Xantia front suspension balljoint

mpr1956 · Post by **mpr1956** » 19 Jan 2006, 16:33

Hi all, I have play in my n/s balljoint and I am considering buying the removal tool and having a go myself. Is this a sensible move, bearing in mind I have to do the work on the driveway, or should I book it in and keep my fingernails and temper. I have done most of the work myself.. eg rear arm bearings and my HG, but I am wondering if this job is as straightforward as it looks ! Your opinion will be valued . Best wishes, Martin

'93 TDSX, btw...

Post by **Peter.N.** » 19 Jan 2006, 16:50

Hi Martin

With the proper removal tool it should be a fairly straightforward job, but it is tight! I did one on without it, and had to take the hub off and put it in a big vice and still had difficulty. Its probably cheaper to buy the tool than to pay a garage.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 19 Jan 2006, 17:20

mpr1956 wrote:Hi all, I have play in my n/s balljoint and I am considering buying the removal tool and having a go myself. Is this a sensible move, bearing in mind I have to do the work on the driveway, or should I book it in and keep my fingernails and temper. I have done most of the work myself.. eg rear arm bearings and my HG, but I am wondering if this job is as straightforward as it looks ! Your opinion will be valued . Best wishes, Martin

'93 TDSX, btw...

The tool can be bought innexpensively - I bought mine online for about £8.

The trick is actually turning the balljoint off!!

If you make a real meal of it you've got a good chance of pulling the driveshaft out of the diff bellhousing which in the process allows all the gearbox oil to pour everywhere - it doesn't need much movement to open the seal!

Possibly worse still, movement faffing about turning the ball joint can swing the whole hub outwards which will allow the inner tri-axe to all wurgle apart inside the CV boot which isn't a good idea, especially as you can't determine if it's buggered until you try driving the car!!

The only surefired way to lock the unsupported strut once the lower balljoint is split it to twine strong rope around the leg and tie in securely inboard towards the engine bay.

Once you've got the leg held it's also worth REALLY CHECKING the peening on the ball joint's shoulder [at the point joining the hub] is FULLY backed off free...

Then it's a 'nice' easy quick job!!

YEAH RIGHT!!

Andrew

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 19 Jan 2006, 18:20

http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/s.nl/sc.9/ ... id.7029/.f

stevieb · Post by **stevieb** » 19 Jan 2006, 20:29

Did my 405 ones last summer.

I took the hubs right off, and clamped the hex of the tool (as per Anders link) in the vice and walloped the arm of the hub with a soft faced hammer to release it.

This was after a failed attempt at removing one whilst still on the car - and losing all my gearbox oil as per andmcit's post.

If you do it the other way round and clamp the balljoint in the vice you'll probably find getting a good enough grip between tool and socket, and enough leverage to undo the balljoint, is almost impossible. I tried a number of high quality sockets and not one would stay attached without lots of duck tape. And I still couldn't get the leverage...

Take the hubs right off - you know it makes sense.

mpr1956 · Post by **mpr1956** » 20 Jan 2006, 19:31

Thank you all for your tips.. I will attempt the job in the near future, and assuming I can type with bandaged fingers, will report back.

Stewart(oily) · Post by **Stewart(oily)** » 21 Jan 2006, 17:05

I normally remove the hub and grind off all of the peened over flange bits, then a few good bangs with a heavy hammer and a drift has the joint out, the tool does look good though, but I often get gear oil pouring out when stripping the hubs .
Stewart

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 21 Jan 2006, 18:49

I found on my BX that the special socket was useless for removing the balljoints. I know some people have had success in situ on the car, but both my balljoints were a real struggle.

The problem, as others have said, is the peening- you can't really deal with it on the car,and its best to have the hub in a vice- this saves an inordinate amount of time and swearing in the long run!!!

Mine were so solid that I had to cut most of the old joints away with a grinder before I could shift them-the problem was not the threaded part that's in the hub, but the exposed collar which had rusted itself onto the hub.

Where the tool IS useful,however, is for putting the new balljoint in without damaging it!!!

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 22 Jan 2006, 00:03

twice now i have managed with large HD carefully placed pipe wrench (stilsons) and aluminium tube giving about 2 mtrs leverage..

John

TOMTOM · Post by **TOMTOM** » 28 Mar 2006, 19:23

I have just retrieved my Xantia from the garage having failed MOT on suspension lower ball joint so I found this thread particularly useful.
In the Haynes manual it states that the first thing to do is to depressurise
the hydraulic system but I have seen no reference to that in any of the replies. Is it in fact necessary to depressurise the system before tackling the lower ball joint?

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 28 Mar 2006, 19:31

True, Haynes do say to depressurise, but then they also tell you to depressurise before changing a tail lamp bulb, and they also tell you to disconnect the battery before changing wiper blades, and probably tell you to jack up the car and place on axle stands before unclogging a washer nozzle.

Simply select low height. The Hydraulic aspect of the suspension makes the job a fair bit easier than on a conventionally sprung car.

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » 28 Mar 2006, 20:19

They're an arse.....much aided with the use of a windy gun to shock it.

mpr1956 · Post by **mpr1956** » 30 Mar 2006, 20:23

Hi all, seeing this thread resurrected reminded me to report back... I did indeed buy the special tool to remove the bottom balljoint ( around 12 quid with p+p) . With the car supported on axle stands (and depressurised etc) It was immediately apparent that removing the hub assembly was going to make the job very much easier.. this only takes a few minutes (less than 30, and you can leave the driveshaft in situ at the gearbox end) so it makes sense. I then chiselled out the peening on the old balljoint, bolted the tool into place with the balljoint nut and got the local workshop to windy-gun the balljoint out ( about 3 seconds !) reassembly was a doddle, and the job was finished without any muttering or broken skin !
- Bear in mind if you're removing the hub, that you may be forced to cut off the nuts holding the roll bar tie rod, and/or to have hex wrenches to hold the steering rod balljoint still while you undo the nut.

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