Perry 951

Ok... perhaps it is me, but I feel totally ripped off when I have to buy a $450 A-arm or a $200 rebuilt one for a friggin $20 ball joint.

There must be a way to replace them yourself.

There is a dude with a kit on the classifieds that sells them for $175, but for that I might as well get the A-arm, and I am suspect on the quality and reliability of the product.

What is the deal? Anyone know any other option? Anyone press them in themselves and not want my first born son? I hate to cut corners here, but the bills are getting higher and higher, and frankly, I am tired of spending the high amount of juice on common parts. (IE $175 O2 sensor, when the same part number for a Ford is $30, or an Audi for $50.)

Cobbs

Well I dont use the alloy track control arms but I follow every thread and I know that Skip switched to a modified version of the steel control arms with replaceable ball joints. Skip can you give us some pros-cons?

But that would be a big modification. But as far as the O2 sensor I paid a grip of cash for the CA emmissions version. But you can get the generic Bosch one and then just connect the terminals from your old sensor. The CA version has a provision for a heater to spin up the sensor faster but the car can do without the heater.

Hang in there

Gord

Perry,

I know where you're coming from! My '88 944S is in the shop now getting the right A-arm replaced. $700 cdn not including labor and front wheel alignment. The ball joint popped out while driving last week. Luckily I was coming to a stop in a residential street but if it happen 5 minutes earlier on the highway, well you'll probably read about me and my 5-year-old son in the obituary.

I decided on the OE replacement part as oppose to a rebuild due to the major factors. Cost difference and reliable. Firstly, a rebuild unit is half the costs with little to no warranty period, the original's already lasted 13 years. (assumption) Secondly with the rebuild, the socket seat (round compared to oblong) and the integrity of the ball joint has to be monitored yearly. Remember… aluminum does bend like the earlier steel arms, a hairline fracture will eventually snap. Thirdly, depending on how hard you ride has a direct correlation on the life expectancy of a rebuild.

Some would say " Pay more for peace of mind or live with the consequences of guilt. "

These babies of ours are relatively inexpensive to purchase but to be properly maintain your paying a premium. These cars aren't meant to be looked at, if you want to play you have pay. I'm just hoping nothing more will "happen". Not…..the rubber yoke in my clutch is starting to deteriorate.

Gord '88 944S

Perry 951

OH.. I hear the pay to play. Coming up on the $13 grand mark here, and by god, with this, it will near the $14 or $15 (cuz the while you are in there thing will pop up and every bushing that I have not already replaced will be done.)

I am just very very suprised about this. My Talon and Daytona needed ball joints, and they were $20 and used a gear puller and a small bearing press to R&R. You did not have to repalce half the friggin suspension. (Ahhhh quiet.. I know they are not Porsches, but I never worried about the wheel falling off on them, and if so 2 hours and $20 could fix that, not an entire paycheck!)

On the rebuilt ones, I am assuming that the glue is melted (they are glued in as well, right) and then they are pressed out. The arm is tossed in a hot tank, new ball joints pressed and glued in. Not to hard right.

So why is is that the places that do this take MY a-arms ($200ea) and sell me rebuilt ones ($200ea) for a cost to me of $400, +tax and shipping and on and on? Why can't someone charge $50 to press the damn things in? I am sure they would get a decent amount of buisness from that.

Just a thought. And I do like the A-arms that Paragon has, but they sure are expensive!!!

PrerYDoG

Perry - there's a place in Texas that does it for 150 (I think that includes shipping). You send them theirs, they turn it around in a day or two (same arm) with a repressed ball joint. They are descent to deal with. It's European Dynamic. They're in Texas.


If you need the number, I can dig it up somewhere. Replacing them is easy, bout an hour, hour and a half.

Perry 951

Yes, please get the number. Might as well do them both at the same time.

However, since this is my only ride (Except for the Yamaha FZR 600), I will have to wait until the spring to do it. The drivers side is just fine, the pass. has about as much deflection as a bad wheel bearing, or a bad tie rod. (Not much, but enough to cause concern)

Hope that I do not chuck off a wheel!!

Skip

Dynamic European - 713.661.2780
Houston, TX

I do have the steel arms on my 86 with replaceable ball-joints (reinforced for racing by Markus)... but these are not available for your 87, yet. Markus Blaszak has been working on a cost effective solution to the later cars, but I don't think they are ready yet. You can email him directly: mblaszak@kos.net

If you're going to be racing, and the ball-joints are suspect now, might as well charge up the Visa with some lightweight billet arms with the larger/replaceable pins. Otherwise, use Dynamic... they offer a 3-yr guarantee.

Good Luck!

fletch.

I installed the steel brass ball joints myself, not that hard to do, and cost only 115.00 per side.

Beats the hell out of 1500.00 charley arms and use the exact same joint.

Mike B

You peaked my curiosity Fletch...How did you do it and where did you pick up the parts?

Gord

Perry951,

13-15K in mods! Better call your insurance company to have your ride reappraise. Wouldn't want the "blood suckers" to under value your baby with a comparable vehicle if anything were to happen.

Fletch,

I glanced through on your web site, nice job, would be of interest to other owners if documentation were given at each stage as suggested by Mike B.

Firestarter

Perry,

If you really get into a pinch, I may have a car you can borrow for a while. Not anything nice, but a hell of a lot better than walking.


Don't forget to check Pelican boards for the Cincy-Dayton get together scheduled for this coming Sunday.

Firestarter

fletch.

OK I'll spill, on the bottom dig out the epoxy. Use a good set of pointy things (I’ll leave this up to the individual) to pry the c-clip out, that will release the spring holding in the ball and cups. I had to use a vise and metal dowel to squeeze the spring so there was not tension on the c-clip. This was the trickiest part, if your not 100% strait the ball joint will move and it will fall out of the vise. Once out install the new ball joint, use the metal dowel and vise trick to compress the spring, install c-clip and pack with JB weld.

I think I got the ball joints from Kelly moss racing, I will have to check my records. If your interested I will do some digging.

All in all it was worth it, the new joints have brass cups, and are designed so there is no way the ball can come out the top without breaking the control are. A+ on design, C- on price.

Tabor

Please Tell!

fletch.

Gord,
I need to redo the entire site, I just have not gotten the motivation yet. To answer your question YES, I have many jobs photographed, wastegate, high pressure fuel line replacement, installing big reds. Not the ball joints, I did that before the engine rebuild and before I had the camera.

fletch.

Vision has the ball joints.web page. You might have to call and ask about them I did not see them on the site.