Diablo Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Not LR I know, but mechanics, so vaguely related. I need to change the ball joints on the other half's mini, however they are very happy remaining where they are. I have tried the big F.O. hammer and chisel, nowt. Then attached slide hammer (albeit at a bit of an angle due to the location of the pit under the car), which eventually yielded a hairline gap between the joint and the hub. Sharpened up chisel, got hammer out and enlarged gap - or so I thought. Instead it has just bent the ruddy flange. Have also tried a bit of heat (don't want to go too mad and melt the grease/seals) and various methods of trying to rotate the thing in the housing (hammer and chisel, large stilsons etc), but not thinking of budging. Any ideas? Short of cutting the thing off and making a right mess of the hub? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 What's stoipping it coming out is a flange of corrosion on the upper bit of the joint [around the dome which is showing in the recess directly above where the joint mounts to the hub-carrier]. You won't be able to pull the joint out through the bore in the hub-carrier if this flange of corrosion is still there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 Quite, hence attempts to turn it and heat it in order to break this corrosion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Quite, hence attempts to turn it and heat it in order to break this corrosion Hit it harder! Heat it more! Once it's been heated to red heat and doused a few times with Diesel it might just come free. [been there, done that lots of times with LR rear A-frame balljoints]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 Red heat with the oxy will no doubt sort it - heat always works - but I am very concerned about the grease and seals in the hub/drive shaft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I don't know minis however the part the ball joint is stuck in looks to be removable .... could you take the whole lump off and show it some anger at a safe distance from delicate parts of the car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 Removable yes, but you can't get a direct hit on top of it due to the genius design of the hub. I guess if you did strip it completely down then you could show it who's boss with the oxy and hope for the best. Fair bit of work though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Have you tried to turn it by hammering on the ear of the hold down plate? You could fabricate a puller that pushes in the hold down holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Don't know about the grease and bearings but the rubber boot is toast, maybe you knew that already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 Tried hammering it from various angles on various parts.The only vague movement is the slight bend in the photo. And that was after a few hours' work... re: boot, yep, ripped most of it off prior to heating it, to save it all stinking the place out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Well hit it harder..... It barely looks touched. You also want to hit the steel around the joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I would put a big pipe wrench on it and spin it. That should loosen it enough to work free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 sometimes its quicker to pull off the whole hub than mess around under the car. in a vice you have much more control, access and most importantly you can remove the meltable pieces and heat it to high hell! this is why, unlike some, i dont mind dissassembling further. most often it can be quicker and easier. with less chance of breaking other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Woodward Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 How about chopping all the flange, pin etc off with an angle grinder then drive it right through and out the other side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 And usually it's much easier to source a large-area replacement-part than spend hours trying [and probably failing] to disassemble a long-age-upbuggered part then trying to fit new bits to it. I'll *always* take the angle-grinder/gas-axe to a £50 component if it'll save me half-an-hour by doing the destroy-and-replace-with-new game. Same goes for nuts/bolts/fasteners: if I ever struggle to get it undone it gets subjected to the Navy Flotation Test[1] and when they inevitably fail new parts are specced because they'll go back together so much more-easily. [1] Hurl them into the nearest body of deep water. Only if they float are they suitable to be considered for re-use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 Well it doesn't spin - not with a 2ft wrench anyway. More beatings will resume on Saturday, and I think I will resort to grinding the bugger off if that doesn't do it. I do agree about Tanuki, but I'm unwilling to be defeated by this now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Well, then put a pipe on the wrench Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted September 8, 2014 Author Share Posted September 8, 2014 Cheers for the help - had to show it who's boss with oxy and a slide hammer and it popped out nicely. Kept the heat suitably blocked from gaiters etc and all seems well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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