M45 2003 - Front Lower Ball Joint

Forum for Infiniti M35 and M45, and Nissan Fuga owners.
LeGrosRoger
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:13 am
Car: 2003 Infiniti M45

Post

My front passenger side lower ball joint is completely dead.

Since it's around 800CAD at the moment before shipping and taxes for one front control arm (2k at the dealer), I was wondering if these ball joints are compatible with our North American Y34 control arms: https://www.ebay.com/itm/222495269891

If not, are there any aftermarkets ball joints or control arms still available on the market? Not looking for performance, but wouldn't mind performance parts either. Just looking for alternatives to paying that much for replacing a simple blown ball joint.

I've seen an older thread on this subject, but it's really out of date.


EniGmA1987
Posts: 2256
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:13 am
Car: '06 Infiniti M35 Sport

Post

A Gloria Y34 is indeed your car body. It should be compatible.
I just hope the car didn't have a revision of your ball joints at some point. I ran into this when replacing mine in the '06. Infiniti had a revision to the control arm and ball joint so the taper on the ball was different on new parts vs old.

LeGrosRoger
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:13 am
Car: 2003 Infiniti M45

Post

Hmmm I'll wait a few days to see if anyone else has addtionnal knowledge to spare on this issue!
Thanks for the heads-up regarding a potentiel revision. I'll keep trying to find more info.

From the service manual, the NA Y34's front control arm looks slightly different from the Gloria Y34. Slightly different construction, but overall looks very similar. Although, the V8 being heavier than different engine choices on the Gloria, ball joint might very well be different.

deserttaxguy
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2021 5:29 pm
Car: 2003 Infiniti M45

Post

Sorry, to say this, but if your control arm doesn't have serviceable, replaceable ball joints and bushings, that you are better of just biting the bullet and getting the right part. I just did the lower control arms on my 03 M45.. and while the price of the part is terrible, if one thing is bad, the others aren't too far away. My bushings where torn on both sides and my car has 90,000 miles. I just got the right part for around $350 each ($180 off list too!), The OEM part number is 54500-CR900 and the part you are thinking of is advertised as replacing part 54500-AG500. I'm betting thats got something to do with the bores on the control arm not having the slots for the retaining ring to hold the service part in.

I guess for the few bucks they want for that replacement ball joint, you could try to do it. Probably won't work. If you really don't want to spend the money on the right part, I'd look at a salvage part online. I found some for sale, but you never know how long that will last.
I'm hoping it will for all of us 03 owners! Good luck


Return to “Infiniti M35 and M45 Forum”