I'll add my experience here to help others.
- Ball joint nut was seized. A big butane torch is too clumsy but I used a jeweller's/creme brulee needle flame torch plus Kroil releasing agent.
I ground a cheapie 17mm ring spanner just enough to slip on below the CV joint then used a length of scrap exhaust pipe over that for leverage.
GOLD: the CV joint and the balljoint nut are their own joint splitter!; find a flat piece of steel about 4mm thick (I used a spanner handle). Place between the balljoint bolt end and the CV then unscrew the nut up against your packing piece with a 17mm open-ended spanner to force the taper apart, whilst belting the outside of the joint to shock it free.
First it will splay the castle bits on the nut. Trim them off with a small cold-chisel then carry on unscrewing and hammering. Lever the arm down occasionally or you may not realise it's come free.
I have just clumsily hit my CV boot whilst hammering and made a hole so now I need to take the damned driveshaft out anyway! Arse! If you're as clumsy as me hammer onto a heavy drift not direct on the joint.
- Front 12mm bolt. End of thread is exposed and rusty; clean with tiny wire wheel in a drill and oil up before you even start.My bolt was hopelessly rusted into the bush inner so the entire bush spun with the bolt and was forcing the subframe apart. I removed the anti-roll bar link for access and then cut the old arm off with a 'Sawzall'. Tried cross drilling thro' the bush inner to lock it with an 11mm bolt. No good. Cut the bolt through each side of the bush with angle grinder and 1mm slotting discs. Do oil and free up the remaining threaded bit BEFORE you cut the bolt and use the slot disc to cut a screwdriver slot to get the threaded bit out. This video helped. Follow his safety advice.
- Can't get the new Honda bolts til Tuesday and they're nearly £10 each!
Toolmaster in Oxford sold me two M12 x 1.25 X 78mm high tensile bolts (8.8 series) for £3 for two. I feel safe to drive on them til Tuesday but will probably replace with the factory parts.
- Reassembly: by inspection the rear bush can only enter the subframe from the front, sliding rearwards, so do that first then swing the arm round to get the front bush into the subframe and then lever the arm down to get the balljoint taper into the knuckle.
So the next guy or gal has an easier time copper grease all the bolts and bush inners before assembly.
HOT TIP: any exposed thread will get dirty and corrode and be a pig to undo or adjust. Clean the threads with a wire wheel, grease up well and then slide an offcut of rubber or plastic hose over the threads. They'll stay pristine forever(ish) This allowed me to easily remove the A-roll bar link that I'd fitted a year ago. Do this on old British motorbike or bicycle chain adjusters.
