Quick suspension questions, ball joint, etc.

[KillTheApex]

I just spent all day yesterday replacing both of my front lower control arms on my 91 hatch. It took me seven hours and lots of pain and unnecessary running about. Near the end it started to rain on me so I quickly got up under the car and torqued everything and afterwards realized I forgot to torque the bolt holding the control arm to the body (by the tie-rod boot).

My first question is should I get up under it and torque it today or can it wait, its cold and raining outside and I'm sore as hell.

Also, since there is no torque spec for the ball joint castle nut I only tightened it to where the hole in the bolt meets one of the openings in the castle nut and put the cotter pin through them. Do I need to tighten the ball joint more, to where the hole is above the nut? If so, is it possible to just unbolt the bottom strut bolts (two 17mm) and swing it out of the way to tighten it, I only have a deep well 22mm socket?

Thanks ahead of time.

[goldfish]

Wouldn't drive the car until the suspension parts are all torqued to spec. I'm sure there is a torque value for that somewhere. I'd guess in the range of 60-80 ft lbs.

You'd probably be a little upset if that cotterpin snapped, and that nut walked itself off while you were driving etc... :/

[KillTheApex]

I'm still getting a pop sometimes while turning but I have no slop in the wheel with my hands at 12 and 6. I'm at a loss. Maybe I need to tighten the ball joint nuts some more but I thought the reason for the castle nut was for the cotter pin to pass through the castle nut opening, through the hole in the bolt and out the other side of the castle nut, not above it.

Also, I went ahead and torqued the bolts in the rain. Sucked. I didn't have a wrench to do the ball joint but I guess I'm going to go ahead and tighten those up too.

[KillTheApex]

Alright, I didn't mention this earlier but when I torqued the bolts that hold the control arm to the body I had something happen.

I put the key in the ignition and started cutting the wheels so it was easier to get to the bolts while under there. Obviously no power steering so I was pulling on the wheel hard and heard a sound once I reached the point where the wheel wouldn't turn anymore. I thought nothing of it and crawled up under the car. There was power steering fluid leaking down onto the top of the control arm. I freaked and looked around for a busted hose and found none, I popped the hood and there was fluid coming out from under the cap of the reservoir and running down the side.

My car feels....eh, off. I don't know, it felt more responsive with busted ball joints. Feels kind of squishly and there is a weird feeling in the steering. Did I screw something up? I'm kind of n00bish with working on the suspension and what not.

Also, backing into my parking space tonight the car's idle was hopping from 700-1100 rpm. Back and forth. I sat in the space for a minute and it continued to do it. Any help on that would be great as well.

[Import_player]

might want to try an alignment bro, also check your tension rod bushings can cause a pop when turning too, also are you runing powersteering or not? it not good for the steering rack and can cause it to fail and leak.