Upper control arm help - Honda
 

Hi,
I have a Honda question since I know there are a couple Honda owners here.

I am changing my upper control arm as I do my rotors. I've removed my knuckle completely. As I reassemble everything, I notice my new Moog UCA is a good 8" from top of my knuckle which seems to be sagging really low. I'm assuming it's beyond full droop after taking out the knuckle. It's seated in the lower control arm (ball joint) currently.

Am I suppose to loosen the UCA bolts so I can angle it down to the knuckle, but then change the factory set Moog angle? Or just jack the knuckle upwards (via LCA) till knuckle reaches the UCA? I tried bending the UCA arm downward, but that looked like it was going to break the UCA.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1378109966

2) How do you tighten ball joints that just spin?

Captive rotors? ;)


1) Jack up the LCA, near the lower ball joint, then loosen the attachment bolts for the upped control arm, to give yourself a little wiggle room. If the chassis starts to rise significantly while jacking up the LCA, you're running out of travel. The UCA shouldn't be totally tightened down as you're lining everything up. You want slop in everything, so you can wrangle it together.

2) The ball joints have no internal rotational limiter, thus, you need to keep the threaded section stable. It looks like moog supplied you with some flats which you could pinch with some vice grips. If you don't have room, lower the car to add load to the ball joint, then tighten.

EDIT: Do the ball joint nuts have ny-lock?