mr1888

Hi all, new member to the club. Recently was driving in "slippy" condition lost control and kerbed my back end drivers side wheel !! So bottom 2 rods are bent and have just bought another rx8. For parts. Am needing to replace rods but unsure of how to remove ball joint? Any ideas. Also as the rx8 is a wee fragile thing does anyone think this will affect the wheel alignment? Any ideas of maybe improving my car while I have it in the airb thanks in advance

logalinipoo

Holy rust pit man, I can't say anything as for improving it back there. i've never managed to curb it that hard. It looks like the upper arm that's bent is your toe control arm. It will definitely affect alignment and if it's out just a little the car can drive a little sideways and scrub a tire flat in no time.

mr1888

Was worried about the alignment!! Thought I would be ok, as there is nowhere on the rods that can be adjusted like on the the front!!! Therefore straight swap keeps same alignment??Have just bought another 8 to take parts off and replace but may just try and fix other one if going to have alignment probs�� not a good day so far

mr1888

Hit the kerb that hard broke the alloy!!

04Green

iTrader: (1)

Yeah,

that is a pretty good whack. Those bars are pretty tough.

Not a wee fragile thing though. I know someone who did something similar in at jeep, and it was $4000 to fix all the broke stuff. If it were me, I would consider pulling the entire corner (all the rods) and replacing it with the ones from the donor. This will give you a replaced half shaft and hub as well. Be careful of the brake line and ABS sensor. It is also likely few bolts and stuff to deal with prying back into shape when you find out something else bent, or worse, a cast piece cracked. When you get done see what it takes to straighten out that piece, and imagine what it took to bend it by pushing in on it.

Just my opinion.

CRO8TIA

Use a ball joint removing tool, or, use a persuader and give the area around the ball joint a good whack, this usually releases the ball joint.

mr1888

Got a 5lb persuader and a lot of wd40 done the trick good but thinking now might do what your saying 04green may as well replace the lot, doner has healthier parts so thumbs up here goes nothing, btw this is my first diy job on a car !!!

04Green

iTrader: (1)

You sure know how to pick a starter project... At least the rear springs and struts can be handled without a spring compressor.

Takes lots of pictures. And, figure out how to not leak out brake fluid. A piece of saran wrap, over the top of the brake fluid reservoir with the top screwed on, will help. Also be careful of the ABS sensor. The connector is not obvious. I think you need to stick the blade of a small screwdriver in a little slot to make it come off. Then it is just work. Check donor brake pads, might want to keep them all the same.

mr1888

Thanks for the help, much needed haha think I'm going to rethink project !! Haha the doner car seems to be in better condition apart from the engine sounding like a bag of nails !! May just take out good engine and put into doner??

04Green

iTrader: (1)

Years ago I rebuilt a 1967 mustang, almost from the ground up. I used a mustang specific scrapper for many of the parts. I pulled most of them from one without an engine and transmission.

In the end, when I pulled the last parts I needed, and after rebuilding the engine and transmission, I had much the same conversation with myself.

a few questions to let others smarter than I chime in...

do the years and options match on the cars? What is the body condition of both, is either bent (aside from someone hitting a curb really really hard)?

OnebaddRx8

I curbed mine 2 months ago and still don't have my car back. I did $3800 in damage to suspension components and yes you will need an alignment. Be sure to check everything the dealer found several more parts that needed replaced after starting repairs.

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mr1888

Day 2 and my heads already done in with the pros and cons of fixing the little bits or changing the engines !!! From what I can gather I could drop the engine and gearbox from the bottom ? This may be a lot easier but still it's my first big diy job on a car... To note both cars ain't in all that a perfect condition, but for the sake of off spending little as much I think changing over engines might be the cheaper option as long as I dont break any major sensors. But then the "unseen" damage from hitting the kerb might be nothing?!?!? Dam that kerb!!!!

mr1888

Will keep you updated, away to see about wheel alignment from a specialist ££££££

KaLiKoStreet

Yea I would say get a 4wheel alignment after that. 4wheel alignment in my area at most shops go from $60-$100 but its worth paying that rather then $800 every 2000 miles for new tires, my car was in a wreck sometime before I bought it and the insurance company fixed the damages but they didn't do a realignment so now I'm eating the inside of my tires until I take it to have it down.

CRO8TIA

Just be super careful when disconnecting the sensor connections,in cold weather they become very brittle.Yes it is easier to remove the engine from the bottom, I prefer from the top but most guys in here do it from the bottom, and thats not a ghey pun

OnebaddRx8

$6k to fix me hitting a curb (with assistance from the driver behind me). Then countless issues with the airbags, the insurance company would of been better off totaling it from the beginning.

Glad it wasn't my money!

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ZFD8

iTrader: (3)

Crazy talk about an expensive incident, at least you will get to replace it and get it back better than before

OnebaddRx8

Yep I was floored when I went to the dealer to pick it up and they gave me a copy of the invoice.
$6k to fix it and $900 in rental car fees that's more than I paid for the car! Lol

Their insurance company lost their *** on that deal......

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