Club 80-90 Forums

So I started tackling the one of the upper ball joints and it was all going well until it came to getting the ball joint out of the knuckle. No budging, absolute belting it with hammer for the last 40mins and no movement. Took the grinder to the top on the joint and noe the bottom part is stuck. Am I right in saying the part in the knuckle itself isn't threaded? Any ideas on what to try next to get it out, barring taking the whole thing apart which I am trying to avoid for now?

Photos always help.....if you can post them?

Whoops, sorry I thought I had included these

Put the nut back on and hit the face of the nut upwards. The bit you are hitting is tapered? Or a G clamp forcing thread upwards using a socket over the top
Get a plumbers torch on it and give it some heat.

Didn't think of the G-clamp, good idea I will give that a go and see. Is it tapered? That would make sense now, I'm some dope

. Im pretty certain it is slightly tapered.
Just give it a spray of Plusgas. Have a cuppa. Then give it a bash upwards.

So, what happened?

I have a spare Moog lower ball joint in garage. It is ever so slightly tapered.

I bet that one will knock upwards with a swift wallop.

Ha you beat me to it, I literally just finished sorting it about 20 mins ago.

Got the g-clamp and large socket head on it and gave it a wack and eventually up she popped. You were spot on with it being tapered. I won't tell you how long I spent hammering it the wrong way on Thursday night haha. It was in well tight though as I started bending the handles on the g-clamp trying to force it out.

Thank you so much as I would never have thought of putting a large socket head over it to get it out like. I will just go and buy the right tool for the remaining one i say.

Well done!

Depending how much is stripped from the other side....
Wheel off. Trolley jack about an inch under control arm. Support disc and caliper with wire or bungee cables to stop it falling to one side and damaging brake line.
Compress control arm against suspension spring with trolley jack. Remove nut. Drop trolley jack so it still about an inch from control arm (to catch control arm) and with two large hammers simultaneously bash knuckle either side of upper ball joint.

Worked for me.

Ya i must do the lower ball joints as well at some point over Easter and i might change the brake discs as well as there is pitting around the edges of the disc and the centre part so when i take off the knuckle it will hopefully go a lot smoother. Next job i suppose is to get someone to press in/out the lower ball joints for me. 

What year is your camper or van?

I replaced the lower ball joint without using a press.

Knocking out is fun and rewarding. Getting new one in is not that easy. But l did it with a blunted cold chisel and club hammer.

Bag it and put lower ball joint in freezer for a couple of days.

Clamp up the knuckle in a large vice. Or a pal hold it. Give the backside a mighty whack with a small sledgehammer or large club hammer, and grin from ear to ear as it flies out.
Pick up yer mate's front teeth..



Thoroughly clean area around and inside hole

before attempting the next bit.



The ball joint has a skirt with a cut away bit. This goes facing the upright of the knuckle. Nearest in photo.



Warm up the area and lubricate. Using a cold chisel with the sharp tip removed I then knocked the new ball joint all the way home with a series of small taps around the skirt until correctly set...then heavier wallops to move it down until fully seated.



Note small cut out in ball joint and scribed mark line on knuckle to aid alignment

Its 1990, 1.9 straight diesel. Ya I saw a previous post where someone said the same about banging it in the freezer. I'm half thinking of trying that alright, I am heading away on Thursday till Sunday so I could bang them into the freezer then and could give it a go Monday then sher.

And use antiseize when refittings. Makes it all easier next time.

Quick update here folks, ye might have seen the other thread where I had issues with the tie rod but now finally on a Friday evening I have all 3 ball joints done and a new tie rod. The knuckle is back in position. It feels way way tighter than before, like previously when I took off the top ball joint the knuckle fell outward whereas now it stays in position unless physically moved.

Next step is to get on the new disc, new bearings,old caliper and old carriage and new pads. Do I need a new spacer ring I wonder or is the old one fine.