Removing front lower ball joints
Discussion
Right, I realised my n/s outer cv joint on my A3 had let go. Had new tyres fitted, fitter pointed out rather large tear in the boot and the grease that was now all over the inside of the rim, caliper etc.
Looked at haynes manual to get an idea of what is involved. Thought it would be good to do lower arm bushes, lower ball joint and arb drop links at the same time. Got all the parts, went for new lower arms to avoid pressing old and new bushes.
Started yesterday 10am. Got all the plastic gubbins out of the way and started on inner driveshaft mounting bolts then removed hub nut. Go to remove outer joint from wheel bearing housing, its stuck hard. I don’t have a hub puller because my little brother has pinched it. b
d!
Call around for a lift to Cliffords tools. Everyone out in the sun but finally find someone who will go there and pick one up for me before close. Brilliant.
Leave the outer joint alone and start removing lower arm. Baljoint mounting first, then fron and rear mounting bolts. They all come off easily, slides out no problem.
Now 1:30pm, still waiting for hub puller, only thing to do without this is remove ball jount from wheel bearing housing. The thing nut needs to be counter held at the top, about 5mm under the outer cv joint. There is no room at all, not even to get a ring spanner over the nut. So I need to remove the driveshaft before I can get the ball joint off.
My friend arrives later with hub puller, its a 4 stud tool from Halfords. My car is 5 stud. bks!
Off to mates machine shop to try and fabricate a simple puller, nothing open today.
One day job is now taking at least 3 because I have to wait for parts. I will need a new hub nut on Monday for the other side (doing lower arms etc not driveshaft) just so I can remove the ball joint.
Oh the joys of driveway spannering!
Looked at haynes manual to get an idea of what is involved. Thought it would be good to do lower arm bushes, lower ball joint and arb drop links at the same time. Got all the parts, went for new lower arms to avoid pressing old and new bushes.
Started yesterday 10am. Got all the plastic gubbins out of the way and started on inner driveshaft mounting bolts then removed hub nut. Go to remove outer joint from wheel bearing housing, its stuck hard. I don’t have a hub puller because my little brother has pinched it. b
d! Call around for a lift to Cliffords tools. Everyone out in the sun but finally find someone who will go there and pick one up for me before close. Brilliant.
Leave the outer joint alone and start removing lower arm. Baljoint mounting first, then fron and rear mounting bolts. They all come off easily, slides out no problem.
Now 1:30pm, still waiting for hub puller, only thing to do without this is remove ball jount from wheel bearing housing. The thing nut needs to be counter held at the top, about 5mm under the outer cv joint. There is no room at all, not even to get a ring spanner over the nut. So I need to remove the driveshaft before I can get the ball joint off.
My friend arrives later with hub puller, its a 4 stud tool from Halfords. My car is 5 stud. b
ks!Off to mates machine shop to try and fabricate a simple puller, nothing open today.
One day job is now taking at least 3 because I have to wait for parts. I will need a new hub nut on Monday for the other side (doing lower arms etc not driveshaft) just so I can remove the ball joint.
Oh the joys of driveway spannering!
If its similar to the A4 then the top links are even worse to change - everything on mine seized solid - had to cut off the Track Rod Ends then weld on nuts and the use of blow torch, spanner, socket and breakerbar with scaffold bar to undo the rod end out of the rackend. Then the hub carrier to a machine shop for some serious heat and VERY big hammer to get the upper ball joint clamp bolt out. What should have been a 1 day job ended up as a full week. At least it all went back together easily.
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