Upper ball joint carnage

[rustbucket]

So got to changing the ball joints that failed my van's MOT a couple of weeks ago. The retest is on Monday, although looks like I'm going to have to cancel and book in another full MOT

Anyway, changed the tie rod ball joints with not much hassle, got to the upper ball joints and now I'm stuck.

On on side I snapped the bolt head off the bolt that attach the joint to the wishbone... so going to have to drill it out and try and find another bolt.

On the other side I got it all out, but the ball joint just won't budge, not even a tiny bit. So after lots and lots of effort, I decided to angle grind off the top of the ball joint... maybe not a good move, now I'm stuck with the bolt body of the ball joint and can't get it out for the life of me.

Any help is appreciated. I'm flustered.

[rustbucket]

After some serious hammering I finally got the stuck one out, and replaced.

Any ideas on how to get the snapped bolt out? I think I can just drill it out if I can get the drill in there, because the thread only screws into the actual ball joint, not the wishbone...

[RedGus]

I can't quite tell if you snapped off both of the allen bolt heads on one side but, if so, can't you just tap the ball joint down out of the upper wishbone? If the other one is still stuck, and you've rounded off the allen key hole already, try some heat on the bolt head, then hammer on a socket to the outside of the bolt and try winding the bolt out that way.

The allen head bolts are available separately, to replace your knackered ones. For example:

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/t ... oints.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck,

James

[badgerfax]

I just removed mine today and had one side that undid easily, the other was really really tight.

I used a plumbers blowtorch on the bolt heads for a couple on mins and they undid, Heat works! But I did catch the old ball joint alight

[yetihair]

I've just replaced our N/S upper ball joint, fortunately it went well. There is a lot to be said for some Shock and Unlock and the right tools. I do think a bit of heat would have helped release the joint a bit easier but it did come out in the end with the help of the ball joint fork and a big persuader.
However, I can't for the life of me figure out where my haynes manual has gone. I bought another one but I now need to wait for it to arrive in the post.
In the meantime does anyone know what the torque settings are for the allen bolts and the bottom nut?

[RedGus]

My Haynes says:

40lb ft for the upper ball joint to wishbone (the allen head bolts)

81lb ft for the upper ball joint to steering knuckle (presumably what you meant by "the bottom nut")

Hope that helps.

James

[yetihair]

That's the ones.
Thank you!

[leroiandjayne]

if it helps iv just replaced both balljoints and they popped out a treat useing a g-clamp.the allen bolts were another matter though!.cold chisel cut in the side and a couple of wacks did the job.