Need help: Lower control arm

[Popinski]

After wasting hundreds of dollars, and many stupid mechanics, the suspension noise and wobble was not from premature ball joints. One mechanic said I need a new whole lower control arm for my Elantra. I looked it up on the internet and it doesn't say anything about people changing the lower control arm but the lower control arm bushings.
Some questions: Is this a part that should be replaced immediately? Mechanic said it's no big deal but you'll hear the noise and the car will wobble. Is this more expensive to fix than the ball joint?

 

[SteveSRT8]

Usually a LCA is a bit more, but these days you usually get a ball joint as part of an assembly including the lower or upper control arm.

I'm surprised that you need the entire piece. Usually it must be bent or such to warrant replacement.

 

[Popinski]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Usually a LCA is a bit more, but these days you usually get a ball joint as part of an assembly including the lower or upper control arm.

I'm surprised that you need the entire piece. Usually it must be bent or such to warrant replacement.


The mechanic who was replacing my ball joint said I needed the whole LCA. He noticed that when he installed the ball joint, the ball joint slide right throw the whole, causing the clacking noise when hitting a bump. He mentioned that part of the lower control arm that holds the ball joint is bad.

Do you know if leaving this part on for a long period of time will have the same catastrophic effect like a broke ball joint or CV axle?

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Popinski
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Usually a LCA is a bit more, but these days you usually get a ball joint as part of an assembly including the lower or upper control arm.

I'm surprised that you need the entire piece. Usually it must be bent or such to warrant replacement.


The mechanic who was replacing my ball joint said I needed the whole LCA. He noticed that when he installed the ball joint, the ball joint slide right throw the whole, causing the clacking noise when hitting a bump. He mentioned that part of the lower control arm that holds the ball joint is bad.

Do you know if leaving this part on for a long period of time will have the same catastrophic effect like a broke ball joint or CV axle?


Sounds like the mechanic should have replaced the LCA at that moment after checking with you. He installed a new ball joint in an old part he knew needed to be replaced?

 

[Popinski]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Popinski
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Usually a LCA is a bit more, but these days you usually get a ball joint as part of an assembly including the lower or upper control arm.

I'm surprised that you need the entire piece. Usually it must be bent or such to warrant replacement.


The mechanic who was replacing my ball joint said I needed the whole LCA. He noticed that when he installed the ball joint, the ball joint slide right throw the whole, causing the clacking noise when hitting a bump. He mentioned that part of the lower control arm that holds the ball joint is bad.

Do you know if leaving this part on for a long period of time will have the same catastrophic effect like a broke ball joint or CV axle?


Sounds like the mechanic should have replaced the LCA at that moment after checking with you. He installed a new ball joint in an old part he knew needed to be replaced?


He thought it was ball joint until he slid the ball joint into the part of the control arm that holds the ball joint. It should have held the ball joint with a snug but it fell right through. He said that was making the clacking noise, loose ball joint holder on LCA.

Is it safe to drive this for a long period of time? I am about to drive to South Dakota from Ohio. About 1,000 miles!!

 

[stephen9666]

What is the year of the car in question?

 

[Chris142]

if the ball joint is not a press fit anymore then what's holding it in?my gut tells me that this needs to be fixed correctly asap and not after a long trip.

 

[Gotch]

Ball joint should be "press fit" or fastened mechanically into the LCA. It could fail otherwise and drop the suspension on that side of the vehicle, which could cause an out of control condition.

This is a dangerous condition and should attended to immediately.

 

[Popinski]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
What is the year of the car in question?

'96-'97

Originally Posted By: Chris142
if the ball joint is not a press fit anymore then what's holding it in?my gut tells me that this needs to be fixed correctly asap and not after a long trip.


bolt and nut. He said that it should snug into the hole without the bolt and nut. Since the hole expanded or something, the ball joint falls right through. He said that was making the clacking noise and wobble handing.

 

[eljefino]

yeah don't drive this.

From other posts the car has 280k miles. So anything could be up.

 

[KB2008X]

The control arms, the lower and the upper, and the ball joints in each, are critical elements in both the steering system and the suspension system. If the ball joint fails or the ball joint falls out of it's socket you will lose control over the direction of your car.

Why didn't you authorize the repair after the mechanic told you it was needed ?

Keith

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: Gotch
Ball joint should be "press fit" or fastened mechanically into the LCA. It could fail otherwise and drop the suspension on that side of the vehicle, which could cause an out of control condition.

This is a dangerous condition and should attended to immediately.


This is true^.

A new control arm gets new bushings on the other end, as well.
I'd do both sides to match.
And make sure the final tightening is ON THE GROUND - not with the wheels hanging down like when on a rack!