Stupid question of the day. Balljoint splitter....

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Robbing the running gear etc off of my old front beam, to swap onto my newly aquired one.
Thing is...., I need to get several balljoints off, and re-use them.
Got a splitter tool off ebay, the tapered type that gets driven between the arm & joint.
Know this sounds stupid, but how or where do I drive the tool, so as not to damage any seals etc....?

 

[bottom rung]

These beasties take no prisoners with seals. Your options are to either buy new seals and pop them on once you have finished, or get one of the other seperator tool that don't get driven between the seals instead.
They have been known to damage the body of the balljoint as well. I tend to only use them if the whole joint is going to get replaced.

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Hmmmm thanks....
Never seen just the rubber seals listed anywhere. Got to be cheaper than the posh splitters though... :?
Do you know who does just the seals..?
Will obviously look myself too...

 

[Fortunate Son]

Do you know who does just the seals..?

C & C do em (Item # 14)

http://www.customandcommercial.com/products.asp?Sub_Category=1243&group=61&category=412" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or VW Heritage (Item # 20)

http://www.vwheritage.com/vwh/Bus-Parts-1968-79/Steering-Suspension/Front-Suspension/?templateID=vwh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think megabug sometimes have them also

 

[mattp]

It is worth investing in a decent scissors type ball joint splitter -much better than the fork type

 

[Guest]

bus ball joints are fairly big and you will need a decent sized splitter, i couldnt find one big enough that wouldnt do damage to the boots in the usual shops like halfrauds. I eventually found a van one in a local motor factors, it was the hinge and pin with a socket bolt for tightening.

I got the boots from megabug, it was a tenner for four. I would definitely suggest you take care with the retaining clips on the boot ends that come off as you'll need to keep them for the new ones. They are a fiddly pain in the ass to get back on too.

Make sure the camber sleeve is marked and facing forward, it should be from the factory but if its not clear? scribe it with a chisel so you can line it back up if it moves.

Also make sure you can get the ball joint nut completely off before you split the joint as if you don't, and its sticky on the thread, if you break the joint it will spin with nothing to grab and you'll have to tighten the joint up again and that can be tricky too. If you know the pit falls it can be a 10 minute job.

I used the Vans jack to lift the trailing arms apart to get the ball joints out of the spindle knuckle as well. It wasnt great but it did the job.

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Nice one. Thanks all.
Have ordered a scissor type seperator. The existing seals are too good to damage.... :?

 

[dubdubz]

I haven't had top buy a splitter yet.......

it is an easy job with the right hammer - a large copper mallet or at a push a small lump hammer.

it is easy to do on the van as gravity helps - if the beam is off then set on a workmate or similar so the arms hang as normal.

the trick is to undo almost all the way - as Johnny says make sure that the nut will come off the thread by hand, I tend to clean threads and reinstall the nut so when the joint cracks it doesn't remove itself completely from the spindle - kinda keeps it under your control!

the trick to the hammer is to hit on the end of the spindle [I'm going to have to do a pic aren't I] arm so you deflect the hole enough to let go of the balljoint taper.You hit opposite the spindle so the outer part. If the castor nuts have been on a while they will need heat to get off I have found, so you'll struggle to do this without damaging the rubber anyway! I've had around 50% work on getting castor nuts off.

I'll scribble on some pics in a minute ............