end link and the steering arm that the strut is bolted to.

You got someone who can step on the brake while you try to take the lug nuts off? Or didn't you think of that yet?

[Datzun76]

Nope didnt even think of it was alone at the time. If I get the tire off and dissconnect the piece at the bottom of the strut I can just insert the new ball joint, nut and pin? Does taking this piece off the bottom of the strut housing affect the compression on the front spring?

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by Datzun76

Does taking this piece off the bottom of the strut housing affect the compression on the front spring?

Not at all. Completely independant of the spring and compression there of.

[tanny]

If using the brakes doesn't work, an electric or air impact wrench would probably work on lug nuts if you have access to one.

[Datzun76]

Dont have one and thats what caused the problem. The lug nuts were put on with an air wrench and too damn tight to get off.

I switched out the ball joint so thats done now my problem is getting the strut back on. A real problem since I am not able to get the tire off. The strut is too far below the arm that the ball joint rests on.

I tried to disconnect the front of the tie rod from the part that attaches to the bottom of the stut. Took out the nut and pin but it will not separate. Is it supposed to separate?

Every time I lower the jack the strut pushes away from the ball joint so it is making it a real pain in the arse to get it to rest on that arm.

[2ManyZs]

If you are trying to put the strut back on the steering arm with the top of the strut still mounted you are going to find it to be a difficult job to say the least.

You shouldn't have to separate the tie rod from the steering arm as the control arm should go low enough.

You might need an extra pair of hands to do this, especially with the tire still on, but unbolting the top of the strut and taking it out of the strut tower pocket is a much easier way to do it. Bolt the strut housing to the steering arm and then using your foot, push the entire assembly down until the top of the strut will go back in the upper mount is the easier way to do it. Be careful not to pull the brake line apart, you might have to unhook the brake line to get enough slack to push the control arm down far enough that the strut mount insulator will clear the lip around the upper mounting surface.

You could also at the same time use one of my little tricks, go to the parts store and buy 3 stainless steel 2 1/2 inch hose clamps, the heavy duty ones and loop them around 3 or 4 coils of the spring and tighten them with a ratchet and they will compress the spring to give you a bit more slack in the suspension. You might be able to get enough compression on the spring that you can bolt the strut housing onto the steering arm without taking the top on the strut loose.

Unfortunately it will be a lot easier if you can get the tire off, you should try to do that somehow to make the job a lot easier....

[Datzun76]

I had another person suggest the clamp so may go that route.

If I can reattach the bottom strut part I am pretty sure I can get it to rest on the support arm since it is loose and can move it up and down.

The tie rod is preventing me from doing it. What if I disconnect the rank and pinion steering arm? The silver bolt at the top of it. That would free the tie rod and I could get the strut back together. I really dont want to undo the top of the stut unless it is a last resort.

Obviously it will need to be taken in for a realignment anyway.