BX ball joint

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:00 am

Well it's not often i'm put off by the task of changing a ball joint but I just noticed that the BX lower balljoint is fitted into the hub upright by a press or interference fit. It seems you need an impact wrench to work it. Is this a non DIY thing (i.e. I don't possess an impact wrench) and I'd have to take it to my Citroen indie for such a usually easy thing?

Anyone done one of late?

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:16 pm

This topic seems to come up from time to time.
See http://www.bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6418 for example.
where a lump hammer and a dull chisel seems to be in order.
Also some talk of using nut splitters..

I've never done one myself but I watched a mechanic using the hammer and chisel method and it seemed fairly straight forward.

David

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 5:33 pm

OK thanks, but in that thread are they talking about the lower nut or the upper pressed - in bit? I was unclear.

Anyway I don't have the tools mentioned - possible time for an upgrade to the tool box!

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:02 pm

I assume they are talking about item 3 and 9 in the picture below.
Also in http://www.bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5439

docchevron1472 wrote: As for the ball joints, never used the proper tool, I just hit them with a punch and a Billy sized hammer.

Have you knocked the tabs down?? They wont undo if you dont!

If you look at the back face of the hub carrier you'll see two indents in it, the face of the ball joint is peened over into them to stop it coming undone, tap them out, apply punch and big hitting stick, job donr!

At any rate this is the information I have filed away at the back of my mind in case I ever have to do one.
Hope it helps.

David

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:41 pm

Graeme, just to clarify the balljoint is threaded and not a press in job.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:45 pm

I've sucessfully done these before now with nothing more than removing the hub, mounting in a vice and then using a pair of stilsons and an extension tube. You can hit them, but I've yet to need to.

Apparently you can do them in situ on the car, but removing the hub is fairly easy and makes the job much more straightforward.

Post by **docchevron** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:37 am

/\ what he said.
If you remove the hub from the car and stick it in a vice then Stilsons be your friend.
I use the hammer and chisel solution as I nearly always do them on the car, at the side of the road more often than not, and then it's easy to just fire the old BJ off and wham a new BJ in.

The trick with doing it with a hammer and chisel with the hub on the car is NOT break the ball joint from it's tapered for in the wishbone until it's unscrewing easily out of the hub.
With the taper still in the wishbine it makes the whole thing a much more robust platform to batter hell out of it.

velosolex50 · Post by **velosolex50** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:30 pm

A (big!) Stillson worked for me, without taking the upright off. Tight though. Essential to knock back the staked over locking part of the joint first - I used a small sharp cold chisel. Even if you have split the taper, you can just loosely relocate it so there's something to heave against.

Alastair · Post by **Alastair** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:29 pm

There is a special tool available for this job and its wonderfull! It locks into the ball joint and bolts on using the lower arm nut. Then you turn it with a very long bar (you may need a bit of heat but I never have) It cost me about £30 or so a few years ago.

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:16 pm

A number of tool makers seem to do them now.
Sealey SX027 - Lower Ball Joint Socket Peugeot 405/Citroen -- £9.45 ex VAT
Maybe even cheaper from your local tool shop.
www.sealey.co.uk

David

Alastair · Post by **Alastair** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:24 pm

You all need one of these, go get one befor they go out of production!!

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:47 pm

Alastair wrote:You all need one of these!

What for? Stilsons or hammer-and-puch work just fine.

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:47 pm

I have a sealey one and it's been brilliant. I can't ever imagine leaving the hub carrier on the car. I've heard that some b/js were erroneously secured with loctite. Despite the tool,a breaker bar and 2 1/2 foor scaffold bar the bugger wouldn't shift. Sleepy mentioned to heat them up with a blow torch and eventually they give (mind the heat on the wheel bearing though). I sincerely believe that without the tool, I'd not of got the b/j off. A good help is to secure the tool on the b/j stud with a nut and washer!

apologies for multiple use of the term b/j but I was enjoying using it!

Post by **docchevron** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:35 am

A good smack with a hammer and punch will always be more immediate than using a proper tool with just leverage.
Shocking things off is always FTW, which is why impact wrenches work so well.