Urgent help Ball Joints

[Rippers]

Going to Cornwall on Friday and gave the bus a routine look over and noticed the upper left hand ball joint rubber had opened up and there was CV grease everywhere!

Wanted to fit a replacement boot but when it was away from the spindle I noticed it was really loose so thought I change the whole ball joint.. regretting it now!

First school boy mistake I didn't mark the camber nut where it was before I removed it.. how do I set this back up when it goes back on? IIRC the shaft was situated closer to the inner direction of the bus.

Second issue I can't seem to separate the camber nut from the ball joint.. is there an technique to this or do I need a separator ? to me it looks one piece but the parts book list it separately and obviously the new one doesn't have it

I take it you can't change the ball joint with hand tools at home? I've removed the arm from the beam now and I'm taking it to an old school engineering shop which service lorries/trucks tomorrow hoping they change the ball joint for me, I've read you need a 100 ton press to do this :shock:


My van did something similar to me last time we went to Cornwall!

 

[ozziedog]

If you look at the eccentric (camber) nut ,, it will have a mark on one of the `flats'. If you haven`t seperated it then you should / may be able to mark where it is now. Highlight the little mark with some tippex or similar and wheel leaning out at the top to the max you can get it is as close as f*"ck it. I think but I`m not 100% sure ,, it needs the marking facing inward toward the opposite front wheel. Back wheels lean in at the top and front wheels lean out at the top, last time I had mine measured with T Haus spindles on, I couldn`t get my camber (wheel out) quite to the quoted spec, but at max it was close enough. It is not a nut by the way, the hole through it is off centre and thats what gives you the adjustment, a little lube and a little wiggling and it`ll pop off but mark it first with tippex, might also be worth your while to try and see if you can spot the one on the opposite side. Get him cleaned up before you replace him as it`s easy enough to get the adjustment you want before it`s compressed, it`s a little trickier after as you need a skinny spanner, Just re read your post,, if you are happy that the old balljoint is US,, then Whack the end in a vice nice and tight and that nut will give up dead easy .

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, :mrgreen:

 

[Rippers]

Managed to get it sorted, luckily as I hadn't removed the ball joint from the arm and the camber but was stuck fast I didn't loose it's position.

All on and made it to St Ives with no issues

Something I didn't expect is that it no longer scraps on the wheel arch on big bumps/dips.. I can't get my head around how the ball joint would have effected the up down travel??