VK ball joints

[ari666]

i have never done one. they look like a press-fit job, anyone got any advice to replacing them? can it be done in the vice? i have a BFH if it helps

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Yes, they are a press fit. It can be done on the car. After clearing the strut from the ball joint, support the bottom of the control arm with an axle stand, and smash the ball joint out with your BFH, then place the ball joint in position from the bottom and support the ball joint with the axle stand, having a short piece of exhaust tube or similar to sit the ball joint on helps. Then tap the control arm down, forcing the ball joint up into position. Hit the control arm in alternating strikes on opposite sides of the ball joint to make it go in evenly.

Or you could just use a press and press the old one out and the new one in. This requires total removal of the control arm of course.

[Darren_L]

they are kind of a press fit. There is special tools for it, but there is also backyard methods or you could just take the control arm off and drop it over to a suspension place and get them to fit the ball joints for you. But you can do it yourself.

Bash the old ones out with a hammer. Just put an axle stand under the control arm and go for gold - be careful not to damage the control arm.
Fitting the new ones, I find it easiest to put the new ball joint in the freezer for a few hours so the ball joint contracts in size. Fit it up from underneath the control arm, put a socket large enough to fit on the outer housing of the ball joint and then slide a jack underneath. Jack some weight onto the balljoint, place a lump of timber against the side of the control arm (as close as you can to the ball joint) and then belt it with the hammer several times. The ball joint should start sliding into place.

[ari666]

nice one! cheers mate.

[Staggie]

I have used darren's method, ball joint in freezer, then socket and the BFH, also a decent amount of swearing also helps.

[vkberlina]

If you have trouble getting them out mine in my VK were 20+ years old when I chenged them, I bashed the living $h1t out of them and they wouldnt come out, used a ball joint remover fork and it still wouldnt budge. left it loose drove in and about to drive back intot he driveway and out it fell, to the nut anyway.
You can use an oxy to help loosen them also.

cheers
scott

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

He is talking about the actual ball joint that is pressed into the control arm, not where the mount goes into the bottom of the strut.

To crack that, you need to put downward pressure on the control arm and hit the taper at the same time.

[ari666]

far out guys! i have no idea how you do it with a hammer, i have smashed that thing, froze it for two days, heated up the arm with the oxy, took the control arm off and stuck it in the vice etc etc etc

fail fail fail fail

[Darren_L]

if you are having that much trouble, just take the control arm to a suspension place, pay them $30 to do it for ya

[glenn l]

where abouts in melbourne are you? i can fit them for you.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

far out guys! i have no idea how you do it with a hammer, i have smashed that thing, froze it for two days, heated up the arm with the oxy, took the control arm off and stuck it in the vice etc etc etc

fail fail fail fail

Are you talking about the taper where the shaft goes through the bottom of the strut? Or where the actual ball joint is pressed through the control arm?

Once the control arm is supported from underneath, one or two good hits with a hammer and ball joint pops straight out.

[VR38]

I have complete reco arms for that would work out cheaper than replacing BJ's and bushes if interested.

[ari666]

where abouts in melbourne are you? i can fit them for you.

im in richmond, think im going to take them to my rwc guy and see if he can do them free.

Are you talking about the taper where the shaft goes through the bottom of the strut? Or where the actual ball joint is pressed through the control arm?

Once the control arm is supported from underneath, one or two good hits with a hammer and ball joint pops straight out.

i got them out ok, its just getting the new ones back in. everything i have tried has made it go on an angle and damage the control arm. i dont wanna kill it so have stopped trying.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Ahh OK. Hitting the control arm with a hammer will put dings in it. But then you won't see it, so what does it matter? You won't hurt the integrity of the control arm.

[ari666]

nah it was more going in on an angle and crushing a lip on the metal ring that the ball joint goes into.

i probably got a bit carried away with my BFH though, got kinda frustrated... then the oxy cutter came out... then i just had to say no.

[immortality]

ouch, you need to take some care, it's easy enough to put the control arm out of shape which means the ball joint can pop out at a later stage (like mine did after having it fitted at a shop). i refitted mine and then put a small weld on each side underneath to ensure it won't come out again.