Xantia "stuck" Bottom ball joint removal

Post by **c.morewood** » 04 Jan 2011, 17:40

Both my bottom ball joints are original as far as know.. they've done over 220K and are getting a bit loud, knocking when going over bumps. It has to be thm as I've had everything else replaced. I would like to replace them but I've taken the Xantia to 2 garages who can't get them to budge. (1 was a Citroen mechanic with the correct tool)
Does anyone have experience of the stuck bottom ball joint and how to remove it without buying a replacement hub?
Thanks.

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 04 Jan 2011, 17:45

I've had them refuse to budge using the correct tool but have always had success with keeping the hub attached to the wishbone/strut to secure it then using a large hammer with a cold chisel on the ball joint tabs. Make sure the tabs which are bent over to prevent the joint unscrewing are bent back prior to undoing the joint.

kenhall1202 · Post by **kenhall1202** » 04 Jan 2011, 18:06

I have seen reports on club-xm of using heat to soften up the locking compound used in the original assembly. Care is obviously required not to let the wheel bearing get too hot.

Post by **CitroJim** » 04 Jan 2011, 18:26

I've used heat in the past, after taking the whole hub carrier out and clamping the assembly up in my massive vice. You have to be a bit careful with the heat though as too much can get to the wheel bearings and melt out the grease.

I use heat plus the special tool on the end of a very long breaker bar.

I've tried your cold chisel method once Richard and it was a complete failure for me. Possibly because my hammer was not big enough and I'm well known for being a bit girly with hammers anyway

Bottom line is this: It is one of the most horrible jobs out there. Once I offered the job to our local Citroen indy and he claimed to be far too busy, just about emigrate and take on a Kia dealership...

I got the feeling he really did not want the job...

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 04 Jan 2011, 18:51

It WILL be the peening on the shoulder of the ball-joint - no question.
I've been here and done that before, many many times...

I have had the dubious claim of bending a heavy 8' scoffold tube with myself
and a pal heaving for all our might whilst the leg was tied and still fastened
onto the car. Realised it needed more dressing on the peening and it came
off no bother.

I use the toothed tool with the original nut holding it on and a 1/2" drive socket
and extention onto a 1/2" drive breaker bar and my 3" jack handle and that
always works. I make damned certain the lower part of the hub is restrained
by a substantial rope and the levered torque directed into the centre of the
car so as not to split the driveshaft gaiter.

Andrew

handyman · Post by **handyman** » 05 Jan 2011, 12:28

A bit of heat to soften the locking compound and an air wrench on the end of the castillated socket always works for me. Done a few and not been defeated yet.

Using power that is in-line, like air wrenches, rather than tangential, like breaker bars, ensures all the torque used gets to move the seized part.

As Andrew stated, all the peening MUST be removed.

Handyman

dieselnutjob · Post by **dieselnutjob** » 05 Jan 2011, 17:47

Had both ball joints replaced on the 607 replaced this year.
Unusually for me I took it to a garage.
The mechanic put a scaffolding tube over a breaker bar, and bent the breaker bar.
He said that I would need a new hub assembly.
Peugeot didn't have any so I took the hub assembly to a blacksmith and within 5 minutes he had gotten the ball joint out.
He heated the hub assembly red hot with oxy acetylene and drifted it out. An important point (he said) was not to cool it down with water as it would cool too quickly and might crack. He said dunk it in oil or just leave it for 1/2 hour.
When I did the other side I just took the hub off myself and took it straight round to the same blacksmith.

Post by **Paul-R** » 06 Jan 2011, 16:23

The C5 has just failed the MOT and one of the items is the LH lower ball joint.

I've been to buy a new one and it looks like it's threaded so I take it that I've got a few hours of skin shredding ahead...

addo · Post by **addo** » 06 Jan 2011, 19:48

Same balljoint as a Xantia. In fact, early (series 1) C5s had the exact same hub carrier as late 405, all 406 (exc. coupé), all Xantia - matching part number...

Post by **Paul-R** » 07 Jan 2011, 11:16

I was going to start working on the car tomorrow so bought the parts yesterday (also pads and discs F & R). I no longer have access to car ramps and covered work area so have to work in the drive or on the road and when it started snowing this morning I thought this'll make life interesting!

Anyway, my wife has just phoned me at work and TOLD me that she's booked it into a garage to have the work done as she is NOT going to have me working outside in the snow. I was a bit annoyed but secretly I'm quite relieved. I was also unable to buy the special socket so would have had to be using the cold chisel and hammer method - never a good idea in the cold!

Trouble is, there's now no excuse for me not to do the work replacing the bath this weekend!

Xantidote · Post by **Xantidote** » 07 Jan 2011, 17:25

Well at least the bath's an indoor job, though all the snow's gone now (north Liverpool)

addo · Post by **addo** » 07 Jan 2011, 19:10

I'd rather do the balljoints than the bath! Assuming it's a cast iron one bedded in mortar, of course.

Post by **c.morewood** » 05 Jun 2011, 19:55

Well I got them sorted last week.. bought 2 others from a breaker, specifying that the bottom ball joints had to be removed...what did they do? Sent me the hubs with the joints still in there...at least they were off the car so a little heat later and off they came.
I now have my original 2 hubs on EBay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :MESELX:IT going very cheap, along with one I bought by mistake which didn't have ABS. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :MESELX:IT
Thanks for all your help.