Top wishbone balljoint

[prs]

I intend to change the camber on my 1.6ss which has wide track. Problem is my ball joint seperator, it' a sykes pickevant seems too thick to push under the rubber boot I feel that if I push it any further it will spilt the boot, is their another special tool that Caterham use for this or what other way can Isplit the joint, cheers Phil

[Delberts Wallet]

Phil, the special too I use is a hammer and a long extention from my socket set.

 

Undo the nylock that holds the ball joint to the upright, place one end of the extension on the upright and then hit it a couple of times with the hammer. This should shock the upright into releasing the taper. I guess it sounds a bit crude but it works and is simple.

 

Hope this helps

 

Someone else will be along soon to suggest something else I'm sure.

 

When putting back together it may be worth tapping the tapper home so that when you do the nyloc back up it doesn't spin.

 

Gareth

 

Who Dares Twins bum.gif bum.gif

[Bricol]

Nope, same idea, hit the upright in the area of the ball joint with a lump hammer with the retaining nut released and wound back a bit - the shock will free the taper (might take a good few hits if it is very tight / rusted / old). Same technique works for all ball type joints.

 

I do have a splitter that slides under the arm and winds a srew down onto the threaded end of the taper - releasing it. But still seesm to split boots. Not used it in years once I learnt the hammer trick.

 

Bri

[Casbar]

I used a standard ball joint splitter several times. Mine looked too thick as well, but I just banged it in, and it worked fine.

 

If you do split the boot, a new track rod end, is only about £5.00 from the Motor Factors.

 

Failing that, I've a couple of new ones you could have, if you stuff it up.

[prs]

Thanks guys I intend to give it the old heave and smack it one but thought it best to leave it till Sunday just in case I U S it and miss a P C victory on Saturday!!

[prs]

Thanks guys I intend to give it the old heave and smack it one but thought it best to leave it till Sunday just in case I U S it and miss a P C victory on Saturday!!

 

 

[DonkeyDave]

ok lump hammer and extension in hand, still can't see which bit I'm supposed to hit - can you explain more descriptively?

[ECR]

extension should be touching the side of the upright at the point where the taper is drilled so that the shock of the blow is transmitted through the upright onto the taper. Sometimes helps if a. n. other pulls the wishbone up at the same time.

 

You must have something else other than an extension to hit ?

 

Edited by - ecr on 17 May 2002 16:05:07

[DonkeyDave]

the upright looks quite fragile/weak not going to damage it am I - obviously not...ok I'll be brave, after all its not my 7 that needs the camber adjustment

[felix.klauser]

The upright looks to be forged and quite tough. I use the above method and it works fine.

 

A couple of tips: put some grease or copper slip on the taper to make it easier to separate the next time. And use a non-nyloc nut to draw the taper into the upright. You can then put the nyloc on top of the regular nut or spin the regular nut off and just use the nyloc.