Bottom ball joint mk1

[metalworker0]

Old vintage tool better than modern

Spent a long time today getting the bottom ball joint out

After first removing the circlip, i just hammered on it with a steel drift..would not shift

Heated it up with a mapp gas blow torch
tried again -- would not shift

Got my air chisel out .. was a clarke one...heated it , used this air chisel more than ten cycles of heating and chiselling ......nothing ..would not budge 3 hours went by.

Try something else i thought.

Had a look in my workshop and there was this air hammer ..but it only came with a riveting head when i found it at a car boot sale.

i thought ---give it a go

it removed that ball joint in 10 seconds flat...wow ...my Favorited tool now

it must be something to do with the way the hammer persecution mechanism inside it works..felt different and made different sound.

pictures show tool on the right ..clarke is on the left.

Don't know how i would of managed without, so if you have an 18 year old van and you haven't got the tools to take it out ...you are not going anywhere.

[metalworker0]

NOTE, to put the new ball joint in requires you take the whole hub off and use a press to install it

I tried and failed - ruined the new ball joint... trying to install in situ.

I went up to my local garage, asked them, and they said it wasn't possible.

So lesson learned ...don't take any notice of youtube,,, and take the whole lot off to start with.

You need a press ..luckily .i do have a press.

Pictures soon .next week


all the best.mark

[metalworker0]

Oh yeah ..and if you need the cover/ heat shield, ford part number 4378076 which is usually rotten - that'll be £14.99 off ebay.

a; the best.mark

[metalworker0]

more pictures
Very hard to set up in press ,.,..which is why if you buy a press you have to have lots of bits of metal around to make into supports and drivers. (pictures 2 and 3) show it in the press. note shims to make it level.
Had to make an extra alloy support for it to be held in the press (picture 5)..you also can see the cup i made to put over the ball joint to drive it in on the flange ...also shown the little cover/guard in place . part numbers
Picture 4 shows it fitted together with the new guard

The knuckle ..i took it to bare metal ..and painted it .

[metalworker0]

more showing driver cup