Crazy Frenchman also does sensible things

cauchoiskev · Post by **cauchoiskev** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 6:34 pm

You may remember this guy who used his wife's shoe as a bottom engine mount....

Nice photos of ball-joint removal :

http://www.forum-auto.com/automobiles-m ... 123135.htm

He takes the brake disk off for easier access, and loosens the ball joint before undoing the bottom nut. Dunno if it's really necessary to undo the drop-link though.

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:47 pm

You've just got to admire somebody who goes to the trouble to take such detailed photographs of the job in progress. I wonder if he as an assistant who takes the photos, otherwise the camera would surely end up in a right messy state.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:40 am

How on earth he gets away loosening the joint simply using a hammer and chisel is a mystery to me

However it is pretty well thought to loosen it while still attached to the triangle arm. Anyone who has been at this job will remember the cursing mad job on a dangling hub ...

Can't see the idea undoing the droplink. You dont need to force the triangle arm down. You can do away pressing the hub upwards.

Post by **docchevron** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:17 am

AndersDK wrote:How on earth he gets away loosening the joint simply using a hammer and chisel is a mystery to me

Thats how I've always done them, the proper tool is no match for the manly tools of men, ie, hammer and chisel.
Big enough hammer does the job everytime, very quickley and easily.

AndersDK wrote:Can't see the idea undoing the droplink. You dont need to force the triangle arm down. You can do away pressing the hub upwards.

Yeah, not at all sure what thats about, never touched a drop link doing balljoints...Perhaps he wanted to use a shiney new 16mm spanner??

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 10:05 am

i've used the proper tool, set fire to the thing till it glowed, angle grinded the ball right out, stuck it in a vice and rotated the arm, and used a set of giant oversized mole grips, all to varying success on different cars.

However the only method that actually works first time every time is the old hammer and chiesel method! I blame the doc for converting me though.

If you don't think it will loosen then you just have to hit it harder! and harder, slice your nuckles open, get a dead arm and just keep striking it, eventually they go!

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:41 pm

Vanny, you have my utmost admiration young man. However do you think I may be softening in my old age? I ask because I bought a rubber hammer the other day, what was I expecting to 'mend' with that?

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:47 pm

I've also heard that the correct tool, combined with a hefty rattle gun works well.

Not that I've ever had to change a bottom balljoint. 6 405's and 7 BX's, and I've never needed to change one!

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:29 pm

Did one on the 16v this year, needed soem "persuasion" with a rather large hammer but it gave way.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:47 pm

This guy cannot write good proppa french but his photos are top hein ?

I think the reason he frees the droplink is because he has not jacked up the other side of the car and he will have no movement available to pop out the rotule from the triangle wishbone.

Top marks to this impecunious frenchman who is obviously, spiritually, one of us in wanting to keep his BX on the road and get his hands dirty.

On a French note they really do have to pay a lot for their spares there. They have no GSF but a small number of motor factors who give only a less than generous 10%.
I had to buy some rear brake pads last month. Price 34EUR which equates to 24GBP - almost twice the GSF price ! Last December an alternator set me back 70GBP.

The booze is cheap though............................

Je ne veux pas faire le con sur les pistes.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:49 pm

Slow forum response = duplicate post

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:21 am

tim leech wrote:Did one on the 16v this year, needed soem "persuasion" with a rather large hammer but it gave way.

Arrrh...........You be following the teachings of Cavmad eh?

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:26 am

I must admit as time goes by - the good old rust grows on my hammer & chisel

I no more have the guts (or is it age ?) to muck down my hand or fingers - or meet my job afterwards with dead arms for weeks.

Instead I've slowly invested in more and more air tools ever since I got my 3 x cheapo air compressors connected up as a pressure air source.
Even a cheapo 600Nm 3/4" socket driver can do the job - using the special PSA socket. Right - yes - I've had to heat the joint in some cases before it surrendered - but still only successes.

My X-mas wish : a 1200Nm 3/4" socket driver

(£250 I guess

)

Post by **docchevron** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:34 am

Air tools are indeed FTW.
Have to say though, I find it a good deal quicker to use the hammer / chisel combo to remove bottom ball joints than I do arsing around with an impact driver...but I am still young!
Air tools do make life so much easier though, it's one of those things that once you've used them, you wonder how the hell you ever managed without.

Well worth the investment.

kermit the frog · Post by **kermit the frog** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:07 pm

I to can say that i have done my bottom swivels using the Doc's hammer and chisel method.
You can really get all that anger wound up and just HIT IT!
And dont you just feel good afterward's. (think of someone you hate it makes it so much fun)
must admit mine could have done with being done much sooner absolutely sh****d.
still lots more work to do happy hammering to you all