Replacing a lower ball joint on a 45
I've never done this job before - the lower joints last a long time. I've just done it on my 2000 1.4 45. I thought I'd share with you how I did it, without special tools. I took no photographs (which I ought to have done!) - so this write-up is without pictures.
First remove the swivel hub from the car. I kept the brake shield on because it's so corroded that I doubt I could get it off!
I placed the hub in a vice and removed the lower joint's rubber boot. I then cut the tapered part of the ball joint off, flush with surface of the rest of the joint, using a hacksaw. It took a bit of effort, but not too bad.
The hub was then turned around in the vice so that the cut-off end of the ball joint pointed upwards. I cleaned up the area around the joint and gave it a little penetrating oil. I carefully prized out the shield from the hub bearing. Using a 2.5 lb club hammer, a few sharp blows had the old ball joint out. To get it fully out you need a spacer with a slightly smaller diameter than the joint.
The harder part was getting the new joint in. After cleaning the bore in the hub carrier with emery cloth and greasing it, I tried "tapping" the new joint in with a hammer - it went in so far then wouldn't go any further.
I was able to find a very large socket which I put over the tapered end of the ball joint, and a small spacer on the flat (hub bearing) side, then placed the whole thing in a vice and used the pressure of the vice jaws to squeeze the joint in. It went in remarkably easily and smoothly. All that remained was to fit the circlip supplied with the new joint (there wasn't one fitted to the original).
Something to watch is that you don't damage the rubber boot during the pressing-in process. I managed to split one and had to get another joint just to replace the boot!
I was not looking forward to doing this job because I expected major difficulties. It turned out to be not as bad as I expected on a car that's 14 years old and has done 164,000 miles. I hope this helps someone else who's a bit daunted by the task.
First remove the swivel hub from the car. I kept the brake shield on because it's so corroded that I doubt I could get it off!
I placed the hub in a vice and removed the lower joint's rubber boot. I then cut the tapered part of the ball joint off, flush with surface of the rest of the joint, using a hacksaw. It took a bit of effort, but not too bad.
The hub was then turned around in the vice so that the cut-off end of the ball joint pointed upwards. I cleaned up the area around the joint and gave it a little penetrating oil. I carefully prized out the shield from the hub bearing. Using a 2.5 lb club hammer, a few sharp blows had the old ball joint out. To get it fully out you need a spacer with a slightly smaller diameter than the joint.
The harder part was getting the new joint in. After cleaning the bore in the hub carrier with emery cloth and greasing it, I tried "tapping" the new joint in with a hammer - it went in so far then wouldn't go any further.
I was able to find a very large socket which I put over the tapered end of the ball joint, and a small spacer on the flat (hub bearing) side, then placed the whole thing in a vice and used the pressure of the vice jaws to squeeze the joint in. It went in remarkably easily and smoothly. All that remained was to fit the circlip supplied with the new joint (there wasn't one fitted to the original).
Something to watch is that you don't damage the rubber boot during the pressing-in process. I managed to split one and had to get another joint just to replace the boot!
I was not looking forward to doing this job because I expected major difficulties. It turned out to be not as bad as I expected on a car that's 14 years old and has done 164,000 miles. I hope this helps someone else who's a bit daunted by the task.
from the last news http://ift.tt/1uPevX8
via IFTTT
Libellés : IFTTT, the last news
publié par vb @ 05:58
0 commentaires
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire
Abonnement Publier les commentaires [Atom]
<< Accueil