Checking Lower Control Arms
 

So I was wondering how to go about checking out my control arms, I have a bad creaking from the back of the car when I'm at city speeds with the top up, otherwise its hard to hear. Pretty positive its bad contol arms and I would just go out and replace them but I want to check what has gone bad. The other problem is a while ago if I went over a large enough bump I would get a loud pop almost a bang from the back end but that has now stopped.

My reason for asking is I have poly center bushings for the control arms and was planning on getting poly bushings for the arm to frame connection but what I am concerned with is that it may be the ball joint that is toast and in that case I will be buying new arms just to punch out all the bushings :( . Any way to check the ball joints out? Just pop them out and give them a wiggle I geuss? Is it possible to replace the ball joints at all, because if so it may be cheaper for me to fully rebuild my current arms with poly bushings and new ball joints.

Thanks for any help.

You need to get the car in the air and pry on the ball joints to see if there is any play. The ball joints are not replaceable. You need to replace the entire lower control arm.

i agree...i dont know the specs but a pry bar will tell if they are loose...the left side might be looser [or so someone keeps saying here]

Vertex Auto sell rebuilt trackarms and control arms. Urathane bushings and re-pressed ball joints.

A Vertex rep also told me on the phone that he would sell me the bushings for their aftermarket units so I could screw in a new one when theirs wore out.