Lower Wishbone Problems

[Guest Coopz]

So I had an mot on the 205 and it failed on two things... o/s anti roll drop link (ball joint) and n/s lower wishbone (ball joint) again so I went to replace the lower wishbone and put the new one on quite easily in fact!

 

When i dropped the car chuffed with my work I noticed that the car is sitting tilted now lower at the drivers side and higher on the side I replaced the wishbone... So what have i done wrong some wisdom wold be nice I have a feeling I may have over tightened the two inner bolts but im not sure!

 

Cheers

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Is the balljoint on the wishbone fully in the hub?

 

Have you taken the hub off the strut at any point?

[jimistdt 1]

Did you have the car on the ground when you tightened the wishbones - if not they will fail in next to no time.

[Guest Coopz]

hmmm... The ball joint is fully in the hub yes and no i didn't take the hub off just took the wishbone 2 pivot bolts out and balljoint bolt bit of a bish bash bosh with a hammer and it came out..

 

The car was jacked up on one side the side I was working on when tightening up... could this be the problem I literally done t 10 mins ago haven't driven Have i over tightened them?

[willmounsey 1]

if you tightened the wishbone bolts without the weight of the car on it your bushes will last no length,

try loosening the bolts and drop the car on its wheels before re-tightening

 

hope this helps

 

Will

[nick 3]

Have you driven it? It will always sit higher on the side that has been jacked up until you drive it.

 

Nick

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

I think Nick's explanation is most likely.

 

However it is important to not load the bushes by tightening the bolts with the suspension at full droop. Trying to scrawm under the car and do them up with it on the floor is an arse, so an easier way to do it is how I do it- with the subframe supported on stands, get your trolley jack under the lower balljoint and then jack up until the arm is "level"- this is roughly where the arm sits with the wheel on the ground. Now do up the wishbone bolts (ratchet spanners 16 and 18mm useful here)

[Guest Coopz]

Ok I undid the bolts so they were loose (Could spin round by hand) put the wheel back on and went for a slow drive ish considering my anti roll bar drop link was not on the other side (Waiting for new one) And came home it has dropped but i reckon is still half an inch to high... Any other Ideas what it could be?

[ravydavy 0]

Personally i'll go with nick it'll settle down. I've done the same loads of times. i wouldn't worry unless you hear a bad knocking or the car is pulling to one side..

 

david..