Ball joints

[new to this]

ive finally got the track control arms of the car
but how do i get the ball joint out ive removed the circlip and tapped the ball joint but it wont move

any help thanks dave

[milothedog]

ive finally got the track control arms of the car
but how do i get the ball joint out ive removed the circlip and tapped the ball joint but it wont move

any help thanks dave

Hi Dave, a press is best but I assume you don't have access to one. A bigger hammer should get the old one out. Then a suitable socket on either side in a large vice should push it back in. You need a socket big enough on the outer edge (careful not to push on the bottom of the new joint) and a similar one on the other side which will allow it to pass through the arm and deep enough to accommodate the pin.

Ian.

[martin]

ive finally got the track control arms of the car
but how do i get the ball joint out ive removed the circlip and tapped the ball joint but it wont move

any help thanks dave

TAPPED ? Either vandalism or a ten ton press, change the whole arms and get your money back on the joints, sorry mate but those joints are NOT a DIY proposition. The whole arm with new inner bush and joint are cheap enough. Cheers, Martin.

[Johnboy]

I took the arms and new bushes to my local garage and he did them both for a tenner... John

[dasadrew]

I gave up trying to press or hammer mine out and was worrried about damaging or weakening the arm. I removed them by grinding out with a Dremel minidrill. Worked a treat. Pressing them in like Ian says was surprisingly easy. That way I was able to keep the original arm as I'm getting ever more doubtful about the quality of replacement parts on offer.

By the way, if you want to do the inner bushes, I put a step-by-step guide to that on here a while ago:

http://www.stag.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?8817-Inserting-Poly-Bushes&p=94472#post94472

[Andy Rundell]

Changing certainly is DIY-able, but there are ways to make your life easier

Easiest - Buy an arm with the new joint installed
Pretty Easy - use a hydraulic press to push out/in
Less Easy - strategically drill through the joint a few times, then push/hammer out the old, install the new one with appropriate hammer and old-socket use
Least Easy - Use a good hammer/socket/support combination to get the old out and new in.

All of the above work fine, you just need to decide how much effort/time/money you want to spend doing it.

...........Andy

[richardthestag]

Cut off old ball joint end flush with the top of the housing. Gave it a couple of taps with my trusty 2lb hammer. As soon as it shifted 1mm doused it with wd40 and then gave it some abuse.

19052011007.jpg

Beer was celebratory

When I fitted the new joint, I removed the dust cap, fitted the new joint using same hammer but much more gently, fitted circlip, packed a load of grease in and refitted dust cap.

19052011008.jpg

Had a second beer

[alistair260661]

the next fun job is getting the whole lot back on the car and reconnecting the suspension column (which will have dropped a bit) - I had a great old time with this as it waggled around..... try loosening the anti roll bar linkage to give yourself a bit more slack - also having a big long lever to lever the lower suspension arm down (so you can slip the suspension column over on to and locate on your new ball joint) is useful. I wouldn't try fitting the balljoint/arm onto the suspension column BEFORE fitting the inboard end of the arm to the car........ that would be even harded..................IMHO

[alistair260661]

TAPPED ? Either vandalism or a ten ton press, change the whole arms and get your money back on the joints, sorry mate but those joints are NOT a DIY proposition. The whole arm with new inner bush and joint are cheap enough. Cheers, Martin.

oh yes it is (a DIY job) - mind you its not easy. I got the balljoint off with the arm still on the car - I used a big ball joint splitter twice - the first time to split the balljoint off the suspension column, and the second time to press the joint out of the lower arm. - I did use a large splitter (one with a bolt you tighten to lever 2 arms............ It came out of the arm quite well (putting the new one in was more fun)

[martin]

oh yes it is (a DIY job) - mind you its not easy. I got the balljoint off with the arm still on the car - I used a big ball joint splitter twice - the first time to split the balljoint off the suspension column, and the second time to press the joint out of the lower arm. - I did use a large splitter (one with a bolt you tighten to lever 2 arms............ It came out of the arm quite well (putting the new one in was more fun)

Been there - done that - and being realistic, it is beyond the scope of most owners without a press of some sort. Miss the joint once with a big hammer and dent the inner side of the joint socket, it becomes a whole different job, not to mention the risk of cracking the forging. I bodge occasionally like most of us but this one ain't worth it !

[new to this]

been all day getting the old ball joints out i used the vandalism approach (mini grinder)

thanks to all for input

dave

[dasadrew]

been all day getting the old ball joints out i used the vandalism approach (mini grinder)

thanks to all for input

dave

Good stuff!

As Ian says, for heaven's sake don't press on the new ball joint base when inserting - only on the outer lip. Suitable tubes or sockets and a vice work a treat.

[Andy Rundell]

been all day getting the old ball joints out i used the vandalism approach (mini grinder)

thanks to all for input

dave

Excellent, well done! and you have shown that it can be achieved with the right enthusiasm

........Andy

[martin]

been all day getting the old ball joints out i used the vandalism approach (mini grinder)

thanks to all for input

dave

Good on you Dave, a stirling effort mate. Martin.

[StagnJag]

A bottle of piddle?!!!