[kazhuveri]

I am in the process of replacing the front lower control arm.

As I try to tighten the lower ball joint castle nut, the bolt keeps turning/rotating. As a result, I am not able to tighten the nut.

How do I keep the bolt from turning, as I tighten the nut? Please help!

The nut I am talking about is in Page 12 in the following document.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxvI4KRgO7JQU0tMbzNtRlN4d1BBUmlUNVN3eUlqUTFQdzNN

 

[t-rd]

You need to replace the ball joints. This means you need to take the entire knuckle out and extra tools and parts.

 

[Drew03Accord]

The taper and hole should be clean, no antiseize or grease. Spray then with brake cleaner and try again. If you have an impact, use it to start the nut, then finish with a torque wrench. If you don't have an impact, put a jack under the control arm and jack it a bit, so it applies pressure to the joint. All or one of these should be the ticket.

Torque wrench is important. Overtightening will affect steering.

 

[BLCKFLSH]

Sounds like you screwed up the threads. Depends how screwed up the threads are. If you cross threaded it, you've got real issues which might be solved with a thread chaser. If it's just a small area where the threads are just a little bent, you can try lifting up on the lower arm with a jack, to hold the ball joint tighter.

 

[t-rd]

try this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK1oTEdErjQ

 

[JohnNH]

How do I keep the bolt from turning, as I tighten the nut? Please help!

I recommend pushing up under the lower control arm using a jack (preferably) or a long prybar or if you don't have a spare jack put the jack stand under the lower control arm (or some blocks) and lower the car down on it.

Exerting pressure up on the lower control arm will keep the ball joint from turning so you can get the nut on.

Good luck with the repair. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[JohnNH]

Oops, I didn't notice that BLKFLSH had already recommended this before I replied. I agree with BLKFLSH it has always worked for me to apply pressure to the tapered joint, in this case by pushing up on the lower control arm.

 

[kazhuveri]

Thanks folks!

I used the trick in t-rd's video. It worked!

 

[speedkar9]

Any tips on putting the castle nut on a spinning upper ball joint?

I just did the lower ball joints today and one of the uppers were spinning. I used my impact to drive it in, but was wondering how I could put more pressure on it since there's only so much force that I can pull it down by hand.

 

[BLCKFLSH]

I think the jack would work well in our situation where the nut goes on at the bottom, but not so much in the ericthecarguy video situation where the threads are up.