Buddy Club P1 Racing Extended Front Lower Control Arm Ball Joint GE8 Install.
Part Number: BC02-BJP1-H005

$144 @THM Buddy Club P1 Racing Extended B Joint HONDA FIT 2009 - 2013 BC02-BJP1-H005








What's the point of this mod?
After cars are lowered the control arm becomes horizontal (bottom image). This mod puts the control arm back at the OEM angle restoring suspension geometry (upper image). This moves the roll center up, and closer to the center of gravity of the car, which increases steering responds and decreases front body roll.






TOOLS
You will need this special tool to remove and install the ball joints. You can rent it FREE at Napa:

Part Number: 776-8012



19mm 1/2" Drive Socket (remove inner bolts)
1/2" Breaker Bar
1/2" Ratchet
19mm Open Box Wrench (remove ball joint nut)
Pocket Screw Drive or Picks (remove clip on ball joint boot)
Pliers or Diag Cutters (remove cotter pin)
C-Clamp Pliers (if you decide to use them)
22mm 1/2" Drive Socket (used with Napa Press Tool)




This is what you get in the kit: Two Ball Joints w/nuts, Two Cotter Pins, Two C-Clamps




Difficulty level: 3

Time: 2 hours, I was able to do it in less than an hour due to experience.

Additional: You will need an alignment afterwards, I suggest using camber bolts, at this time, to get more camber.

Ball Joint Length: 15mm~.5" longer





INSTALL

Step one:
Remove wheel. Remove one control arm at a time. Remove the ball joint pin and nut completely (Green Arrow) (do not discard reuse). Hammer on the knuckle at the ball joint to release joint from knuckle (Orange Arrow).




Step two:
Remove the x4 (one front and three rearward) inboard bolts of the control arm (WARNING: all 4 bolts are different length, DO NOT mix up). Remove control arm.




Step Three:
On the BC P1 ball joint you will need to carefully remove the lower clip and boot to fit the boot through the hole of the control arm.




Step four:
Use Napa tool to remove OEM ball joint.




Clean control arm.




Step five;
Install BC P1 joint using Napa tool. Set up tool by hand, make sure the joint is centered before pressing in.

Off Center is bad:




Centered is good:




DO NOT use impact gun. Only use the breaker bar because you will feel when it seats or if the ball joint is not going in straight. You will feel it seat. The joint will stick out the bottom a bit (Green arrow). The Red Arrow is the amount it will move.




StepSix:
I used the "C-Ring" that came with the kit, but it is not needed, and doesn't sit very well (Orange Arrow). You might think that you didn't press the joint in all the way, but that's not true, the Green is the joint set all the way in. Refit the bottom of the boot and re-install clip (Red Arrow).




Re-install:
I reused all the Honda Bolts, Nuts and Cotter Pins. I prefer using the OEM stuff when I can, it usually lasts longer. But that's preference.




This is a side by side comparison:





Driving Impression:
Right away I could tell the steering was more responsive (most obvious). The front body roll lessened, but it took taking a few familiar turns to feel how much. I feel a bit of bump steer, but nothing to complain about.


Was it worth it:
Yes, It brought back the steering responds from when the car was lowered. I am a bit disappointed that Buddy Club only made them in a .5" length. I have 17" wheels that could accommodate longer ball joints. I would do this mod again, definite improvement.



___

 

I think I'm done. If something doesn't make sense or needs to be corrected let me know and I will edit.

 

Awesome DIY man, gave you some rep. I was thinking about doing these ever since I got Buddy Club c/o's. Thanks for the good pointers! I'll definitely give this a shot in the near future.

 

Will these work on the GD3's?

 

I was planning on doing this mod, just don't want to spend almost three hundred $ on ball joints. Nice DIY write up man

 

$150, they're sold in pairs. Totally worth it IMO.

Nice write up, thank you

 

Haha. Thanks. You inspired me with all our suspension talk.

 

Like Wanderer said; $144 at THM Shipped.

Buddy Club P1 Racing Extended B Joint HONDA FIT 2009 - 2013 BC02-BJP1-H005

 

I am glad I could help inspire something, that's all I aim to do here really.

The install looks fairly easy. I am glad you posted it I always mean to look underneath and see what I'm working with on this, but forget and put the car on the ground and don't feel like putting it back up lol

Only so many hours these days, meh

 

I have these on my integra and I also think it is a great mod. Did the RCA lower the car more when installed? Any pics of it installed?

 

very nice! so few understand that by slamming their car, they are ruining the handling. i don't slam mine for ground clearance, but if i did, this mod is a must. be glad you have these available to you and get em if you are riding low.

 

Yes, The Roll Center is lowered when the car is lowered. Because it is determined by the angle of the lower control arms and the perpendicular of the strut top. But when you lower the car, the Roll Center drops faster than the car (center of gravity). See 2nd pic above.

I will post installed pics.

 

Interested in this mod, but curious to know how low is low enough to justify the purchase of these ball joints?

I am running swift springs for a moderate drop and was told they were designed for oem shocks and travel rates. Definitely a selling point for me at the time since I wasnt planning on upgrading other suspension parts other than a rsb and wider tires.

 

The ball joints are only a 1/2" longer. In other words in you lowered your car 1/2" or more you should consider this mod.

I wish they made different lengths or adjustables. But its not cost effective and most people run 16in wheels that wouldn't be able to clear longer ball joints.

 

Look at your LCAs, if they're angled significantly downward on the body side you will benefit from these. I have a hunch you're OK without them with the Swifts. Probably close to 2" drop is where these will make the most significant difference (cost vs. reward) but I am completely guessing.

On Teins (~1.8" lower and soft) and stock camber I can tell I need either RCAs or camber bolts, the car feels like it's rolling over way too much on corner (camber gain, high/soft sidewalls). I got camber bolts because they were cheap but this is a better alternative and less bandaidy (not a word). Even better with both RCA + camber bolts if you really like to hustle corners.

 

Too bad you're in Cali, I would help you with this mod. I tune my buddies cars, thats how I pay for tuning mine. Win/Win.

I put in camber bolts in and an alignment over the weekend and the car feels really feels great. I laugh when im driving it because It still just a FIT. But its so mush fun!

 

[QUOTE=De36;1211794]Like Wanderer said; $144 at THM Shipped.

Buddy Club P1 Racing Extended B Joint HONDA FIT 2009 - 2013 BC02-BJP1-H005[/Q


I was thinking about the j's racing one's ,
http://www.j-sracingusa.com/jsusa/ga...BADJ%2D1%2Ejpg

 

Ohh, that makes sense, (BC=15mm, Js=10mm). Buddy Club is quality stuff so justifying J's racing really depends on how much you want to spend.

 

Nice write up. Here's a third company offering them, hardrace. Not sure of the cost but might be helpful if someone was shopping around and wanted to check with them.

HARDRACE - Performance Suspension Parts

 

Very nice. I emailed them for prices and info on there other products.