Lower ball joint removal

[robert_n]

Just a quick one as I am changing my cv boots. WitH the pinch nut loose and a ball joint removal tool holding the joint together do I just tap it out with a hammer or is it attached another way?

Thanks!

[Kieron20V]

You need to completly remove the pinch bolt, as there is a groove in the ball join pin in which it sits. After thats out you need to pry the wishbone and balljoint away (down) from the hub / bearing housing. You cant get in there with a ball joint seperator, not a jaw type one anyway.

HTH.

[robert_n]

Cheers!

[S2central.net]

Yes indeed - those pinch bolts need to be completely removed or the balljoint aint going anywhere.

And THE best tip ever for this job...

If you are running stock rubber wishbone bushes you need to loosen them so that the whole wishbone pivots towards the ground as you persuade it downwards with a hammer to pull the joint out of hub carrier. It is way too easy to rip the rubber boots on the balljoint with BJ tools otherwise.

If you have poly/delrin bushes then you don't need to loosen the wishbone bolts to overcome the resistance of the bush as they rotate nicely.

[Graham]

They dont often just tap out either, unless someone has taken the time to cover in in antisieze or copper slip, they can be very tight.

[S2central.net]

That is true, but without loosening the wishbone bolts they have no chance of budging at all. Often requires a good 'thwack' !

[s2_bo]

Also may be worth checking if the lower ball joints themselves could do with being replaced. As your taking them half way off anyway it could save the job in the future, If you do replace them, make sure you clean the connecting aria first and then score the arm along the wishbone plate so you can refit new ones at exactly the same place, otherwise your alignment will be out...

Same goes for trackrod ends, although here you can just count the number of rotations to unscrew the rod end and then use the same amount of rotations to replace the new rod end.
If they are old and have not moved for a while you may have to blow torch them for a while first to get them to come lose..

Good luck.

[robert_n]

If you are running stock rubber wishbone bushes you need to loosen them so that the whole wishbone pivots towards the ground as you persuade it downwards with a hammer to pull the joint out of hub carrier. It is way too easy to rip the rubber boots on the balljoint with BJ tools otherwise.

Aaa I read this to late and the boot has a nice little hole in it and a new ball joint is on the way...

Thanks for the help though everyone!

[S2central.net]

Don't feel so bad - I did the exact same two weeks ago - thinking I was gonna save time by every so gently using the BJ splitter - MISTAKE.