c5 balljoints

[sportingfiat]

hey all, noticed my c5 is wandering a fair bit lately so ahve changed the drop links and track rods, really could do with balljoints i recon as still a bit floaty

is it a diy job or a garage job??

cheers

[Nick69]

How difficult was it to replace the drop links and track rod ends?

[sportingfiat]

drop links took about 10 mins a side, used long nose molegrips to stop the stud spinning

track rod ends, one side about 10 mins the other side over an hour it was crossthreaded and ended up using 2 pairs of stilsons

made the world of difference though

[cachaciero]

hey all, noticed my c5 is wandering a fair bit lately so ahve changed the drop links and track rods, really could do with balljoints i recon as still a bit floaty

is it a diy job or a garage job??

cheers

If you have the tools and knowledge anything is DIY . Myself couldn't be arsed to buy the special tool required to unscrew them so gave it to my local Indy 600 Miles later front wheel comes adrift luckily at low speed, ball joint had become unscrewed

From this I learn't the following, the Citroen part apparently comes with the threads pre-coated in thread locking compound also with a new heat shield, the independent after market one that I supplied didn't. Now i had no problem with the garage putting all the damage right they accepted that on at least two counts the item had not been fitted correctly i.e no thread lock had been applied and probably most damning the locking ears had not been peined over, whether it had been torqued up to the correct value we will never know but personally I doubt it. I do know that had I done it it would have been done correctly.

cachaciero

[sportingfiat]

thanks for that , looks like im gonna order the tool as its only £8

the balljoints are non citroen but luckily i carry a van ull of lockitite

will let you know if its a pig to do

cheers

[Andy F]

Hi

I will be interested to know how easy it is DIY, My C5 is beginning to handle like a drunk bouncy castle. Is yours knocking a bit too?

Cheers

Andy

[sportingfiat]

knocking stopped when did the droplinks

but seriously floaty and off to eurodisney in march so time for some serious tlc

[Andy F]

I changed drop links and the loud knocking went away. But i think i can hear another one, much fainter, cant quite tell where its coming from at the moment

[woodywoodpecker]

thanks for that , looks like im gonna order the tool as its only £8

the balljoints are non Citroën but luckily i carry a van ull of lockitite

will let you know if its a pig to do

cheers

I did mine 2weeks ago drivers side bottom ball joint and i also purchased the proper castle socket. I found the socket useless to undo the ball joint it slips out of the cutouts easy when pressure is aplied, 1 hour later i decided to remove the disc and caliper and used a a stilson pipe wrench and this took all of 2mins. I then used the castle socket to tighten the new ball joint, make sure you hammer over the 2 locking tangs in the slots once the new ball joint is tightened. If i do the other side i will use the stilsons at the start to save swearing and wasting time.

[sportingfiat]

thanks for that mate, why i like the forums, its the little bit of info like that that save time and blood and tears lol

changing discs so looks like the old stilsons will be making an appearance again

[addo]

WWP, did you have the balljoint's nut screwed down snug to retain the castellated socket? Surprised if you did, and it still slipped.

Just a reminder for anyone doing wheelbearings in addition to balljoints: Late 405 through 406, Xantia through facelift C5 all have the same basic hub carrier. It may be faster if you purchase a pair of usable hub carriers, fit the new balljoints then changeover the hubs with new bearings.