pewe
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| posted on 17/10/19 at 11:25 AM |
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Ball joint woes...
So the tin-top needs new front suspension arms - E61 Bemmer.
Side 1 went well with no major issues.
However side 2 (N/S) is proving to be a complete balls ache (geddit?).
No matter what I try the lower taper will just not crack.
So far I've tried two sizes of finger - levered and lump hammered, soaked it in penetrating oil overnight, bought and bent a substantial
screwed separator, then solid iron bar on top of the joint thread + lump hammer - stiil the fricking thing wont move.
BTW I cant hammer the housing as it's cast ali.
I did think of heating the casting but brake caliper, hoses and wires are a bit close...
Any suggestions gratefully received.
TIA. Cheers, Pewe10 
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obfripper
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| posted on 17/10/19 at 02:24 PM |
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Use an adaptor like this in an air chisel to push the taper out, the steel insert may come out instead, but it can then be separated in a press.
 
Description
Dave
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nick205
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| posted on 17/10/19 at 02:48 PM |
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Sounds like a stubborn bu88er!
I've had success with a fork tool and club hammer before. If the ball joint's being replaced then damaging it on removal shouldn't
be an issue.
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 17/10/19 at 07:16 PM |
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i am sure i have one of the air chisel breakers if you want to borrow it ?
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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pewe
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| posted on 18/10/19 at 10:58 AM |
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Thanks guys.
Having now broken one of the big fingers I bought to do the job I've given up.
Car was already booked into the supplying trader for central locking problem early next week so they can fix it - thank goodness it's still
driveable.
Having talked to an Indie he reckons its not uncommon for the ball joints to be fricking impossible.
When all else fails they heat the ali casting then apply brute force but that's not something I'm prepared to do lying on my back on the
drive - there are limits...
Never had these problems with the SAAB!
Cheers, Pewe10
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nick205
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| posted on 18/10/19 at 11:35 AM |
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I've had stubborn ball joint tapers before, but some brute force and one of those fork tools has always got it out in the end.
Thinking about Peugeot 205 GTI front wishbone outer ball joints the taper has a groove around it, which helps secure it with a bolt in the up upright.
I presume you've got anything like that removed so there's nothing mechanical keeping it in place?
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pewe
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| posted on 18/10/19 at 11:44 AM |
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Funnily enough, Nick, the guy who sold me the fork tool said the worst one he's ever come across was a Peugeot 205...
Yes all securing undone - in fact only a lock-nut.
I did the other side no probs but assume being N/S it's had more grit/salt hitting it so corrosion could be a factor (soaked it overnight with
penetrating oil but zero effect).
Thanks for the offer Conrod but a bit far.
Cheers, Pewe10
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nick205
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| posted on 18/10/19 at 04:41 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by pewe
Funnily enough, Nick, the guy who sold me the fork tool said the worst one he's ever come across was a Peugeot 205...
Yes all securing undone - in fact only a lock-nut.
I did the other side no probs but assume being N/S it's had more grit/salt hitting it so corrosion could be a factor (soaked it overnight with
penetrating oil but zero effect).
Thanks for the offer Conrod but a bit far.
Cheers, Pewe10
205 ones were the ones that have caused me grief before. As it happens the outer ball joint is an integral part of the wishbone so it's a
replace the whole wishbone task. It does save you having to extract and fit new inner rubber bushes though.
Hope yours gets sorted.
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Paul TVR
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| posted on 20/10/19 at 09:01 AM |
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I had the same issue with my e64, believe they are the same arms.
The issue with the fork style separator is they are often not wide enough to go around the base of the ball joint, in the end I released the bush end,
heated the casing then twisted the arm round to make more accessible, then beat it with a club hammer, took about 2 hours of heating and beating
before it finally gave up.
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nick205
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| posted on 22/10/19 at 02:54 PM |
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I'm not familiar with the E61 / E64 front ball joint to upright arrangement - is it a taper held in place be a pinch bolt or just through a hole
with a nut on top?
If it's a pinch bolt can you drive cold chisel in to force the pinch section open? This is how the Pug 205 is done and a method I've used
before to help free the taper from the upright.
Just a thought.
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nick205
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| posted on 23/10/19 at 08:00 AM |
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For clarity the image below shows the 205 gti front upright. The arrowed part is a where a clamp bolt goes through the upright around the taper of
the front wish bone outer ball joint. Once the bolt's removed you can hammer a cold chisel in from below to help force the clamp section apart
and get the ball joint out. As above I don't know if the BMW has a similar arrangement, but thought this may help.
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DJT
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| posted on 24/10/19 at 12:56 PM |
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I've had some be difficult over the years. Had more success recently with a screw/lever type tool that had a ball bearing in the end of the
bolt. I think you can get a few extra turns on it before the friction binds it up. Might have been a Laser one from Halfords.
http://tigeravonbuilddiary.blogspot.com/
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