Ball joints replacement

About to do this job. Any tips, especially a practical way of removing tapered fitting. Good tool for it to avoid banging with hammer!?

True and tested way is to have one hammer against the side of the upright and give the opposite side a couple of good bangs with another hammer.

Thanks Robin. But that is the method I want to avoid! There must be more suitable tool than a hammer…

Only a pickle fork or ball joint splitter then.

Thanks again! I am not familiar with those tools. I have looked a the Supatool one. Do you think that’s a good one? https://www.google.com.au/aclk

Nothing coming up from that link?

Sorry! Try this SupatoolBallJiontRemover

Yep that would work, you will still need to give the upright a rap wth a hammer rather than just relying on the pressure exerted by the tool

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Thanks again Robin. I assume you have done this job yourself? I have now read up thoroughly. I notice that most references say that the brake assembly and the steering track rod end have to be taken off when doing the top and bottom ball joints. Are both these procedures necessary? Also, that the top ball joint must be removed to allow access to the bottom. Is that so?

Just a few times but a little while ago now, from memory yes the top has to come off to allow the upright to pivot away and allow sufficient space to get the socket onto the bottom nut. The brake calliper needs to be removed to allow the hub to come off, otherwise its bit awkward :slight_smile:
You might get away without disconnecting the track rod.

Thanks again, but… ‘a few times’ ?! I don’t think mine has ever been done!

Going back over 40+ years of fixing my own cars. Eldest brother was trained by the REME (English army) so when things went wrong all he said was ‘fix it!’

LOL. I’ve had my car 20 + years and that job has never been done. Not sure if it ever was. 360,000+ Kms. Sounds like it might be needed!

The Lemforder ball joints are very good and last a very long time, road surfaces can also play a part in how quick things can wear out.

Speed bumps are one of the most damaging things to your ball joints and track rod ends, particularly the ones placed in each lane that are shaped like a giant cushion and don’t stretch right across the road. No matter how careful you are in positioning your car so the hump is central they force the wheels to splay outwards as you pass over them, this is an unnatural sideways force and if you have to traverse a set of these humps daily during a commute say, the wear comes about really quickly.

I had an inspection this morning and 3 of the ball joints and one track rod end need renewing so I’ll do them all (of course!) Can anyone recommend a tool that will do the extraction to both the ball joints and the track rod ends. As I’ve said, I have an aversion to clouting anything on my beautiful Jag with a hammer (sacrilege)!

The tool I posted should be able to handle both jobs.

Hi Robin. Can’t find that!

Do you mean the post or the object :slight_smile: ?
Sorry I was referring to the tool you posted :frowning:

LOL. Good job we are not doing the job together right now!