How to Repair the Ball Joint in a '93 Honda Civic

Your 1993 Honda Civic has an upper and lower ball joint that is pressed into the top and bottom of the front steering knuckles. To replace either ball joint you will have to remove the steering knuckle from the vehicle, and because of the complexity of this process you should plan on replacing both the upper and lower ball joints. Once the process is complete, you will have to take your Civic to a local repair shop and have a front end alignment done to prevent premature wear of the new ball joints or improper wear on your tires.

Instructions

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Remove the hub cap for steel wheels, or the center cap for aluminum wheels. Instruct your assistant to sit in the vehicle and hold the brake. Raise the spindle nut locking tab by placing the chisel into the hole and taping it with a hammer. Loosen the spindle nut with the 3/4-inch breaker bar and 32 mm socket. Loosen the lug nuts with the lug wrench.

Lift the front of the vehicle into the air with the floor jack and place the jack stands under the front subframe. Lower the floor jack until the vehicle rests securely on the jack stands and remove the floor jack. Remove the lug nuts and remove the wheel from the vehicle. Remove the axle nut from the axle with the breaker bar and 32 mm socket. Remove the bolts for the bracket that holds the brake hose to the steering knuckle with the socket and ratchet.

Remove the bolts for the brake caliper with the socket and ratchet. Slide the brake caliper from the disc brake assembly and hang it from the coil spring with the mechanics wire. Remove the screws securing the brake rotor to the wheel hub with the Phillips screwdriver. Install the 8 mm by 1.25 mm by 12 mm bolts into the holes opposite the rotor screws. Tighten each bolt two turns at a time until the brake rotor is loose from the wheel hub. Remove the bolts and brake rotor from the vehicle.

Remove speed sensor wire bracket bolt with the socket and ratchet. Remove the speed sensor retaining bolt with the socket and ratchet and remove the speed sensor from the knuckle. Remove the cotter pin for the tie rod end with the pliers. Remove the tie rod end castle nut with the socket and ratchet. Separate the tie rod end from the steering knuckle with the tie rod separator.

Remove the lower ball joint cotter pin with the pliers. Loosen the lower ball joint castle nut about half way with the socket and ratchet. Separate the lower ball joint from the lower control arm with the ball joint separator. Remove the upper ball joint cotter pin with the pliers. Remove the upper ball joint castle nut with the socket and ratchet. Separate the upper ball joint from the upper control arm with the ball joint separator. Remove the lower ball joint castle nut with the socket and ratchet.

Grasp the steering knuckle firmly and carefully slide it off the axle shaft, removing the steering knuckle from the vehicle. Place the steering knuckle in the vise on the work bench.

Remove the lower ball joint dust cover snap ring with the snap ring pliers. Remove the ball joint dust boot. Remove the ball joint snap ring with the snap ring pliers. Press the ball joint out of the steering knuckle with the ball joint replacement tool and removal base tool. Repeat this step for the upper ball joint.

Press the new lower ball joint into the steering knuckle by hand as far as it will go. Press the lower ball joint into the steering knuckle fully with the ball joint replacement tool and installation base tool. Install the ball joint snap ring with the snap ring pliers. Place the ball joint dust boot into position and install the dust boot snap ring. Repeat this process for the upper ball joint.

Line up the axle splines with the splines in the hub assembly and slide the steering knuckle and hub assembly over the axle shaft. Place the upper and lower ball joint studs into their respective holes on the control arms. Install the ball joint castle nuts by hand. Tighten the upper ball joint castle nut to 29 to 35 foot-pounds with the torque wrench. Tighten the lower ball joint castle nut to 36 to 43 foot-pounds with the torque wrench. Install the ball joint stud cotter pins through the castle nut and bend the legs of the cotter pin in opposite directions around the castle nut with the pliers.

Place the speed sensor and speed sensor wire bracket into position on the steering knuckle and install the mounting bolts tighten the mounting bolts to 7 foot-pounds with the torque wrench. Place the brake rotor onto the wheel hub. Install the mounting screws with the Phillips screwdriver. Remove the mechanics wire and install the brake caliper assembly over the brake rotor. Tighten the upper caliper mounting bolt to 25 foot-pounds and the lower caliper bolt to 20 foot-pounds with the torque wrench.

Place the brake hose mounting bracket into position and tighten the mounting bolt with the socket and ratchet. Thread the axle nut onto the axle until hand tight. Place the wheel and tire onto the vehicle and install the lug nuts hand tight.

Lift the vehicle off the jack stands with the floor jack and remove the jack stands from under the vehicle. Lower the vehicle to the ground and remove the floor jack. Instruct the helper to sit in the vehicle and hold the brake. Tighten the lug nuts to 80 foot-pounds with the torque wrench. Tighten the axle nut to 134 foot-pounds with the torque wrench and 32 mm socket. Install the hub cap or aluminum wheel center cap.