Hello to anyone interested in this...

I have been putting off some routine maintenance on my '99 Protege and at 200,000kms I decided to fix all the clunks and squeaks. I replaced all four wheel bearings, rear shoes, and lower balljoints. I was shocked at the $400 required to replace both lower control arms just to fix the sloppy ball joints. I decided to look through the Moog parts catalog and I went directly to the Mazda section in search of a ball joint that I could press into my control arm. I believe it was a mid 90's 626 that ended up having a ball joint that was very similar to mine. All of the important dimensions of the two joints were identical, just some slight cosmetic differences. The new balljoint pressed right in and worked great. If anyone is afraid to try this, I will say that it was much harder to get the CV axle out of the splines in the spindle/hub/bearing assembly. I had put the assembly in a press and use the torch to get it free. Gotta love Canadian salt covered roads. If anyone is interested, I can provide the Moog part number for the balljoint. They are only $50 ea. compared to the $200 control arm. If you would like to know exactly what car the replacement balljoints came from, than I will have to go back th the parts store and verify with the catalog.

Colin

 

Good info, Colin. Thanks for putting it up!!

 

Hey all,

I'm glad to be here, great info. I am looking to replace the ball joint in my 1992 929 without replacing the entire control arm and I am wondering if this method will work.
I've looked through some parts stores online and I can only find the entire control arm assembly for the 929. But I found an individual ball joint that works in the '92 626. And the 626 uses the same exact control arm assembly as is listed for the 929. So is it possible to put the ball joint listed for the 626 in the control arm of my 929?
Also, I don't have alot of tools, just the basic sockets wrenches and stuff for small work. So I am wondering if I am even going to be able to press this ball joint into the control arm. Any advice on how I should go about doing that?

Control Arm for 929 & 626:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0318&ppt=C0106

Ball Joint for 929 & 626:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0317&ppt=C0106

Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers,
Mike