I received my expensive Cortina front hubs this morning and and I am busy dismantling all the rust (Sorry I meant bits). ;-)
According to Mr Haynes, the top and bottom ball joints and steering arm bits are supposed to be removed with a ball joint separator. Has anyone used
one, are they any good or should I take a large hammer to the problem? The small hammer was not much good.
I can get a separator for about a fiver and I don't want to damage the hubs. Would it be better than a hammer? Any experience would be appreciated.
You have 3 options, one will damage the rubber boot, one might not work and one will work won't damage the rubber boot but will cost you...
option one buy the seperator that costs a fiver (the type you hammer in) and bugger the boot (if you are replacing the joint this is the easiest
way)
option two : take two hammers and tap (simitain...simatiani at the same time) the upright where the joint fits (the shock should pop the joint)
option 3: (the best) buy a screw type ball joint splitter...
Have fun.
as viper says, the fork type splitter will shag your rubber boots every time.
My screw type one will last a lifetime - might have spent 15 quid or so on it, i dont remember.
If you do whack with hammers, protect the top of the threads with a nut or summat.
I have found either they come out first hit, or never do, but then im not Thor with a hammer 
atb
Steve
option 4) Buy new ball joints, £6 each or poss cheaper from auto jumbles.
Thanks for the all the help.
I think all the rubber boots are going in the bin as the hubs have been removed with an angle grinder, as per the picture in Ron's book (second
edition). The bits that are left don't need saving do they?
From experience I would say that the chances of you bashing the ball joint out with a hammer are fairly slim especially with the upright off the car.
I've tried walloping them with a club hammer as hard as access difficulties would allow with it on the car and they haven't budged and it's mangle the
threads (and possible the upright). You can get ball joint splitters of the screw/pincer type dirt cheap from machine mart, they're not exactly snap
on level of production, but then how often are you going to use it? Halford also sell them, but they're considerably more expensive. Although you
might not want to keep the ball joints this time, next time you might, and is it worth forking out (geddit?) for two tools when one would have done
just as well?
Either that or borrow one off someone.
Kingr
Screw type it is then. Cheers!
Got one at lunchtime from a tool shop near where I work. It looks a lot more of an elegant solution than a hammer and one of those fork design things for the same price. Six quid well spent I hope! I assume that Laser handtools are at the cheap and cheerful end of the market?
surely if u don't need the joints a drill will do the job too
quote:
Originally posted by Lars
surely if u don't need the joints a drill will do the job too
quote:
Originally posted by Lars
surely if u don't need the joints a drill will do the job too
Lars:
quote:
surely if u don't need the joints a drill will do the job too
sorry I haven't ever seen a ball joint spliter b4
wtf do they look like?
Have a look at the pictures on this link.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/ranges.asp?g=111&r=2076
I ended up using a screw type separator on the steering arm joints and the fork type on the uprights as they were too large for my screw type
separator.
splitter is exactly the right description - simple, compact, and splits the rubber.
a seperator does not wreck things.
atb
steve