front lower arm ball joint issue

[gmogle]

Hi Chaps,

Got round to fitting my Buddyclub coilovers on the front today and noticed something very strange.

I fitted the right one and when I undid the top arm bolts the hub was fairly stiff on the lower arm ball joint.

When I did the one on the left it was horrendous and the hub was swinging about all over the place which made getting the suspension struts out a nightmare.

Is the lower arm ball joint something that wears out ?

How do you replace it ? Replace the whole lower arm or is it just a bush that needs replacing ?

If its a bush is it the piece shown on here on page 22 as 2 in a circle ?
http://www.rx7city.com/Manuals/93%20Manual/16_SUSPENSION.pdf

Cheers for the help.

[Martiny]

Ah, bud, I cant see which piece you mean in the diagram.

Can you find it, then use ALT + PrtSC, then paste that into paint, save as a Jpeg, and post it in here?

ANyway, yes, all ball joints can wear out.

[gmogle]

Cheers for the reply mate,

Here is a copy of the piece in question.

[AtomicRex]

Im interested in the out come of this also!  Mine need replacing

[banned advertiser]

You cant buy this joint as a spare, you have to buy the whole arm (here)
http://www.rotaryart.uk.com/acatalog/New_3rd_gen_ext_body_styling.html

[AtomicRex]

Core blimey gov!

Well I think that Gary might well be selling some new wishbones...cos at the price of new lower arms we can produce billet ones, and with removable bushes.....so cheaper to replace second time round!  Plus they will be inboard/outboard rose joints!!

Ideal if you want to change the track width of the car, as adding spacers to wheels moves the centre of the contact patch to the inner edge of the wheel....not so with custom wishbones.

[Andy_k]

I like that idea, any idea on a price for the front set of 4.

[AtomicRex]

Will let Gary know and then best if you contact him.  Will get a price sorted in the next week.....How urgent are yours?

[Andy_k]

Im in no urgency at the moment, the car is off the road for winter and im porting/rebuilding the engine.

[tr1cky]

I\'d also be interested in a price on this:WaveBye

[gmogle]

Seems a bit strange you can buy the other bushes, not the one in question.

[rob]

just checked on the UK Mazda EPC and its not a seperate part - doesnt mean that someone else wont make it though........I\'ve just got some bits for the front lower arm on my Civic that Honda didnt sell (they wanted you to buy the whole arm), but i was able to buy them seperately from a motor factors.  I guess the fact the RX7 is a bit rarer wont help unless maybe it shares the same part with another Mazda which is likely i would have thought

[AtomicRex]

Hey Rob

Im on the case!

Will be made in the next month!

[rob]

I know, but not everone will want to spend a few hundred if it is indeed possible just to change the ball joint for a few quid.  To be honest i\'ve not looked at that area of the car for a while so i guess it may not even be possible to pop the old ones out from the original arm

[AtomicRex]

Its not possible...believe me Ive tried.  Well I guess everything is possible, but I didn\'t want to completely screw up the lower arms!

The cost of the new ones, admittedly wont be cheap....they will however be
Cheaper
Lighter
More adjustable
And in the event of further problems cheaper to replace the new ball joint.