Lower ball joint removal

[phil-m]

Has anyone removed the lower ball joints from the front lower wishbone on a Series 2? I have removed the 3 nuts off the top side of the joint (driveshaft side) but cannot get the ball joint itself to move.

[Jai Sharma]

I do remember this. After removing the bolts you describe, I tried a combination of heat and force to get the ball joint to come out through the top, also by "persuading" it from underneath with a hammer. Only then did i discover that at the bottom of the ball joint there is a kind of thin metal cap which can be prized off and this then permits direct access to the ball joint to drive it out.

Hope that helps. Others on this forum might have better descriptions/ideas

Jai

[lancialulu]

These are "pressed in" which with years of corrosion tend to make hard to remove. Last one I did had to take wishbone off the press in out with a big hammer!

Depends on wishbone ball joint if all in one with flange or separate flange.

Hope that helps

Tim

[phil-m]

What Jai says makes sense, my 50T press did not really shift it from below and there is indeed what looks like a thin metal ring around the base, it is a Series 2 bone where the ball joint seems integral with the triangular flange.

[Jai Sharma]

Mine were on an S2 car. I don't know if S1 are different or not.

[lancialulu]

Digging back in my memory bank.... Seem to think my joints (s2) had separate top plate but also seem to think plenty of drifting didnt shift them. Even winding out the puny m6 studs to get a better drift slot. Only when I unbolted the lower arm and turned upside down and belted with a 3lb hammer did it suddenly flop out!

Tim

[chris]

I had a tool made to do this very job Phil - the driveshaft needs to be completely removed before you can attach it. The alternative can have disastrous consequences unless you are very lucky.  I used to tie wrap an aluminium shroud to protect the joint's rubber gaiter (if it's worth protecting that is!) and then with the biggest club hammer (or 'lump' hammer even, if you can get access) you would deal a blow onto the bottom 'eye' of the hub upright as squarely as possible, inline with the driveshaft (if still fitted). If you get it right, it will release within the first three blows but this is not allowing for corrosion or if the joint is still the original.