BALL JOINTS

[big lad]

Morning all ,

Took the stag for MOT last friday, and he failed it , quite rightly, on the near side bottom ball joint and the handbrake not working correct on the offside.

I have ordered a new pair of ball joints and was just wondering if anybody had any tips for fitting these?

The handbrake is a funny one , as he said the nearside was great locked out at 150, whereas the offside was just about moving the dail.Both back foot brakes were great he said , so it must be something simple , any ideas ? as I've not yet had a look, as I intend to do all the work next weekend after the ball joints arrive.

cheers for any advice

Tony

[V Mad]

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Ball joints are a very tight fit in the track arms. If you have a workshop nearby with a press then save yourself a lot of trouble. If you are determined to DIY, try searching the forum for some tips (using hacksaw to cut out old ones and large vice to press in new).

On the brakes, your auto-adjuster mechanism has probably jammed or wrongly installed so check that out.

[Guest]

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big lad wrote:

Morning all ,



I have ordered a new pair of ball joints and was just wondering if anybody had any tips for fitting these?

cheers for any advice

Tony

Yes, I've got a tip for you, DON'T ! Either pay someone else to do it, or, better still, send them back and get a pair of recon arms which have the joints already fitted, I think there's about a £20 difference per side and worth every penny, without a ten ton press you'll get nowhere. When they arrive, check that the large bush has been pressed all the way through. Just a thought from a fellow sufferer. Martin.

[Andy Rundell]

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Martin Stevenson wrote:

big lad wrote:

Morning all ,



I have ordered a new pair of ball joints and was just wondering if anybody had any tips for fitting these?

cheers for any advice

Tony

Yes, I've got a tip for you, DON'T ! Either pay someone else to do it, or, better still, send them back and get a pair of recon arms which have the joints already fitted, I think there's about a £20 difference per side and worth every penny, without a ten ton press you'll get nowhere. When they arrive, check that the large bush has been pressed all the way through. Just a thought from a fellow sufferer. Martin.

I completely agree that it is easier and faster to use arms that are pre-fitted with the ball joint - but come on, it is not impossible to do - if you are looking for a lower-cost repair option, go for it.

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

[peter f]

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Read all the comments on previous threads on this subject, and then decide if you are up to it. It needs patience and a decent vice. I pressed mine out using old railway open ended spanners as spacers in the jaws of the vice.
It feels good when it is all up and running again!!
Good luck
Peter

[big lad]

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thanks guys,

I think I will take the arms off and see how tight the ball joints are in,if they are too tight for me Ill take them to a workshop and get them pressed out and the new ones put in.

thanks again

Tony

[GDPR]

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Your handbrake probably has a siezed spreader linkage pivot The part labelled 519070/1 in the picture and is only operating (badly at that) on one shoe on that side.

Best to strip the linkage out of the drum, free it off and lubricate it off the car

[Rubce]

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Okay Kryton, what is the hidden relevance of the wiper diagram whilst you are discussing the handbrake?:P

Bruce

Footnote : I see you have spotted the foo par

[GDPR]

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Checking to see if you were awake Bruce...... I will be setting an exam.....

[NickA]

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All you need is a good vice and some steel tube that fits over theball jointto allow you of press the ball joint out and the new on in. No need for hydralic presses. One of the easier jobs on the Stag. I normally chisel the bottom of the old ball joint off so it is easier to remove.

If you want to borrow my two bits of steel I use email me and I'll post them to you.

Don't forget to remove the circlip as it's a bugger to remove with it still in place :shock:. Can't think who could make such a simple mistake

[Mike J]

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Did my ball jointsrecently, some heat helps on the lower arm. Some copper ease and pressure. And a good thump should do it. Mike

[singapore stag]

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Noone have mentioned SIEZED NUTS/BOLTS as yet. when I replaced the lower ball joints I had to angle grind most of the bolts off, terrible, wished I had paid to have it done. I was not ready for that nightmare.

Good job I had pre ordered the nuts and bolts a few months back for a front and rear end rebuild (which is still on hold).

Sukh.

P.s replaced with poly bushes except the drag strut to chassis bush.

[peter f]

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Corrosionis a real problem sometimes. When I replaced my balljopints recently, the inner track arm bolt which connects the arm to the chassis would not move, and I ended up enlisting the help of a neighbour who had a 4 foot bar about l3mm diameter, which I walloped whilst he held it over the end of the bolt, and with the two of us, it still took a lot of shifting, partly because the bush takes a lot of the effect of the blow, I think.

nothings easy!!

peter

[Guest]

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The better way to do that, is to grind the head and nut off the bolt and gently pry the chassis members apart, only about a quarter of an inch and wriggle the arm free, then tap it back into shape, the big prob is usually the bolt and bush sleeve rusting together, so use copperslip with the new one. Martin.

[big lad]

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Morning gents,

Got the bottom ball joints and rubbers fitted into the wishbones on Friday , but also decided to renew the steering rack, got the old one out , and refiited the new one complete with new trackrod ends, only thing to do is bolt it all up. Any tips on how to to get the u/j on the bottom of thesteering wheel onto the steering rack as this seems quite tight.

Also I noted that when all the bottom suspension was dismantaled the suspension leg on the near side could fall down, are these not connected to the car body via the three bolts that you can see under the bonnet , or does this just act as a barring carrier for the top of the leg and the botom suspension holds it all together?

Anyway thanks to nick for the loan of your tools, which I will return this week,and for all the help from others. Should have been out in the stag this weekend , with the weather being as it was , but ended up working on it on Friday and then giving up about 5-30 because I was just knacked with the heat. but will have it all ready to go next weekend, just watch it pi$$ down!!!!!