Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

[MattBLancs]

Oh, and 308 rear springs and new front bottom ball joints both arrived (separately despite from same seller!?) this morning.

Impact socket set due Wednesday (but think could attempt delivery tomorrow)

[MattBLancs]

So the C5 has refused to play ball this morning, same "cough" of life then doesn't continue to run after that.

Bloody thing!

[MattBLancs]

It's one of those days today, here is the new bottom ball joint fully inserted to the new 41 mm "deep" impact socket. Note the lack of depth!

[MattBLancs]

Can anyone confirm: Google suggests I need a 41mm deep socket for the ball joint task - is that correct?

I'll have to get under the car and get my Verniers at it, nothing anywhere near that big, certainly not in deep format.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155183944240
(£8.88 half inch drive)

Halfords
https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-too ... 12526.html
41mm £11.19 on trade card


Or could get a 10 piece set, including 41mm, for £25
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364899793008


B&Q (in their new "pretend to be eBay/Amazon" mode)
https://www.diy.com/departments/us-pro- ... 390_BQ.prd
£8.85

Decided the jump from £8.85 for just a 41mm socket, to £23.49 for a ten piece deep impact socket set, including a 41mm was daft to pass up.

So bought this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266874007452
Due Wednesday/Thursday

All the above are "deep" or "hub nut" sockets, so unlikely deep enough for the ball joint task. Looking at specific "ball joint sockets" instead.

Such as: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180733075517
£18.09

[MattBLancs]

Hmm, slogging spanner, £14.35
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256526189676

Slogging is a lovely word!

Align the holes with a podger, insert a bolt and nip up tight with slogging spanner!

[MattBLancs]

specific "ball joint sockets" instead.

Such as: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180733075517
£18.09

Hmmmm, the above says:

eBay add, Specific ball joint socket

Useable depth 51.11mm

Where as ball joint:

Febi Bilstein ball joint

Crudely more like 65mm to sit on the flats.

Keen not to punt another £18 on a socket to find it's not deep enough. Not found another supplier confirming the internal depth.

Maybe the slogging spanner is a good option.

Spoiler: show

fall back option:
Slice the 41mm socket in my new red box set into two and see if my poor welding skills and a length of pipe can fab up a deeper version!

[MattBLancs]

Incidentally, the "not long enough deep socket" overall length is...

...about 78 mm

[MattBLancs]

I'm wondering how practical machining down some of the impact socket would be: the 1/2" square drive recess is very long, will have a measure but if could open out the first 10mm or so that would just give enough for the ball joint threaded stud to sit into.

If it was 3/4" drive I'd have no issue (other than lacking a 3/4" breaker bar) it's probably opening out that square towards round, a couple of mm might be enough.

Die grinder/ Dremel type tool waggling about type task, hopefully. Impact quality= tough rather than hard, hopefully!!

[bobins]

Would a box spanner be a better bet ? They're not overly cheap, but you'd certainly get the depth required. Getting a correct torque figure might prove 'interesting' but I'd guess they're actually normally just done up FT.

[RichardW]

I bought a recommended socket to do those joints, I think it's a Draper, I'll check tonight. Even then it is only *just* deep enough, and I would probably file a bit out of the bottom of the drive tube next time I use it to make sure it was snug on the hex. They can be biblically tight.... the thread is pretty coarse, and not particularly well cut, so they can be tough to get out. You might get it on the car, but I would be prepared to whip the hub off (only a few mins work if you have the correct 35mm hub nut socket!) and get the hub in the vice to attack it properly with a long bar and heat!

Actually it might be a Laser socket: https://twwholesale.co.uk/laser-deep-im ... rive-41mm/

[MattBLancs]

Would a box spanner be a better bet ? They're not overly cheap, but you'd certainly get the depth required. Getting a correct torque figure might prove 'interesting' but I'd guess they're actually normally just done up FT.

I wondered the same - depth great, but I also was unsure on the torque capabilities - whether the formed hex would be converted to round!

As you say, not cheap for what they are - seems about £25 is the going rate for something as big as 41mm.

I'll tickle this impact socket with my Dremel type thing and a carbide burr in the first instance I think.

[MattBLancs]

I bought a recommended socket to do those joints, I think it's a Draper, I'll check tonight. Even then it is only *just* deep enough, and I would probably file a bit out of the bottom of the drive tube next time I use it to make sure it was snug on the hex. They can be biblically tight.... the thread is pretty coarse, and not particularly well cut, so they can be tough to get out. You might get it on the car, but I would be prepared to whip the hub off (only a few mins work if you have the correct 35mm hub nut socket!) and get the hub in the vice to attack it properly with a long bar and heat!

Actually it might be a Laser socket: https://twwholesale.co.uk/laser-deep-im ... rive-41mm/

Yes there's Draper, Laser, Kasma, all doing one which specifically mentions Peugeot ball joints.

The biblically tight is the bit I'm worried about!!

Agree off the car where easier to apply more violence is probably worth the extra steps

[RichardW]

This: https://club.autodoc.co.uk/manuals/how- ... uide-26683 suggests 230 Nm. Pretty sure my torque wrench doesn't go that tight, so FT it was = a good bend in the 600mm 1/2" drive breaker bar!

I doubt it will be as tight as the B-J was in Mandrake's Xantia - that just laughed at the castellated socket and impact driver, and I had to cut up an old joint from one of mine, and weld the 41mm hex to the joint, and even then it took 2 blowlamps, and a 6ft pole to loosen it.....which wrecked the wheel bearing in the process!!

[MattBLancs]

Interesting, 230 Nm is not super ridiculous: front hub nuts are 325 Nm from memory. I think my torque wrench is up to 250 Nm (so hub nuts get that then a bit more with the breaker bar to reach FT)

Your description is exactly the sort of nightmare I am not looking forward to!!

[RichardW]

No maker's name on the socket - it's only 78mm overall depth, but there is a recess inside the neck for the joint.