I have a 99 clipse and everyone knows that the 2nd gen eclipse has a recall on the lower lateral control arm. Turns out that mine went bad and it has already be fixed under the recall before. When my car was at the shop the mechanics told me that I have almost no bearing left in the ball joint. Does anyone have any I dea on how to remove and install the arm on my own. I have a jack and basic tools can it be done w/ that?
I really want to avoid the stealership but if that is the only way to get it done I need to know.

 

lol...stealership...

yeah its pretty freaking easy, but it requires a special tool.

First of all, i dont even want to tell you how to do it, unless you have something to safely hold up your car, like at least a jack stand.


but also to do it, you have to have a special fork tool that has two claws on it, to seperate the two pieces. The name of it escapes me right now, but i just removed the same thing the other day, and the tool is absolutely necessary..it will not come off any other way.
its a pretty cheap tool though.


and i actually didnt know about the recall for them....why was it recalled?

 

its called a pickle fork

 

therrrre ya gooo.

good job.

 

yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I do have jack stands so you can tell me how to do it. Also would that pickle fork be a rental tool at autozone? also how do i use it? I had the Haynes manual for my ca but I cant seem to find it.

 

im pretty sure you can rent it. to use it, you just put it inbetween the ball joint and spindle assembely and give it a wack with a hammer or sledge, and there you go.

 

and it may take a few very hard whacks. Tapping it isnt going to get you anywhere. you have to slam your hammer down, and show that pickle fork who is boss. you can probably just buy one for under 10 bucks...its a pretty simple tool...

 

Pickle fork isn't the actual name of it. I can't remember the ACTUAL name... but looks wise it kinda looks like a combination of a tuning fork and a wedge. Also before you try that you MAY want to whack the piece of metal that the spindle goes through. Sometimes you don't need the fork at all.

 

Well I looked fro my self and it doesn't look like the lower control arm. it is the ball joint for the curved shaped arm. I can't find my haynes manual so i can figure out what the part is called. Any one know that will be a big help. Here is all I know about it. it is on the driver side and connects to the back half of the suspention. It had a rubber ball joint that is ripped up and missing pieces. when i go over speed bumps I get a squeeqie noise. I am pretty sure I can put it on but I cant but a part if i don't know what the part is.