How To - MG TF Rear Upper Ball Joint replacement

I've noticed there doesn’t appear to be a how to on the “rear upper ball joints” for the TF (or not what I could find) so thought I’d botch one together with pictures found on the internet and some I've taken of a hub I've spare as I never took any when doing mine recently.

First of all, get the tools you need:

Trolley jack/jack
Axle stands
One 46mm deep socket ½ inch drive (¾ is better but not so available)
One Power bar, two foot is good but longer if possible (or a tube to fit over it)
19mm socket to undo wheel nuts and also to start off the nut on the upper ball joint
T40 torx (socket or allen key type)
19mm open end/ring spanner
Hammer
Flat head screwdriver which you don’t mind using as a chisel
Wire brush
penetrating oil/oil/cooking oil

First of all, the rear upper ball joints on the TF are different to MGF (which are the same front and rear) as they have a larger step on them as shown in pictures below. Watch out when buying as most part sellers on the internet don’t sell the TF ones and list the front as rears.

MGF front & rear/MGTF front

MGTF Rear

Undo wheel nuts slightly whilst car is still on floor (I know everyone should know this but hey, some people might not) then jack up car, remove wheel nuts and wheel and then fit an axle stand under the subframe as shown in picture below or on the subframe mount further forward of where shown in the picture.

Once wheel is off and car secure on axle stands the upper ball joint can be easily seen as shown in picture below:

Use the wire brush to clean up the thread showing and if you have some, use some penetrating oil and let it soak in, if you have no penetrating oil use normal oil or even cooking oil to help lubricate the thread.

Once suitably cleaned and oiled undo the nut with the socket to begin with, it is very highly likely the nut will not undo with the socket completely and this is where the T40 torx and 19mm spanner comes into play. Place the torx drive into the top of the ball joint and then use the spanner to undo as shown below.

Now this is the bit I can’t really remember how I did it but you have to lift the radius arm off the ball joint, I think I did this placing the trolly jack under the suspension unit and jacking it up, alternatively use CCJ’s how to MGF & MG TF Owners Forum - - How to replace a TF Rear Upper Suspension Arm. (1/2) on radius arm removal however, there is no need to remove the arm just loosen enough to access the ball joint.

Once radius arm is removed from the ball joint, get the hammer and screwdriver and bend down the washer at the base of the ball joint which is bent up against the nut. Try not to damage the washer too much as it is likely the new ball joints will not come with one and therefore you will need to reuse it.

Once the washer is bent down juggle the 46mm socket onto the ball joint (it will fit honest) and with the breaker bar undo the ball joint.

Word of warning it will be tight, very tight to the extent your breaker bar might start to bend or even worst case scenario (if a cheap one) snap. But it will undo. This is where if you have a piece of pipe it can give more leverage to undo it.

Once undone, refitting is the reverse of removal.

As long as you have the right tools it’s a pretty easy job and doesn't take that long.

46mm deep socket is required as the standard one is not deep enough to fit the TF rear upper ball joints

Thanks to CCJ for his How to and also a few pics and thanks to all the people I’ve stolen pics from to put this together

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Last edited by dert; Today at 20:02.

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How To - MG TF Rear Upper Ball Joint replacement