Upper Control Arm Sealing DIY?

[zannman]

Just wondering if anyone has done this sealing of the control arm ball joint area DIY.

From the pictures I've seen it's just applying a sealant around the metal seam between the wishbone and ball joint part of the upper control arm, although I'd probably slather some on the center of the ball joint mount as well - where a zerk might have been put on other cars.

I've also seen the recommendation to release the control arm and exercise the ball joint to spread the grease around. I may do that concurrently.

Just trying to do some pre-emptive planning on my car that will likely be going out of warranty on mileage this month. I've had one upper control arm replacement - Rev G to H - but the passenger side is hanging in there at the moment.

 

[Skione65]

Just wondering if anyone has done this sealing of the control arm ball joint area DIY.

From the pictures I've seen it's just applying a sealant around the metal seam between the wishbone and ball joint part of the upper control arm, although I'd probably slather some on the center of the ball joint mount as well - where a zerk might have been put on other cars.

I've also seen the recommendation to release the control arm and exercise the ball joint to spread the grease around. I may do that concurrently.

Just trying to do some pre-emptive planning on my car that will likely be going out of warranty on mileage this month. I've had one upper control arm replacement - Rev G to H - but the passenger side is hanging in there at the moment.

Model Year? Mileage?

Ski

 

[zannman]

2019 LR AWD Model 3. Drivers side replaced around 32k miles. Passenger still okay at 49k and I'm wondering whether I should actively do something with it.

It's the only maintenance that has had to be done on this car, other than a routine tire replacement at 26k.

 

[RSpanner]

Just wondering if anyone has done this sealing of the control arm ball joint area DIY.

From the pictures I've seen it's just applying a sealant around the metal seam between the wishbone and ball joint part of the upper control arm, although I'd probably slather some on the center of the ball joint mount as well - where a zerk might have been put on other cars.

I've also seen the recommendation to release the control arm and exercise the ball joint to spread the grease around. I may do that concurrently.

Just trying to do some pre-emptive planning on my car that will likely be going out of warranty on mileage this month. I've had one upper control arm replacement - Rev G to H - but the passenger side is hanging in there at the moment.

Also my question...I have read that Tesla started sealing that joint at the Factory...if so, it was not done on our car which was delivered Sept.4 2021. I could do it myself if it is just around the metal between the rubber (upper and lower )

 

[RSpanner]

 

[DrSmile]

How do you get the ball joint free from the knuckle? Any specific pry tool?

 

[leonar40]

I'm at 49,500 with a 2018 LR AWD. So far no squeaks so I'm crossing my fingers as I'm about to go out of warranty.

 

[Pied]

How do you get the ball joint free from the knuckle? Any specific pry tool?

No special pry tool. You just need to remove the nut and bolt from the ball joint. It uses a Torx T50. You'll need to push down on the control to remove the bolt and it should pop out.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

Tesla mobile recently did the sealing service on my '21 and here's what it looks like. The tech put on a rubber glove and squeezed some thick pasty "urethane sealant" onto his finger then reached up into the wheelwell to smear it on. He didn't lift the car or even turn the wheel for access, just reached blindly right in there (maybe that's why Tesla left such a large fender gap?). Of course it's easily accessible from the frunk as well if you take out the liner.

I don't know if water intrusion at this joint is related to the ball joint noise issue or if this service is just to prevent corrosion at that edge leading to structural failure.

And for reference here's a closer view of that seam without the sealant. Pic is from an earlier car (not mine) but joint looks the same:

 

[Dysan911]

I"m really trying to wrap my brain around how smearing anything to the external rubber boot helps fix a squeak. I assumed they would maybe inject some extra grease with a syringe or something but I guess not.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

No one is smearing anything on a rubber boot. Tesla's service involves sealing the steel/steel seam shown above. Maybe water can wick into the ball socket from there? Or maybe the arm tends to corrode at that joint and they're concerned about it breaking.

Noise fixes typically involve wiggling the ball around to redistribute grease and/or injecting more grease.

 

[AI1337Tech]

This greasing of the internal ball itself is extremely DIY in most cases when squeaking. There is a metal coil holding the rubber boot closed and to the housing. Get a hook tool to uncoil and drop the spring a bit, get a good syringe and inject a bunch of grease in there. DO NOT USE WD-40. Sometimes just jacking the car to get the wheels into full range mitigates this squeak for a bit.

If you have to actually have to unscrew the clinch pin, you can work the ball in a rolling circular motion and re screw to the ink mark (don't grease the screw, not sure of torque settings, but re-aligning will usually be tight enough to match the mark point.)

The irritating part is that Tesla SC's are wasting $400 in uber credits, 3 days holding a car on the lot (instead of owners garages) to smear some gloop sealant that takes seconds. They are getting better, but this is stupid levels of inefficiency and time wasted. This should be a drive-up-and-leave event. Toyota used to do the same crap when I was in Prius land.

 

[PianoAl]

I fixed the creak by injecting grease. I'm wondering whether to smear some sealer on the top of the control arm until I get a chance to drive four hours to a service center.

 

[bobby g]

How do you get the ball joint free from the knuckle? Any specific pry tool?

Pickle fork

 

[Occhis]

@DrSmile Do not use a pickle fork. First free the wheel speed wire from the arm so it doesn’t get damaged when the joint is released. Remove the pinch bolt nut, then squeeze the ball joint against the control arm with your hand. This will take pressure off the pinch bolt. While squeezing, remove the pinch bolt and the ball joint will release out of the control arm. It’s not like any other ball joint I’ve taken apart. In this pic you will be pulling down on the top of the ball joint to remove the bolt. Hope that helps.

 

[JayNJ]

I"m really trying to wrap my brain around how smearing anything to the external rubber boot helps fix a squeak. I assumed they would maybe inject some extra grease with a syringe or something but I guess not.

It's to prevent a squeak, not fix it.

 

[Motion122]

Add a zerk fitting and grease once a year!

 

[TwoK4drSi]

The upper control arm is made of composite plastic and the ball joint is metal. The exposure of cracking and allowing water to come in from the top connection is where they’re sealing.

I redid my suspension and went ahead and bought new ones and asked them to seal it while it was off the car. It is a waterproof urethane (window adhesive)

 

[Skione65]

The upper control arm is made of composite plastic and the ball joint is metal. The exposure of cracking and allowing water to come in from the top connection is where they’re sealing.

I redid my suspension and went ahead and bought new ones and asked them to seal it while it was off the car. It is a waterproof urethane (window adhesive)
View attachment 805725View attachment 805724

Just curious…..why didn’t you just put in MPPs FUCA’s? Why go through all that if your replacing them anyway?

Ski

 

[TwoK4drSi]

Just curious…..why didn’t you just put in MPPs FUCA’s? Why go through all that if your replacing them anyway?

Ski

That’s an easy answer. Oem fuca is only $90 a piece and mine lasted 50k miles. I don’t need camber and I wrench on my own car so . Save that extra $1k for something better.

Also know that endlinks from Tesla…..a whopping $9 a piece. You’d be surprise on the cost of brand new oem Tesla parts.