Sabre Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I replaced the A-frame ball joint on my TDi Disco. After removing from the diff and the top links, I removed the 2 holding bolts and tried to ".....seperate the parts.." as per my Haynes manual. Well after some angle grinder and 20 ton press applications, I finally managed to extract the ball joint from the bracket. The new ball joint had to be pressed in with the press Is this normal ? Why would the ball joint have to fit so tightly ? Advise appreciated BTW, the knocking sound wich was evident on pull away is now gone Regards JZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 The balljoint is a tight fit so that it doesn't come loose. The two bolts aren't up to the job on their own - due to the forces sometimes applied to the joint. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Good fun isn't it, Johan Wouldn't it be dull without a Land Rover Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 Good fun isn't it, Johan Wouldn't it be dull without a Land Rover Mo You're so right ! That idea was impressed on my TDi mind this morning when I removed the 3.9 V8i from a friend's Discovery. So many wires/cables/straps Would we have loved them so much if all work was as easy as the workshop manuals make it to be ? Thanks Les, at least I now know that the A-frame bracket on my Disco has not shrunk due to winter in our part of the world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clbarclay Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 There are ways of changing them without a press. Fitting them for example. The last one I changed, thee casting was clamped in a vice and set to with a short length of heavy angle iron as a punch and a single handed sledge hammer and hammered the new ball joint in. If you used more destructive methods then by removing the centre out of an old ball joint, then you can set to with a hammer and chisel using the same method as removing a metalastic bush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 There are ways of changing them without a press.Fitting them for example. The last one I changed, thee casting was clamped in a vice and set to with a short length of heavy angle iron as a punch and a single handed sledge hammer and hammered the new ball joint in. If you used more destructive methods then by removing the centre out of an old ball joint, then you can set to with a hammer and chisel using the same method as removing a metalastic bush. I prefer using a press; using a hammer is reserved for those cases where I need to lower the frustration levels To press out the joint, I had to cut off the "ears" of the ball-joint flange, so that I could have sufficient area to support the bracket in the press. Next time when I need to fit one, I will cut a pipe to fit over the joint in such a way that it presses on the flange. I will then fit long studs in the holes so that the ball joint lines up with the bolt holes, and press the ball-joint in. Aha, the opportunities for inovation on Land Rovers are never ending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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