Idiot's guide needed

[lexi]

I don`t remember the spanner sizes Mike but 14mm rings a bell?. I took mine off with the rattle gun which helps to combat the thing just turning. Plenty of plus Gas overnight. It`s not such a bad job.

One thing I do remember is that the Lemforder ones are better and last so much longer. They are good bit more££ though.

[Stempy]

Not done this on a Xantia (yet) but I would think you will need a ball joint splitter and a big hammer. I'd get in there with plenty of penetrating fluid well before you start the job, and also give the threads a good going over with a wire brush.

Loosen the track rod locking nut before you split the joint and it might be a good idea to undo the circlip on the gaiter to reduce the risk of twisting it if the track rod spins.

You will also need to get the wheel alignment set up afterwards.

[RichardW]

It's pretty easy - well maybe 8)

If the joints have never been changed you will need a 16mm deep socket or ring spanner to get the nuts off the balljoint, the arm lock nut is quite big - 21mm or so, and needs an open ender or good adjustable. High susp, jack up, support (easier with both sides off the ground) and wheels off. Set the steering wheel straight ahead and carefully measure from the centre of the TRE joint bolt to the face of the lock nut, and make a note. Wire brush the joint thread and the arm thread and apply Plus Gas. Have a cup of tea while it soaks Back the lock nut on the arm off a turn or so, then get the arm going - if it's been on a long time and not moved this might need some hammer / heat to get it going. It's a right pig to work on if you don't do this first before you break the ball joint taper! Undo the nut on the ball joint - make sure you back it right off the nylock so that is finger loose (otherwise you end up not being able to get it off and having to cut the taper ). Use a ball joint splitter to break the joint if you've got one, otherwise just give it a belt on the top - the joint is scrap, so it doesn't matter, but a splitter is a bit kinder to things! Remove the old joint (turn the joint, rather than the arm, to avoid winding up the gaiter), then refit the new one. You will probably need to recover the lock nut off the arm and fit it to the new joint. Make sure you fit the right joint to the right side - they are handed! You may well find that it's difficult to get the nut on the ball joint to tighten as it goes round - I usually squeeze the joint witha pair of gas pliers to get enough friction to tighten it up - otherwise find a non-nylock nut the right size, and nip the joint up, then replace with the nylock. Adjust the arm to the length you previously measured, and the tracking should be near enough - get it checked if it doesn't go straight, or the tyres start to feather soon after.

[Stempy]

it might be a good idea to undo the circlip on the gaiter to reduce the risk of twisting it if the track rod spins.

That's what i'm after but i haven't a clue which circlip you're on about

I mean the clip or tie that goes round the end of the gaiter that keeps it tight on the track rod.

[Peter.N.]

Just grip the tie rod with a pair of molegrips.

[jonathan_dyane]

Well now, i've got no splitter (any recommendations?)

You *need* a splitter, it can be almost impossible to shift a stubborn ball joint without, whereas with it is a piece of cake.

Mines is (I think) a laser one, and although cheap is substantial, and has taken lots of abuse. The cantilever type is FTW, as the wedge type you hit with the hammer invaribley knacks the balljoint or at least the gaiter, and you may be just wanting to split a ball joint to remove a driveshaft or suchlike rather than actually renewing it.

This is the good type, dual position allows you to use it on virtually any application:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ball-joint-splitt ... 0210115569

Mine was cheaper IIRC however.

[RichardW]

believe these ARE the original TREs, look almost knackered which is why i asked about whether an angle grinder could be used to take them off.

You could cut the top off the balljoint, but you'll still need to get the taper out of the hub, there's only one way of separating the TRE and track arm and that is to unscrew the joint.

Will the TRE unscrew from the arm without first breaking the ball joint?

The track rod will turn on its inner joint, inside the gaiter - however, it's best not to unscrew it totally like this, as it can wind the gaiter up. Once it is going, they are usually not too bad - both threads are zinc plated.

How much of the TRE will actually be in the arm, do you know?

A surprisingly large amount - at least a couple of inches.

I'm a tad confused about the 'measuring' process, from where and to where again please?

Look down on it from the top and measure the distance from the lock nut to the centre of the ball joint thread. Think about it that the track arm will stay in the same place, but the hub is free to move in and out depending on how much you screw the joint in or out - what you are trying to measure is some distance that you can fix again once the new joint is on.

I can't see any thread on the arm itself so it must be an internal thread which the TRE screws into. And there's not that much thread visible on the TRE either even after wire brushing it up.

Correct, and no there's not much thread visible. You don't need to worry too much about that thread - you only need to back the lock nut off a turn or so to allow the arm to unscrew.

Are the replacement TRE's similar in length which is the reason for 'trying' to get it back into moreorless the same geometry.

Not necessarily, hence measure off a fixed point (The track arm)

Presume a trcking reset will sort things out afterwards,yes?

Yes, but if you measure carefully it will probably be near enough.

Well now, i've got no splitter (any recommendations?), no heat, no open ended spanners of that size and no 16mm deep wall socket (what's that silver ring under the balljoint which makes access to the nut look almost impossible even with a slim walled socket?) so think i'll need to start gathering everything together fairly quick.

For some reason, the originals have a sort of Nylon cup under them that comes up around the nut, and which makes access difficult - but you can just smash this off witha screwdrive to get to the nut. Agree with Jonathan, a cantilever type splitter is the way forward - they're not dear at your local factors.

I DO have a hammer, angle grinder and open ended wrench of dubious quality

8)

[RichardW]

"The locknuts are rusted solid so they'll not move up the thread at all. Does it matter?"

Not if you've managed to get track rod going without undoing te nut. You will need to get the nut off to put it on the new joint, but it shouldn't be too hard off the car, moving it down onto the clean thread. You can always heat it up in the oven - SWMBO won't mind. Much

"The track rod itself can be held and isn't corkscrewing the gaiter so this should work, yes?"

Yes, once yo've broken the taper on the ball joint just hold the track rod and unscrew the joint from it - if you have got it going it should come out OK.

"with the locknuts being rusted on then i shoul be able to just measure one rod end against the other and scribe where the locknut needs to go back to, i think "

It's not that easy to compare the joints side by side as they are an awkward shape - but it will go some way to getting it right.

"Does anyone know if GSF tie rod ends come with top nuts or not"

Pretty sure they do - I've never had to go searching for a new nut. You will need to recover and transfer the lock nut though.

[Peter.N.]

About as hard as you can pull a spanner with one hand.