front ball joint removal

[LotusFella]

do you use any special technique to remove the ball joints? whack with 2 hammers? splitter?  The top come away but the bottom hasn't yet.  Don't want to whack if the hubs weak?

[Barrykearley]

Splitter.

use the bolt up splitters - bolt it up nice and tight. Tap it with a hammer and it will pop them off. Simples

[Vanya]

I used a 20 ton press. Came out with an almighty bang. Just make sure you distribute the forces correctly!

[Barrykearley]

@Vanya - that’s to get the bottom ball joint out of the arm. They take a lot of pressure and do bang loudly.

@LotusFella is stuck at the splitting stage presently ???

[Vanya]

2 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

@Vanya - that’s to get the bottom ball joint out of the arm. They take a lot of pressure and do bang loudly.

@LotusFella is stuck at the splitting stage presently ???

I believe I used the press for that as well :)

[LotusFella]

I have removed the hub.  Do I now remove the circlips for ARP before or after the damper bottom bolt or does it not matter?  Just wondering about spring pressure if any now.

thx

[Barrykearley]

The antiroll bar bushes are pressed into/onto the circlip. The circlips don’t seem to do that much other than be a pain in the ass to remove cos of dirt. Use new replacement ones

The antiroll bar pushes the bottom arm up a bit - not a lot

[LotusFella]

12 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

The antiroll bar bushes are pressed into/onto the circlip. The circlips don’t seem to do that much other than be a pain in the ass to remove cos of dirt. Use new replacement ones

The antiroll bar pushes the bottom arm up a bit - not a lot

So should just be able to unbolt the damper with worrying about the arb?

[LotusFella]

1 hour ago, Barrykearley said:

The antiroll bar bushes are pressed into/onto the circlip. The circlips don’t seem to do that much other than be a pain in the ass to remove cos of dirt. Use new replacement ones

The antiroll bar pushes the bottom arm up a bit - not a lot

Ok got bottom wishbone out but still stuck to arb. Any pearls of wisdom for parting them from the wishbone?

 

thx

[Barrykearley]

Yup - four nuts on the top mount 

one nut and bolt on the bottom

[LotusFella]

26 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

Yup - four nuts on the top mount 

one nut and bolt on the bottom

Sorry don’t understand. 

The arb is off the car on one side. But still in the bush with the circlips in the wishbone.  Do I have to get the inside circling off and then pull the complete bush and arb in one go or the rust knob facing rear of the car on the arb is that a nut?

26 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

Yup - four nuts on the top mount 

one nut and bolt on the bottom

Nice are those powder coated?

oh and your top ball joint bolts are on wrong ;-). Bolts should be on the rear side according to parts guide 🙂

[Barrykearley]

Yes the bolts are - they are correct the other side - left hand right hand thing.

you can remove the shocker without removing the roll bar. You will need to push the bottom arm down harder if you don’t 

Here’s the parts book - this is the drivers side. Bolt heads face front - left hand front hand.

 

make sense ??

[Barrykearley]

These four nuts for the top

[Steve V8]

5 hours ago, LotusFella said:

or the rust knob facing rear of the car on the arb is that a nut?

As you say, it'll be stuck in there with a knob of rust, no nuts on the arb, just pushed in. I found it much easier to dismantle the suspension components with the arb removed first.

If your arb is stuck/rusted into the bush clean it up best possible soak it in penetrating oil, stick the wishbone in a vice if you have one, twist it, pull it, shout and swear at it, eventually it'll come out. If you think that was hard the rusted arb bush circlips will try the patience of a saint.

[LotusFella]

Thx all, got the bottom wishbones nearside arb fell out 👍 but off-side appears to have some sort of pressed washer. See picture. Just leave it on? And clean up paint around it?

[Barrykearley]

It’s a circlip - there’s one either side of the bush. Rip em out and fit new 👍

[lotus4s]

It looks like he's referring to the rust around the end of the ARB itself. The ARB should slide fairly easily in/out of the bush when all is as it should be. It looks like yours is securely rusted in place. Do not just leave it in there and "paint around it"...

 

 

[LotusFella]

Ok thx. I have removed the bottom ball joint. Which is 43.5mm in diameter. The one I purchased is 41.5mm did they do multiple sizes.

[sailorbob]

There's only one size, what ball joint did you buy?

[ramjet]

On 15/07/2018 at 22:26, LotusFella said:

do you use any special technique to remove the ball joints? whack with 2 hammers? splitter?  The top come away but the bottom hasn't yet.  Don't want to whack if the hubs weak?

I just did this as well. I eventually got all mine away from the wheel carrier with ball joint tools. One of them was a real bugger, but the other three were easy.

 

On 20/07/2018 at 05:24, LotusFella said:

Thx all, got the bottom wishbones nearside arb fell out 👍 but off-side appears to have some sort of pressed washer. See picture. Just leave it on? And clean up paint around it?

That does look like one of those one way washers that has been pressed on. You don't need it at all. Dremel it off or try a cold chisel and hammer. Should not be too hard to get rid of.

As Jim said above, the ARB slides into its bush quite easily on both sides.

[LotusFella]

14 hours ago, sailorbob said:

There's only one size, what ball joint did you buy?

it says its for an esprit 85>

 

[Sparky]

More importantly, where did you buy it from?

[LotusFella]

8 hours ago, Sparky said:

More importantly, where did you buy it from?

From a reputable supplier. Rather not mention them as it’s not fair on them as it’s probably a genuine mistake. Just wondering/hoping it’s a supply issue rather than my wishbones.  They are they later v8 type with conical bushes. Does anyone know the correct size/diameter?

[Barrykearley]

Thought these were the same. Every day’s a schoolday

[sailorbob]

What's the manufacturer and part number?