Ball joint replacement!

[Htotheunit]

My bus failed its MOT on "excessive play" in drivers side front lower ball joint. Now, i have a replacement waiting to be fitted, but after looking in the Haynes manual, I'm a bit scared of starting!

It says:

"The ball joints now have to be removed from the torsion arms. As they are spline pressed to fit"

Then it goes on to say

"With the torsion arm removed, the best thing to do is to take them along to a VW agent and get him to fit the new ball joint them. Without the proper press tools the greatest difficulty will be encountered in removing the old joints and installing the new ones."

Has anybody replaced their ball joints, As i have no doubt in my mind that if i took it to my local VW dealership, they wouldn't have a clue where the thing came from, let alone have the tools to replace it!

Any handy tips on this one?

 

[Araon]

Oh yeah thats a serious press needed, your VW dealer may be able to help or a good garage in your locality, just remember they need to be pressed in the right orientation....

 

[Joval]

Cool-air do them (trailing arms) on exchange AFAIK.

 

[stagger lee]

it's easy to get the old out for a start; grind the backs out of the joint, knock the innerds out. hacksaw through the joint case, carefull not to damage the trailing arm. collapse the case and pop it out. may sound a rigmaroll, is that how it's spelt? but it doesn't take long to do a set of four.

it's worth considering to do this, as pressing old out isn't so easy without having appropriate supports, collars etc. unless the place is geared up for doing trailing arms, i'd be surprised they could do it without messing about, which takes time and will cost you probably more that an hour or so of getting the old out. but off course you have to have a grinder to be able to do it?

pressin new joints into empty arms is straight forward really. just need a section of pipe to place over the taper and rubber boot to press the top one i think it is? make sure orientation is correct, as mentioned. easy to get carried away and put 'em in wrong ahem :roll:

 

[ricvw]

A good place to try will be a HGV garage they will probably have a press. i went in the other day and they had a tool that heated up metal red hot on the end of what looks like a welder they said they use it instead of oxy-accsetelien(spelling) as they were feed up of seting things on fire down side it cost £3500 but would be great for jobs like this.

 

[Hilly_70]

don't just change one though .. change them all for what its worth ..

A local engineering place did all mine for £70 ish ..

Hilly

 

[Graham L]

Get hold of Gadget by PMing him, he's got some one he uses in Tamworth to press new ball joints in,