Upper control arms installation

JORDAN013

MEMBER
1991 HONDA ACCORD
2.2L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
225,000 MILES

Got the old rear upper control arm off, began to install new one, and was tightening the castle but until I realized I kept tightening and the castle but wasn’t getting tighter and I couldn’t loosen it. What do I do?

Friday, April 24th, 2020 AT 8:05 PM

5 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,747 POSTS

Hi,

Are you able to turn it in a counterclockwise direction? If so, what I need you to do is this. Try to get a small screwdriver or pry bar under the nut and put a slight pressure in the outward direction and you try to loosen the nut. Hopefully, the nut will be forced onto a good section of thread and come off.

Let me know if that helps. Also, if you can take a pic of exactly the bolt in question is located, it will help me. I'm not sure if we are dealing with a pivot bolt, bushing, or what.

Let me know.

Joe

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Friday, April 24th, 2020 AT 9:38 PM

JORDAN013

MEMBER
55 POSTS

I tried to get a screw driver in between the knuckle and castle nut nut but couldn’t. It’s strange because I was looking and the threads seem fine, no stripping has occurred. Also if I try to turn the castlenut by hand now I can’t. When I first installed castlenut it was going on just fine and ball joint was compressing but now if you get a wrench on it you end up turning right or left forever.

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Saturday, April 25th, 2020 AT 7:30 AM

JORDAN013

MEMBER
55 POSTS

Would putting the wheels back on and lowering car off stands help put enough pressure for ball joint to seat down fully so that I can finish tightening castle nut?

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Saturday, April 25th, 2020 AT 8:04 AM

JORDAN013

MEMBER
55 POSTS

Update: I am glad I took your advice. I ended up jacking lower control arm a bit to put pressure then I got screwdriver hammered a bit in and I was able to loosen it out. Looks like the threads on ball joint were stripping! Going to have to get a new one.

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Saturday, April 25th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,747 POSTS

Hi,

I'm glad you got it off, and certainly, the threads are stripped. I hope you are able to just get a new ball joint. On some of these, you have to get the entire control arm.

Let me know if you need help or have other questions.

Joe