First986NJ

Ran into a little snag with the rear suspension when removing the stock struts to put the ROW M030 parts on.

The ball joint nut for the lower control arm does not seem to want to clear the halfshaft housing to come off. I tried jacking up the hub to change the angle, but it still wouldn't clear with the half shaft roughly straight out. Maybe I didn't go up high enough, but I realized a second issue was going to be a problem....even if I get the nut off, the ball joint tool I have (the recommended Porsche type) is not going to be able to sit correctly over the top of the ball joint stud - the arm is too thick. I could use a splitting fork, but I have read that they don't work all that well on the Porsche's and often tear the boot resulting in a new lower control arm. I don't want that. Thought this would be a good point to stop and ask for advice.

SO...how about it, any advice guys? Any tricks I need to know ?

Joee

Have you checked this site http://gwl.rmsolo.org/hacks/suspension/index.html . Best site I know for suspension work. I did this and had no real problems following these instructions.

JohnVitamvas

Hm, that's really strange. Jacking the hub won't help, because as I recall the nut is basically right below the halfshaft housing - the angle of the housing doesn't change because it's fixed to the rotating portion of the hub.

However we didn't have any issues on my car or Ken's. The nut spun off with a combo wrench and I didn't have any clearance problems with the halfshaft housing.

There was also plenty of room to use the tool. Don't use a pickle fork! You'll rip the balljoint boot for sure. Can you take a couple pictures of your current situation so I can think of some ideas?

Thx,

John

First986NJ

I didn't actually try and run the nut all the way off because, as I got it close, it was fairly obvious that it wasn't going to clear. However the lighting wasn't terribly bright either, and since you have done two of them with no issue, I will try and light it better tonight and actually make sure the nut won't come all the way off. Maybe it is just super close but actually will come off, and I am just being over cautious.

One of the guys on the RenTech board (insight) is suggesting that it is much easier, and safer, to remove the arm at the frame and not split the balljoint anyway. I just hate to move and relocate those eccentrics if I don't have to.

JohnVitamvas

I can understand how removing the control arm at the frame could be easier. Once the ball joint is removed from the spindle and you have everything else loose, you have to pry the control arm down (which is actually pretty difficult even with two people) so you can get the strut assembly out of the car.

However, I knew I wasn't going to be able to align my car for a couple weeks after the install so I cracked the ball joint instead. It certainly works. It's just not easy.

First986NJ

I confirmed last night that, at least on my '03 Boxster, there is absolutely no way the control arm ball joint nut is coming off with the half shaft still attached to the hub.

I marked the eccentrics and removed the control arm at the chassis to get the strut out. MUCH easier as Insite had suggested.