bottom ball joints

[tarmacsurfer]

Hello all

After removing the front shocks (see another thread), I have discovered that the bottom ball joint rubber boot has failed...not wanting to buy another lower arm or replace the riveted in ball joint on the arm, how easy is it to remove the ball joint from the arm and just replace the boot. Please bear in mind that the car has done 106k mls and the bolt and nut look pretty well stuck in there!

All I need is an 83p rubber boot to sort this but you just know it will be the seized bolts that will take a week to remove and cause extreme headaches. I am still suffering from trying to remove the lower clamp bolts from the shocks, which I might add are still there!!!

[harryhill]

Is there any play in the balljoint? Chances are there is with that mileage and they will go eventually anyway. get a screwdriver in there and check for movement.

I would suggest buying the balljoints which can be attached to the end of the lower arm by drilling out the rivets. I have just bought some for £4 each side off ebay jorily

As for doing it yourself i am taking mine into the garage as i couldn't get the pivot bolt off although i got everything else off including the clamp bolt. If you can get enough leverage and have decent sockets have a go first. If not get the grinder out or get someone else to do it. Pivot bolts cost £8 for both sides from main dealer.

One major problem i had was in lowering the arm once the clamp bolt was undone as i couldn't get the balljoint clear of the clamp, and not being able to get the pivot bolt loose i was snookered. I swore a lot and put everything back together as i had to have the car on the road the next day and was running out of time.

Price wise i am not expecting to pay more than 40-50 quid for this on the basis that the garage i used removed a collapsed lower arm from my old rover, welded the mounting that had snapped and fitted the new arm I bought off ebay all for 30 quid.

Incidently my car feels about as tight right now as a pair of jeans circa 1970's

[pinkskud]

Originally Posted by harryhill

One major problem i had was in lowering the arm once the clamp bolt was undone as i couldn't get the balljoint clear of the clamp, and not being able to get the pivot bolt loose i was snookered. I swore a lot and put everything back together as i had to have the car on the road the next day and was running out of time.

anti roll bar!!!

i found out the hard way, that you will never get the ball joint out if the clamp, unless you undo the arb on that side.

[harryhill]

no anti roll bar on mine

[pinkskud]

get one!!!

will make for lots of fun.

[TeflonTom]

Originally Posted by harryhill

One major problem i had was in lowering the arm once the clamp bolt was undone as i couldn't get the balljoint clear of the clamp, and not being able to get the pivot bolt loose i was snookered. I swore a lot and put everything back together as i had to have the car on the road the next day and was running out of time.

you could try using a coil spring compressor to relieve the tension to give you enough clearance to get the ball joint out

[harryhill]

Originally Posted by pinkskud

get one!!!

will make for lots of fun.

Where does this go then?

[Felicia racer]

just a question here.
the anti-roll bar is that another name for the torsion bar?
under the bonnet?

[splatt4000]

You mentioned drilling out the rivets to get the olf ball joint out. Did you manage to do this? ANy tips? I've drilled straight thorugh two but they're not shifting - seems like the metal''s welded itself together!
Sam

[rigsby]

Originally Posted by tarmacsurfer

Hello all

After removing the front shocks (see another thread), I have discovered that the bottom ball joint rubber boot has failed...not wanting to buy another lower arm or replace the riveted in ball joint on the arm, how easy is it to remove the ball joint from the arm and just replace the boot. Please bear in mind that the car has done 106k mls and the bolt and nut look pretty well stuck in there!

All I need is an 83p rubber boot to sort this but you just know it will be the seized bolts that will take a week to remove and cause extreme headaches. I am still suffering from trying to remove the lower clamp bolts from the shocks, which I might add are still there!!!

If you find that the ball will come out of the socket on the bottom ball joint it is bo110xed and will need a new one . the easiest thing to do is change the lower arm

[rigsby]

Originally Posted by splatt4000

You mentioned drilling out the rivets to get the olf ball joint out. Did you manage to do this? ANy tips? I've drilled straight thorugh two but they're not shifting - seems like the metal''s welded itself together!
Sam

You will need to completely grind off the heads of the rivets and then knock them thriugh with a hammer and suitable drift, they will be tight as the riveting process swells the rivet in the arm and ball joint mount

[Mr Butter]

I did what Rigsby described - I ground off the rivets with an angle grinder, drifted out the remains (with a huge hammer) and replaced the ball joints with parts from Jorily. Saved a few quid , but regretted cheapskating it - it was a bastrd doing it by the road side and my neighbours kicked off about all the noise and mess.

If you have a grinder and a workshop / garage it would be OK, but it takes hours and IMO isnt worth the agg as a pair of pattern complete bottom arms wont break the bank (well... cheaper than a decent angle grinder anyway). However once youve done it, it makes changing them again into a 30 min job!

If the suspension clamp bolts gave you grief this will be the same...

[Mr Butter]

sorry - just reread the original question - if theres no play in the ball joint , I agree just replacing the boot should be easy, just a case of levering the arm down far enough to remove and replace the old boot...

[splatt4000]

Thanks for the tips on grinding the rivets iff. I do regret not just buying the whole wishbone now (as someone had recommended to me already). However, having started this terrible task, and being Sunday, I think I have to carry on to bitter end. Will get that grinder out and carry on...
Sam

[splatt4000]

FInally ground them out - nighmare. But job done. Reversed car back out only to hear the 'clunk' that my 2-day job was supposed to have fixed. Cursed loudly. Back to the drawing board!

Sam

[rigsby]

Mine has a clunk too, but only on the first time i reverse after starting the car, after that it is ok until the engine is turned off, and i reverse again
Im going to let it develop as im sick of looking for it

[splatt4000]

Sounds similar - our clunk only clunks when reversing, nearly at full-lock, and only only when turning left. If I figure it out, I'll let you know.
One thing I can tell you: it's not the bottom ball joint!
Sam