Ball Joint came out of control arm while driving!! Help Please!!

[281CI96Coupe]

Yeah if you neglect the squeak, something is bound to fail.

 

[Izover4u]

Yes, there are only two bolts holding the steering rack to the K member. Just loosen those enough so that you can pull it forward and get those bolts out. you don't have to remove the rack.

Riley

Got back in town and worked on the car...I got one bolt off of the control arm... but the bolt that is being blocked by the K member is being a PITA!!! ive pulled the Kmember as far as it will go and the bolt still will not come out.... any ideas? I am about to have this car towed to a shop...

 

[Blinkstang]

Got back in town and worked on the car...I got one bolt off of the control arm... but the bolt that is being blocked by the K member is being a PITA!!! ive pulled the Kmember as far as it will go and the bolt still will not come out.... any ideas? I am about to have this car towed to a shop...

Haha, I just went thru the same torture last week when installing my own Cobra control arms! It takes awhile, but it will eventually come out. This is what worked for me: I took off the bolt on the opposite side, so that only 1 bolt was now holding the control arm in place. I then lifted the side that had no bolt as high as it would go, this allowed the other bolt to slant downwards. I then just unscrewed the bolt as far as I could get it, so that I could move it around with my hand a little. Then you just have to take one hand and wiggle the bolt in every direction while doing the same thing with the control arm - just move both any way you can, it will slowly come out more and more.

I took many breaks in between, haha. I kept getting frustrated and would go eat or do something else for a bit to calm down. After my third break, and a day later I finally got it, lol. After I got the driver side control arm out, the other side was much easier (passenger) - now knowing that it was actually possible to do. Felt so great to get both of those arms off!

Then when I put the Cobras in, I just put the bolts in from the other side, much easier - haha.

 

[AntL97Cobra]

This is a great post with very helpful information. My 97 has been squeaking for quite a while now and I've yet to track down the source (tried balls joints, tie rod ends) was going to try the DIY detailed on this site -btw great walk-thru if you're the person who created it. Was curious if the 03+ Cobra have lube fittings?

Thanks again for the info fellas