Allan Soffientini Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Hello everybody. I'm writing from Italy, in search of a good advice to replace the rear a frame ball joint in my 2.5 nad ninety. Yesterday I removed the two bolts holding the a frame assembly on the link to the chassis, removed the castellated nut and then... then I got stuck trying to remove the old ball joint from the axle. I know an hydraulic press has to be used in order to extract/refit the ball joint from the upper link, but failed to consider how hard removing it from the axle can be! The ball joint is gone: the rubber gaitor is as hard as paper and the joint rotates freely at 360°, but can not be removed. I think (and hope) that by holding the joint in a big mole grip, it can be rotated and discarded, but I have no time to give it a try. Please, HELP me! Thank you Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco_al Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 if you are replacing it, can you get access to cut the pin off? if so, then hack it to death, and get the remains pressed out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 A long lever between the axle bracket and the top bracket did the trick for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty_wingnut Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 yep lever off the axle and then heat and a big hammer to extract the unit from the frame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Soffientini Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Thanks Tomorrow morning I will try again following your advices. I hope good luck this time! Perhaps heat and a big hammer is the key for the success Down here in Milan is 35°C, will be a very hot morning... I will let you know Bye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I removed the two bolts holding the a frame assembly on the link to the chassis, removed the castellated nut and then... then I got stuck trying to remove the old ball joint from the axle. OK Thats where you went wrong Pop the 2 bolts back in and do back up tightish, leave the nut off the ball joint itself, and then belt the A Frame with a HD Hammer, nornmally the ball joint will pop out If not get a BIG lump of wood and a trolley jack, and jack up the frame centrally in effect trying to lift the 4x4 off the ground with the jack / wood, THENM whilst under tension belt the frame centraaly with a F HD Hammer It will then pop out THEN and only then undo the 2 long nuts and remove unit Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cieranc Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Yep, as I'm not a fan of using big levers (ever seeing a colleagues jaw smashed by one), I went about this in a slightly different way. I undid the shockers and then jacked the chassis up until the axle was raised off the floor. The weight of the axle was then hanging on the ball joint. Then, leaving the balljoint nut on a few turns, gave the axle a clout with t'ard dockyard spanner. This popped the balljoint apart quite easily, the axle dropped a little, I let it back down far enough to get the shockers back on and then removed the balljoint proper. This may have been a bit of overkill, but I think the weight of the axle on my side helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickydicky Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Yep, as I'm not a fan of using big levers (ever seeing a colleagues jaw smashed by one), I went about this in a slightly different way.I undid the shockers and then jacked the chassis up until the axle was raised off the floor. The weight of the axle was then hanging on the ball joint. Then, leaving the balljoint nut on a few turns, gave the axle a clout with t'ard dockyard spanner. This popped the balljoint apart quite easily, the axle dropped a little, I let it back down far enough to get the shockers back on and then removed the balljoint proper. This may have been a bit of overkill, but I think the weight of the axle on my side helped. if you take the nut off the ball joint and put it back on upside down then put a sutable wedge under neath the nut and undo the nut with an extended spanner the joint will pop out . then grinde the top off the ball joint the ball will then come out allowing you to saw the rest out with a hacksaw . to put the new joint in you can take the tops off the seraited teeth grease it up replace the two retaining nuts and slowly tighten them one at a time you may have to tap the last millimeter in with a chisel though . i did mine last saterday and what a differance when you pull away and theres a lott less roll back on the hand brake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinv8 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Glad I spotted this thread as I have mine to do soon. But I have been wondering whether the adjustable ball joint is the one to go for over the OE one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cieranc Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Well, it was the original balljoint I recently changed on my 1987 110. So I had a think about OE standard joint, or aftermarket adjustable. My conclusion was, if the original has lasted 22 years (and it still wasn't completely knackered), then I'm happy to fit another standard one. It should last a lot of years before it needs replacing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest noggy Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 mine just fell off.. hmmm perhaps that should have been replaced sooner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reiny Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I removed mine a month ago. I got an assistant to apply leverage with an old radius arm and gave it a solitary clout with a lump hammer. It gave way instantly. Tell your assistant to be very careful though. My assistant almost banged his head on the tow ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I undid the shockers and then jacked the chassis up until the axle was raised off the floor. The weight of the axle was then hanging on the ball joint. Then, leaving the balljoint nut on a few turns, gave the axle a clout with t'ard dockyard spanner. This worked for me too, but it does need to be a big hammer - smacking it with my 11/2lb jobbie did nothing - the four-pound-lump shifted it on the first proper hit (after a couple of sighting taps). Surprisingly easy really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Soffientini Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 JOB DONE!!!!!!!! Thank you again everybody As Hybrid from hell wrote, I refitted the two long bolt holding the upper link, then hammered the nut at the end of the ball joint just two times, gently and the joint popped out whitout any fuss... Fantastic! Now the assembly is at a local garage to have the new joint pressed in. Any particular advice for refitting (please don't tell me is reverse of desmalting... )???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 It's the reverse of dismantling withought belting it with a hammer Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 ^^^^^^^^^^ :rofl: Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Soffientini Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 OK Lesson learned! Reassembled it this morning and no, I don't used an hammer Thank you very much everybody! Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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