Lower Ball Joints

[lazza]

HI

I'm going to change my lower ball joints. There's no slack but the rubber protector is cracked on both, so I guess it's a good idea.

Do I need any special tools? Is it a hard job?

Cheers
Larry

[xantiagreen]

Hi Larry.

Watch this youtube video, quite a few tools needed as it seems.

I'm having the lower ball joints and other things done as well end of November.

[Hell Razor5543]

When you next take a look at the ball joints also take a look at the heat shield, to see what condition it is in. If it looks very tatty you might want to replace them (they shield the ball joint from the heat generated by the brakes, so help keep the grease from drying out). You can still get them (I have in the last couple of months), and cost about £5 each.

EDIT; The part number for a Xantia ball joint heat shield is 3623 06.

[citronut]

if you do go for new ball joint it pays to have new heat shields to hand, even if they look ok as removing and refitting can be detrimental to them,

the other easier/less painful option as you say there is no obvious play, would be fit

https://www.google.co.uk/#tbm=shop&q=sw ... ter%2Fboot+" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[swiveleyedgit]

I had a go at changing the offside ball joint last weekend, after buying the correct sockets. Things came to a standstill when I couldn't hold the hub assembly steady when applying pressure to the bloody great extension bar on the end of the socket. I know our friend in the video straps the hub to the chassis but I didn't have anything like that to hand, so rather than damaging the strut mounting I called it a day. It's got me thinking about making some sort of brace that could be bolted on between the hub and the subframe somewhere to hold everything steady, I don't have a decent workshop as we moved house last year and a new shed with a massive vice bolted to an equally massive bench isn't a priority at the moment so there's no point in taking the hub off the car. I've got a few bits of angle iron laying around though.......

[Hell Razor5543]

When Malcolm (citronut) helped me with Gracie (well, he did the major hard work, I was really only the muscle) we had to remove the hub carrier to replace the ball joint. We also needed the heat from a blow torch, as (even using long scaffolding poles) we were unable to get the damn thing loose. However, I seem to recall Simon (Mandrake) mentioning him helping his Father with a ball joint, and they secured a long scaffolding pole to the hub (via the wheel bolts) to brace the hub, and that it was a two person job.

[RichardW]

Windy gun....http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=49938" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[citronut]

I seem to recall Simon (Mandrake) mentioning him helping his Father with a ball joint, and they secured a long scaffolding pole to the hub (via the wheel bolts) to brace the hub, and that it was a two person job.

this would only be ok as long as the driveshaft/hub nut were still in place, otherwise you risk pulling the drive flange/wheel bearing apart

[swiveleyedgit]

I can see I'm going to need the help of my friend, the aptly named 'fat Alan'.

[lazza]

Well that was a f*kup. I finally managed to get both ball joints off, but in a moment of carelessness, thinking that the hub was correctly tethered- it wasnt, and the right hand drive shaft came out with its 3 rotor heads. To my bad luck one of the rollers came off and I was picking up tiny bearings in the dirt and off the subframe

I think I got them all- anyone know of any sure way of assuring yourself that the right number of bearings are in it?

[Hell Razor5543]

OUCH!

The simple way (make sure to do it over a clean surface) is to take one of the other rollers off and count the pins. I would also put some sort of protection over the area where the original roller came off, so that if there are any missing you should have a reasonable chance of finding them.

I am not sure what grease you will need to use, but I would guess it would be LM grease (deep grey, also known as CV grease).

[citronut]

this used to be a common occurrence on citroens in the 80's, as they had nout to stop the triax bearings falling apart,

as James says carefully in controlled conditions count the needle rollers from one of the other two triax bearings,

then once your happy you have a full head count, clean and re/assemble with the likes of

http://tinyurl.com/ou92c58" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[lazza]

HI Thanks

Yeah, well I did put it back together yesterday- but in low light conditions. The needles seemed to have the same "slack" or movement when turning the ´"dropped" triax bearing as in the other two. I have Molybdenum Grease which I applied generously. However, doubts are circling in my mind- what if I missed one? Hence why I 'm thinking of taking it out carefully and counting to be 100% sure. But it's like opening up a can of worms

[citronut]

from what i'v seen most modern/later PSA triax bearings have a retaining device to stop then just dropping off whilst the triax is out of its cup,

obviously in your situation the triax that made a bid for freedom was under a lot of stress

[Hell Razor5543]

If you are not sure, then a re-count is (realistically) the only way to be sure. I would make a thorough search of the area with good light (and, if it would work, a good magnet). It may feel like opening a cam of worms, but if you don't you will always have the niggle in the back of your head; "Is it going to fail?".