Cotter pin in front lower ball joint or no??

001Stunna

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Well i usually do a monthly check on the car to make sure all things are well and nothing has come loose, broke or etc.

Today after checking everything i noticed that my front upper driver balljoint had a cotter pin and the left upper one didn't. Ended up getting under and noticed that both my lowers however have no cotter pins under the nut so i just went to HomeDepot and bought a set of 10 just to have around.

I managed to put one in the upper passenger one but when attempting to put one in either lower left/right i just couldnt find a facking hole to put it in.

Do our lower balljoints use cotter pins or no?

My current balljoints have been on the car since i bought it and they're good with no play or etc...buttt could having lost that pin somehow mean that nut could actually move now lol? Is it worth worrying about?
 

ryan s

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yes, the lower nuts are castellated for use with a cotter pin.

yes, they could loosen without a pin.
 

001Stunna

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are they castle nuts? if you can't find the hole the nut may just need to be turned a little more to reveal it.

^ yep they look something along this
marcastlenut.jpg


It's the same nuts used on the uppers i believe, i just couldnt find a hole in the main bolt for sh1tt, didn't try turning them though as it was kind of cold out :$

Assuming that those nuts haven't moved in 3 years though, could they actually come loose if under impact of a bump, pothole, ravine lolz
 

001Stunna

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yes, the lower nuts are castellated for use with a cotter pin.

yes, they could loosen without a pin.

arghhh ok :( heres to hoping they dont until tomorrow then, i guess trip to a shop is due. Snow on the ground doesn't make me want to get under there again.
 

ryan s

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they only require like 38ft/lbs of torque, so it shouldn't be too bad (even in the snow)...
 

001Stunna

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they only require like 38ft/lbs of torque, so it shouldn't be too bad (even in the snow)...

Yeah but outside driveway+quite a lot of snow in the ground already+jacking the car and getting under=:ugh: lolz

Just checked on alldata though and yes it does seem the lowers require 36-43lbs/ft and uppers are 29-35lbs/ft.

Thanks:beer:
 

Sketch o5

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since you couldnt find the hole, the nut probably turned and is blocking it, since the pin has up and vanished haha.

i definitely hear you on the working on the car outside in the cold haha, im going to replace one of my uca's this weekend, and its gonna suck haha, should go quick though.​
 

001Stunna

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I'll probably bite the bullet and attempt it tomorrow, i kinda wonder how long it has been gone for though...probably just going to try and do it quick so its not as painfull and COLD, if it feels not worth it and the temp is too low below freezing ill just take it somewhere and ask them if they can raise it up for 2 minutes. I'm just hoping whoever came up with the damn nut and pin idea did think that the pin could come off somehow and the nut shouldn't feel lonely and follow it.

This is what it looks like outside now...pic taken seconds ago and snow started coming down maybe 2-3hrs ago. Suppose to go on all night :(
img00145201101061947.jpg
 
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