Hub removal

[AxlFoley]

Iwill be removing my hubs soon, to fit the dropped spindles, i know how much of a ball ache it is to remove the ball joints so i want to remove teh hub without damaging them, i know theyare quite large so want to check if this tool will do the job, or will i need something more substantial.

wich of these will do the best job?

 

[Fortunate Son]

I used a Ball Joint Separator a bit like the one bottom right in your pic, though had a wider "fork" - got it from Machine Mart for about 15 quid - had to saw the ends of the forks off a little though and yes it destroyed the rubbers (I bought new rubbers before I started the job -£4 each)

I think the best way would be to use a tool similar to the top right one though most available are not wide enough in the jaw gap OR wide enough between forks and press pin (though JK do advertise one that looks bigger - never seen one "in the flesh" - think it is a bit pricey too).

Ball joint pullers like bottom left pic are good for track rod / drag link ends only

Good luck, and watch your knuckles!!

FS

 

[AxlFoley]

I didnt realise you could buy replacement rubbers!! i'll have a look on th JK website now.

Thanks

Mark

 

[Fortunate Son]

Mark

Got my rubbers from Heritage I think - take care not to damage / lose the circlips for rubbers as I never managed to find any for sale - reused the old ones

Cheers

Andy

 

[creationblue]

Iwill be removing my hubs soon, to fit the dropped spindles, i know how much of a ball ache it is to remove the ball joints so i want to remove teh hub without damaging them, i know theyare quite large so want to check if this tool will do the job, or will i need something more substantial.

wich of these will do the best job?

Think I used a breaker bar and a large hammer as my 'fork' seperator wasnt wide enough.

One tip if you havnt done spindles before (if you have I apologise) There is a collar on the spindle you take off right at its base that needs to be swaped to the new one, this covered in grease looks like its part of the casting, but with said big hammer and a screwdriver it WILL come off :lol: Without it fitted it dont quite work........trust me :roll:

Oh and if your running OG wheels you will have to grind around 2mm off the bottom thread.

Just

 

[AxlFoley]

I havent done one before so all tips are good, i'll keep an eye out for those bits and make sure I have my grinder to hand

Thanks

Marrk

 

[Guest]

its hard to get them big enough for bus ball joints halfrauds and other places dont sell big ones, you would be better getting it online at frosts or somewhere. I bought the biggest i could find including the fork wasting about £40 as they were still all too small.

i had to hit mine with a large hammer and a flat cold chisel, and buy rubber boots as using a screw type separator will damage them especially if they are old/worn. New boots are a bitch to fit, i found the circlip that holds them on a complete nightmare to get back on, but then again i have fat fingers :lol:

I used the bus jack to lift the trailing arm up to get the knuckle off the ball joint, but be careful as it can spring back.

 

[AxlFoley]

sounds like this is going to be fun then!!

thanks for the info

 

[Guest]

when youve done one side, the other will take about 10 mins :wink:

 

[Nic B-C]

Use the one on top right and you wont damage them a pickling fork will knacker the rubbers

 

[creationblue]

when youve done one side, the other will take about 10 mins :wink:

Exactly right :!: Untill the bottom B/Joint nut span the joint, it took me an hour using a jack on the spindle to get in a position were the weight of the bus held the Joint so I could tighten the nut :evil:

Just

 

[stagger lee]

i used one, like the top right one. i recall having to take a grinder to it. i think i widened the fork-slot in the middle and took some off the curved fork-face. basically ground whatever to make it bloody fit. but then had one to fit most things, yeah?

also your tapers migth be mega tight and potentially just tightening the joint splitter to split the joint may result in it getting damaged. the centre bolt in mine is all so slightly bent, plus the threads can only take so much. so this doesn't happen.

on the bottom joint tighten the splitter (if you use one) so it's applying some preasure against the taper. your judgement on this, but when it gets significantly difficult to tighten the splitter bolt, stop. then take a big hammer and smack the trailing arm parallel to the taper/joint. careful not to catch the rubber boot. this jolt/force usually splits them easily.

the top joint usually just falls out, it's got the camber adjustment nut fitted and can be left on the joint taper. so hopefully you can just put it in the new spindle. i think there is a mark on the camber nut that faces outward parallel to the wheel for a 'ballpark' setting. but with welded up spindles will need to sort that to get it right.

yeah, when retightening if your joint starts to spin inside the taper gently hammer it in some from the back of the ball joint. and slowly, very slowly attempt to tighten. if still spins, like previously mentioned jack up the steering knuckle (spindle) so there is more downward force from the trailing arm. if still spins what i've done in the past is to remove the joint taper and knick it with a screwdriver on opposote sides. basically introduce some 'burrs'. these puppies once in the taper will grip bigtime and always allow enough grip to get it to tighten. oh it goes without saying keep the tapers grease free when re-tightening

good luck with it all.

 

[AndrewHS]

See my last post on 'Suspension joint dust covers'. This is the same job.

 

[Guest]

when youve done one side, the other will take about 10 mins :wink:

Exactly right :!: Untill the bottom B/Joint nut span the joint, it took me an hour using a jack on the spindle to get in a position were the weight of the bus held the Joint so I could tighten the nut :evil:

Just

i forgot that happened to me as well. The best way is to take the screw off completely before breaking the joint, if it spins or breaks, jack up the trailing arm and put pressure on the taper and it should give enough grip to get the nut off.

 

[Clarkson46]

I thought the flats on the end on the ball joint shaft were there to allow a spanner to hold the joint still while you tighten up the nyloc nut. The nut should go on finger tight so that a spanner will fit on the flats. That's the way I've always done them.