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Formula 27 Bottom Ball Joint
FEZ1025 - 15/6/19 at 07:50 PM

Sorry wasn't sure where to put this type of post @Mods if it's in the wrong place please move.

Just bought a Formula 27 it's been off the road 6 years so giving it a going over before taking it for MOT, I can see both bottom ball joint boots have gone, I'm struggling to find anything about the cars, no owners club I can find. I have found an old Pistonheads post suggesting they are Transit Drag link ball joints, but they also suggest that the thread is 18x1.25mm, but all the ones I can find are 18x1.5mm can anybody confirm what they are?

02GF74 - 16/6/19 at 07:01 AM

I assume that you are taking about the hub ball joint, not steerering.

Don't know if this applies to your car, but from the build manual, so very early models, this:

Cortina (upper) and transit (lower). Motaquip part L VSS 265 (two off).

BTW should be of, not off.

[Edited on 16/6/19 by 02GF74]

FEZ1025 - 16/6/19 at 12:31 PM

Thank you very much those were the ones I had found but it was the pistonheads post that was confusing me, 18x1.25 instead of 18x1.5, the joints themselves are fine it's just the rubbers, but not worth just changing the rubbers if the suspension is being stripped it may as well have new joints.

It was built over 1994/1995 looking at the receipts that came with it, is the build manual still available, might be helpful for references.

perksy - 16/6/19 at 01:21 PM

Have a good check of the wishbones for cracking or poor weld quality

Lad in front of me had one fail on a club run, Luckily he was pulling up to a junction
Shudder to think what would have happened if it had happened 5 mins before

Word has it this wasn't the first wishbone to fail on a F27

02GF74 - 16/6/19 at 01:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by perksy

Word has it this wasn't the first wishbone to fail on a F27


Original lower wishbones had a nut welded onto the end for the ball joint, this was known to fail, don't know exactly how but either the nut came away due to bad welding or the threads stripped. Later ones had a treaded tube so would have more threads engaging hence did away with both problems.

perksy - 16/6/19 at 02:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
quote:
Originally posted by perksy

Word has it this wasn't the first wishbone to fail on a F27


Original lower wishbones had a nut welded onto the end for the ball joint, this was known to fail, don't know exactly how but either the nut came away due to bad welding or the threads stripped. Later ones had a treaded tube so would have more threads engaging hence did away with both problems.





Yes the one I saw the nut had just peeled off and it looked like Walter Pigeon had welded it

FEZ1025 - 16/6/19 at 06:50 PM

Thanks for the pointers, suspect these are old ones, but they've lasted 24-25 years, but I will check them when the new ball joints arrive.


nick205 - 17/6/19 at 02:57 PM

I've a feeling the Transit parts a drag link ends and not track rod ends - may help you when ordering/asking for them.