#1: ball joint Author: jk27, Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 1:51 pm ---- Is this a daft idea?
Having read the variations on a theme for splitting the bottom ball joint, how about this?
Remove pinch bolt and cut through the wishbone close to the ball joint with trusty grinder and cutting disk.
Am I missing something?
#2: Re: ball joint Author: LeeThr, Location: North West WalesPosted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:13 pm ---- And how will you get the ball joint out the hub once you've done that? You'll have next to nothing to leaver on, and what you will have will be spinning under the ball joint.
#3: Re: ball joint Author: Steve206, Location: UKPosted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:43 pm ---- Bar, chain, nut and bolt and a block of wood. Its not a hard job really.
#4: Re: ball joint Author: jk27, Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:58 pm ---- Is it not the tension exerted by the bushes in the wish bone fighting the force of the coil spring which makes it difficult to remove.
By cutting the wish bone the ball joint would only be held by its taper?
#5: Re: ball joint Author: Steve206, Location: UKPosted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 3:17 pm ---- It's the bushes on the inner wishbone that pushes the ball joint up. Using a bar and chain you can pull the balljoint down easier.
#6: Re: ball joint Author: southwestchap, Location: DevonPosted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 10:11 am ---- two people make it easier.
Long bar in over the wishbone from the front, lever back near against the subframe/chassis
one person push the hub in-towards the car, the other push down on the bar.
bit of lubrication on the ballpoint will help.
#7: Re: ball joint Author: jk27, Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 8:40 am ---- Its getting the grinder tonight, got to be easier
#8: Re: ball joint Author: Sim, Location: West CountryPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:17 am ---- Has anyone tried the ball joint splitter tool?
To put it back:
First put the road wheel back on
then carefully jack the car down and try not to get unwanted camber (and eyes on the driveshaft!)
keep most weight still on jack
then just push the wheel around to position the ball joint in (maybe put under the wheel some pair of carton sheets + WD40 between them for better slide?)
Haven't tried, but sounds like this then could become one-man's job without carrying a scaffolding pole and a mate around
#9: Re: ball joint Author: Steve206, Location: UKPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 11:49 am ---- You won't get the hub over the ball joint. The spring from the suspension pushs past the ball joint. The only way to do it properly is to pull the ball joint down and move the hub over it.
#10: Re: ball joint Author: Sim, Location: West CountryPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 3:14 pm ---- You're right, so will just resort to ball split and spring compressing tools then
#11: Re: ball joint Author: Gumpy54, Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 12:33 am ----
Sim wrote:
Has anyone tried the ball joint splitter tool?
To put it back:
First put the road wheel back on
then carefully jack the car down and try not to get unwanted camber (and eyes on the driveshaft!)
keep most weight still on jack
then just push the wheel around to position the ball joint in (maybe put under the wheel some pair of carton sheets + WD40 between them for better slide?)
Haven't tried, but sounds like this then could become one-man's job without carrying a scaffolding pole and a mate around
Thats pretty much the way I did it.
Took 3 hours total to do both sides (and that includes a break for beer)
#12: Re: ball joint Author: jk27, Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2015 7:58 am ---- Cut the wishbone with the grinder and the ball joint just fell apart.
Job all done now, moderate amount of bad language but it could have been worse.
#13: Re: ball joint Author: gazza82, Location: South BucksPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:59 am ---- Gently open up the hub with a cold chisel, lay a long piece of 3x2 just under the body floor, and over the arm, so it juts out the front of the car ... and stamp on it hard. Works every time!
FPITA to get the new one back usually ...
One day when I get a MIG welder I'll make a tool that screws onto the end of the front mounting bolt where it pivots, hooks over the arm and passes under the hub .. then I can stand on that and pull the arm down. Get it right and I should be able to control the new arm to let it up to locate back in the hub .. this assumes the Pug's last as long as I do!
#14: Re: ball joint Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:09 pm ---- I saw a big tool in last month's Car Mechanics magazine purpose made for popping wishbones and ball joints out of hubs.
#15: Re: ball joint Author: kandlbarrett, Location: SwindonPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:47 pm ---- Cutting the arm isn't new; I suggested that in the "how to" several years ago. Just be careful not to cut to close to the ball joint and as you get near the end of grinding be careful that the arm doesn't spring, pinch the grinding disc and shatter it.
The ball joint is not on a taper so once the pinch bolt is removed, load released and hub spread (old screwdriver or chisel) it will just fall out.
I now have a 6ft length of scaffold pole and find that the weight of the removed wheel placed on the end of that is enough to drop the ball joint out while I give a helping wiggle.
Having done both methods the long pole is preferred.
Getting it all lined up to go back in - that's another story and I wish there was a garaunteed "how to" that works every time.
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