Front top ball joint information
Discussion
A little more info to add. We now know that the genuine QH part is the preferred option. Two members have now contacted me, having had difficulty sourcing the genuine part via their local parts suppliers. I fixed up with my factor to supply that member direct. I have today spoken again to my factor friend, Steve Driver (Car and Commercial Components Blackburn), about this issue in general, he then spoke to QH direct. The position is that there are 342 original QH QSJ1004S joints shown on stock, and they are listed as to be discontinued when stocks are exhausted. I understand that these joints are also used in Chimeras as well as the original SAABs so that really isnt very many.
QH have offered to supply Steve with as many of these as he needs should TVR owners want to buy direct. The current cost is £11.22 (9.55 plus vat) plus postage at cost and a minimal packing charge. Steve can be contacted on 01254 670121 (or email carcomco@btconnect.com and mark for the attention of Steve Driver).
Finally, a personal note, Steve has been enormously helpful to me in trying to find solutions to TVR parts problems, and is likely to continue to be (I have servo and brake parts on loan from him at the moment!). I, in turn, would be grateful for any support he then got from TVR owners.
QH have offered to supply Steve with as many of these as he needs should TVR owners want to buy direct. The current cost is £11.22 (9.55 plus vat) plus postage at cost and a minimal packing charge. Steve can be contacted on 01254 670121 (or email carcomco@btconnect.com and mark for the attention of Steve Driver).
Finally, a personal note, Steve has been enormously helpful to me in trying to find solutions to TVR parts problems, and is likely to continue to be (I have servo and brake parts on loan from him at the moment!). I, in turn, would be grateful for any support he then got from TVR owners.
Edited by greymrj on Saturday 29th March 09:55
Hi Chris, thanks for that, I must say that surprises me. The three QH joints I have seen, supplied in genuine modern (blue/white with red band) QH packaging were all identical and correct. Steve is aware of exactly what we need (and has seen an alternative that we do not want!) but I will make him aware of the problem you had. QH supply him daily so he will just get stock as and when any member asks for one.
Are these pictures any use as a reference?
I used a genuine saab item in the end and filed the end of my top wishbone so it would fit, I think there's a link to the old thread earlier in this thread. The QH balljoint was a worse fit than the saab one.
I used a genuine saab item in the end and filed the end of my top wishbone so it would fit, I think there's a link to the old thread earlier in this thread. The QH balljoint was a worse fit than the saab one.
- edited to say I've just read back through the thread and it does look the same as yours - and I filed the end of my wishbone the same way you did Richard. Sorry if I've repeated things here.
Edited by Barkychoc on Friday 28th March 18:22
A little bit more info:
1. If you have a later car (certainly true for the S3 cars owned by jimed and darbyp) the top wishbone has a different housing for the ball joint. It is a different shape, wider, and has shims either side of the balljoint. I doubt if there is any problem fitting any of the options. I do not know when TVR changed to this housing, perhaps they were also finding problems with ball joint fit.
2. Amazingly, the balljoint housings on either side of my car are NOT dimensionally identical! The QH joint fitted easily in one side but in the other I still had to file out the end of the housing slightly. I also found that 2 ball joints were over 1mm different in casting width at the ball. Looks like the QH joint is the best alternative BUT you may still need to file a little if you are unlucky.
1. If you have a later car (certainly true for the S3 cars owned by jimed and darbyp) the top wishbone has a different housing for the ball joint. It is a different shape, wider, and has shims either side of the balljoint. I doubt if there is any problem fitting any of the options. I do not know when TVR changed to this housing, perhaps they were also finding problems with ball joint fit.
2. Amazingly, the balljoint housings on either side of my car are NOT dimensionally identical! The QH joint fitted easily in one side but in the other I still had to file out the end of the housing slightly. I also found that 2 ball joints were over 1mm different in casting width at the ball. Looks like the QH joint is the best alternative BUT you may still need to file a little if you are unlucky.
Hi folks, I've just asked a similar question over on the Chimaera forum about these ball joints. The response has come back that there are some that "fit a treat"...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Might be worth storing under the "I seem to remember" section of your memory.
Regards
Iain
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Might be worth storing under the "I seem to remember" section of your memory.
Regards
Iain
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