So I was pulling out of a local gas station and I heard and felt a loud CLUNK!, so I quickly turned back into the plaza and went to park in front of a drug store and BAM! my right front corner of my car dives to the ground just as I enter a parking spot. I get out and my tire is holding up my right front fender. So I looked on the ground by my car is a nice castle nut having a sit. My lower castle nut fell off, codder pin broken. I'm so lucky it happened in a parking lot or I could have crashed :(. I got my friend to come over and we fixed it in the parking lot with spectators. Seems to be ok now but I noticed my lower ball joints are just beat to hell. I really want to get Stage 2 from SC&C but I'm not sure I can fork out the money right now. I was wondering if getting the tall ball joints and using them just on the lower control arms would be ok? and then later I'll get the adjustable upper arms with tall ball joints. I read some post about someones Howe ball joint snaping and now I'm scared. I'm using stock original GM drum spindles. So what do you suspension experts have to say? I really don't want to put stock ball joints in just because I'm poor. Thanks in advance for any replies.

I gotta say that I can't see how a cotter key can strip out by the castle-nut unless a "Friend" at a Shop decided to sabotage you!

I figure the Quick Lube places and cheap chain muffler shops are bad about this crap!! And here in town years ago Sears got caught doing this too!

And I've used the castle-nut many a times to screw right through the old cotter keys and then I just punched the pieces outta the stud if I reused it.

(He, He!! I use 2" long nails for cotter keys)...

If the seat is OK in the lower A-Arm, you will be fine. Buy a good stock one like a NAPA.

And I'd check dam close b/c if one goes, usually the other three are getting ready to go!

One idea is that if you have State Safety Inspections, pay the $20 or so and have a State licensed inspection shop check her ALL over! Our cars are dam old now!

pdq67

I believe installing just the tall ball joints in the lower control arm would mess up the geometry of your suspension. I would just install regular ball joints in your car now, as long as the lower control arm is okay and save up for the SC&C package.

Only thing I saw on this forum about the Howe tall ball joints is the guy who put on an aftermarket spindle and the spindle was defective and that caused the howe ball joint problem.

Anyway, call Marcus at SC&C and see what he says.

I PMd someone from SC&C on the forums about it. I just don't want to put in stock ball joints then have to replace them in a few months if I get the Stage 2 kit. Especially since aparently they are press in and I can't install my self. I don't even know if shops can install them with the control arm in the car, bushings are probably shot on the control arm as well, maybe I should just get new lower control arms, wouldn't have to worry about installation costs. Just plop them in my self. Decisions, I don't want to overspend but I want something good long term.

Especially since aparently they are press in and I can't install my self. I don't even know if shops can install them with the control arm in the car, bushings are probably shot on the control arm as well, maybe I should just get new lower control arms, wouldn't have to worry about installation costs. Just plop them in my self. Decisions, I don't want to overspend but I want something good long term.

Wouldn't buying new control arms be almost as much as the SC&C stuff?

I was reading a post in tHe Pro-Touring forum, and I think the guy used a hand-held ball-joint press to install the lower joint...


Timely thread... My Lower BJ is loose, and i already have the Stage 2 setup and new CPP lower arms... I was/am considering just installing the lower arms and lower (tall) BJ for now, and eventually installing the uppers... I guess I'll have to take the time to install the uppers too...
its for the best anyway...

Especially since aparently they are press in and I can't install my self.

Sure you can. It's done using a ball joint press which is essentially a beefed-up, modified c-clamp. Do them right in your driveway, I did. You can "rent" them (actually free when you get your deposit back) from some chains like Auto Zone, or buy one pretty cheap from HF http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38335

So basically I should buy stock balljoints from napa, install them using a cheap or free rental tool and then just save up for SC&C stage kit. Thanks.

Yup...do yourself a favor and get Moog or make sure the "stock" ones you get are as good as Moog. You don't want to run cheap import stuff and have a recurrence.

Napa wanted 65 dollars for one balljoint, then I'd have to find a way to install it so I'm just gonna pray my car stays together and buy whole new control arms later on.