Bottom Ball Joint Cunning Trick

[rossimura 0]

This is probably a really bad thing to do but it works .....

 

Most of us know how much new front lower suspension arms cost, and its a pain replacing them when is just the ball joint thats screwed.

 

Sooo heres a cunning trick I used on one of my 309 suspension arms...

 

-Remove the suspension arm with the worn ball joint.

-Remove the rubber cover which is probably knackered and the cause of the problem (there is a small spring Clip remove it with pilers and a screw driver).

-Now you will see the rusty grease-less effort that is the ball joint

-Clean it up with wd40 or plus gas etc, then dry it out.

 

-The worn ball joint will probably jiggle up and down and flap side to side (not good)

pack a bit of CV grease into the worn joint.

 

-NOW the cool bit get a hammer (ball pien) and gently tap (or Bosh as my brother calls it) the metal cap on the bottom of the ball joint, this takes up the clearence between the ball joint and the housing.

-DONT do it to hard or it will lock up solid, tap it and check it for play, then tap it some more.

 

-Now the next fun part, replacing the rubber cover. I cant find a place to buy these from yet but ball joint rubbers off diesel 205's etc fit. Fill it fill of grease first though.

 

-Dont re-use the evil spring clip it will just annoy you and cut the rubber, leading to water ingress and the whole problem starts again

 

I used stainless steel lock wire instead of the clip and wipe some grease over it so the MOT man cant se where you've been.

 

Thats it feel free to call me a bodging bastid but try finding a good 309 suspension arm

[hengti 2]

Sir, you are a bodging bastid

 

didn't know you could do this, but think it'd be a highly dodgey practice - if you've lost all the grease, the ball and cup are likely to be badly scored/corroded

and what happens if your 'repositioned' cup drops down again

 

prolly get you through an MOT, but I'd replace with a new arm ASAP!

[rossimura 0]

 

Yes the cups are abit worn hence the need for an extra bit of grease. It is a temporary measure until I can source another good arm.

 

But it is a good bodge if you cant find an arm the day before you go for an MOT

 

When I say cup there is a mild steel plate over the bottom of the ball joint that seems to take kindly to being hit with a hammer.

I've got quiet a few dead suspension arms now so I'm looking into making up something using old volvo 240 removable ball joints. (not quite the same as the nice expensive rose jointed ones)

[Anthony 1,003]

Can't see that lasting more than a very short period of time, as if I've understood you correctly you're only bending small parts of the outer cup to take up the slack between the worn ball and cup.

 

Possibly OK for an MOT bodge if you really have no other choice, but certainly no substitute for a replacement wishbone...

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Something I've been meaning to find out is whether the Balljoints for a citreon AX are the same size as they can be replaced seperately to the whole wishbone. (Either £5 (Mk1) or £8.50 (MK2) each from GSF. I'm thinking the Mk2 will be the right size for the hub as the AX GTi had the hubs from the 205 GTi iirc).

 

You'll need use of a hydraulic press to do it but at a quick glance they appear to be the same size. Must go see the garage where I saw one being changed.

 

Graham.

[rossimura 0]

Hmmm Citroen AX balljoints, I was gonna have a go with a Volvo one

 

I'll have a look and see if my local motor factors have them.

 

I've got a fly-press etc so I'll try and pop one out of one of my old wishbones