I love this forum! Thanks for your help, everyone who gave input.

Yes, you are right poorman212, I bought the tires before the snow started falling towards end of last year here in Missoula, Montana.

Yes, I think The ball joints are shot, or the upper, driver-side ball joint. I here a clunk sound from driver-side front suspension when I am driving over potholes/dips I can't avoid, etc (Should have stated that earlier).

I am working poor for now, so I am slowly replacing/repairing things on my car.

I would totally have this car restored if I had the money to do so. I see some other '90 - '93 Accords that look like they have been garaged, while the one I own has the rust I read they get around the rear wheel wells. I was thinking about spraying this rust inhibitor, that neutralizes the rust. Then work on getting the rust taken care of all together (After more important repairs/replacements like the cv axles & ball joints).

 

Are you going to be doing the work? Not that hard to do the ball joints/arms and cv shafts.

 

Yes, I am going to do the work. I saw so many videos on youtube of cv's being replaced and ball joints. You said ball joints/arms. Do you mean I have to replace the "arms" too? Also, I noticed in youtube videos there is a gasket (or seal, or something like that) this person replaced that goes in between transmission and the driver-side inner cv. I am guessing I should replace that too, since I heard if the seal is bad it leaks oil.

 

On most of these, the upper ball joint is part of the arm, some gens you can press them out and replace the just the ball joint, when you compare the price and add the expense of "pressing" the ball joint out....well buying the arm with ball joint is the best option......sorry too tired to look yours up right now , long day at work. So yes, replacing the entire arm - with ball joint is what I was talking about......basically three nuts and done.....on the pass side you might have to move the fuse box to get to one of the nuts. "Pretty sure" the 4th gens have the arm with ball joint.....look for pics of that part. EDIT: Found the pic I was looking for, yours should be the arm with ball joint.


Where the cv goes into the trans there is a seal. You will have to make the call if it needs to be replaced.

 

Did you do the tests for play in the wheel yet? A bad ball joint will be pretty obvious. Definitely test before replacing?

 

I did a little test on the driver side (that side has been making some loose sounding noise when I goes over potholes, etc.) Looks like the arm that is connected to upper ball joint was moving left to right when I moved the tire left to right. I am guessing it's not supposed to move, but I am just an amateur mechanic.

Thanks for all the help everyone. I save/will save ton's using this forum.

 

Sounds like the inboard end of the upper control arm is loose?? Check to see whether the arm is bad, or if it's just some loose nuts/bolts that you can tighten.

 

I took my car in today to LesSchwab Tire/suspension shop and was polite and
I asked if they could do a diagnosis for $5 or $10, and they said they'd do it for free.
short road test & up on rack. Let me join in rack inspection.

End result: suspension nice and tight, ball joints good - can't diagnose my intermittent observation.
No charge, no repairs indicated. (Mechanic had interest in buying my car, though, if wanted to sell it.)

OP, your car has Les Schwab tires? What a great shop! Use their freebies.

 

I noticed that the arms (that are connected to the upper ball joints) move with the turning of the tire...doh! I can clearly see that the upper ball joints have lots of small cracks in the rubber. Almost looks like the rubber on the upper ball joints is compressed too (But, maybe that's the shape, but common sense tells me that if the rubber has small cracks, they need replacing. I will take some pics and post on here soon).

 

Here is a picture I took of the upper ball joint (or what is left of it). The other upper ball joint is just as bad.