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Replace ball joints
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xnakx
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the process of replacing all 4 balljoints. all is going well but the new upper joints do not have the offcenter cam. am i supposed to remove and reuse the old one?
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Glenn Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 5:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes.
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xnakx
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

like a idiot i did not pay attention when removing the old ballpoints. can anyone tell me what direction the notches should face?
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

xnakx wrote:
like a idiot i did not pay attention when removing the old ballpoints. can anyone tell me what direction the notches should face?


6 and 12 o'clock.. the joints need to move forward/backward... pull the rubber off an old one and check out the way the joint moves if you want
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DutchDub
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What about this tool. Worked well for me!
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

DutchDub wrote:
What about this tool. Worked well for me!
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That tool is not for pressing the ball joint out of torsion arm and re installing a new one... just for separating it from the spindle.
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

keifernet wrote:
DutchDub wrote:
What about this tool. Worked well for me!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


That tool is not for pressing the ball joint out of torsion arm and re installing a new one... just for separating it from the spindle.


People or companies love to sell things. I have never used one of those to seperate the ball joint stud from the spindle/knuckle. Loosen the nut of the ball joint leaving it on just a few threads. Smack the spindle/knuckle with a hammer where the ball joint stud goes through and they pop loose.
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Oakley Diesel
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can send your arm's to cb for $50 http://www.cbperformance.com/services.asp
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Mudcat
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

74 I'm with you. The very first thing I did when I got my '66 was rebuild the front suspension including the tie rods and steering box along with CB's lowered disc kit. I took the arms to a local NAPA machine shop and had the ball joints pressed. Just be careful that the shop alines them properly. Their guy pressed the ones on the passenger side 180 out! Evil or Very Mad
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wcfvw69 wrote:
keifernet wrote:
DutchDub wrote:
What about this tool. Worked well for me!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


That tool is not for pressing the ball joint out of torsion arm and re installing a new one... just for separating it from the spindle.


People or companies love to sell things. I have never used one of those to seperate the ball joint stud from the spindle/knuckle. Loosen the nut of the ball joint leaving it on just a few threads. Smack the spindle/knuckle with a hammer where the ball joint stud goes through and they pop loose.



I find that the hammer method rarely works for me whereas the splitter tool always does and I can use mine(a scissor type rather the one pictured) to pull the camber nut too so I reckon its definately a tool thats worth having.
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Calex59
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ed stanley wrote:
That's how I did it, too. I was reluctant to say so, because I know some would say that's a terrible thing to do - put a torch to the control arms to swell them up and pound out the old ball joints. Changes the metalurgy, loses hardness, etc. etc. My experience has been that they can take it, though. I know - I know, it doesn't make it right.


Use a CO2 fire extinguisher to make it all cold, then heat the outside area quickly to about 100 degrees, worked good on lots of things in the field when I was in the army but have never tried it with ball joints!
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks to all who have contributed to the ball joint thread/s. I lost a lower BJ a few nights ago pulling out of a parking lot and the info here was invaluable.
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vicsvw
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:52 pm    Post subject: Ball Joint Reply with quote

We have used this method for years and have probably removed several hundred this way. Ball Joint Removing <> http://www.1800vw.bizhosting.com/qa_balljointrem.htm
No tools to buy and you only need a welder and hammer.
Mark the notch before removing the old one. The notch is to the front and rear of car. Vic.
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WRX Boy
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the info in this thread. I just swapped out all four of my ball joints using the cheapo press I got from Harbor Freight for $30. I had to use a large 1 3/4" socket instead of the spacers provided to get my lowers out (the provided spacer/tube was about 1/16" to small in diameter to let the lower ball joints through). Other than that, it worked great.

Here is the press I used: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38335
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:38 am    Post subject: Ball Joints Replaced Reply with quote

1967 beetle. everything was original and it was loose and rattly but i drove it with no prob. for safety reasons, we just had the tie rod ends, ball joints and steering stabilizer replaced. now i can't drive the damn thing!

i understand that no power steering and new ball joints make everything tighter but i almost died in this thing yesterday. when you turn the wheel abit, as if changing lanes, it wants to grab and keep going. so then you correct it back the other way a bit and it grabs that way. i'm telling you, if the roads would have been wet yesterday i would have flipped her. i had 2 other people drive it to make sure i'm not some crazy lady but both of them said it wasn't right.

of course, neither could tell me what was wrong though. any ideas?

signed,
frustrated in jax
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Ball Joints Replaced Reply with quote

erma1967 wrote:
1967 beetle. everything was original and it was loose and rattly but i drove it with no prob. for safety reasons, we just had the tie rod ends, ball joints and steering stabilizer replaced. now i can't drive the damn thing!

i understand that no power steering and new ball joints make everything tighter but i almost died in this thing yesterday. when you turn the wheel abit, as if changing lanes, it wants to grab and keep going. so then you correct it back the other way a bit and it grabs that way. i'm telling you, if the roads would have been wet yesterday i would have flipped her. i had 2 other people drive it to make sure i'm not some crazy lady but both of them said it wasn't right.

of course, neither could tell me what was wrong though. any ideas?

signed,
frustrated in jax


if a shop did the work take it back. Something is binding up.
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ashman40
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Ball Joints Replaced Reply with quote

erma1967 wrote:
1967 beetle. everything was original and it was loose and rattly but i drove it with no prob. for safety reasons, we just had the tie rod ends, ball joints and steering stabilizer replaced. now i can't drive the damn thing!

i understand that no power steering and new ball joints make everything tighter but i almost died in this thing yesterday. when you turn the wheel abit, as if changing lanes, it wants to grab and keep going. so then you correct it back the other way a bit and it grabs that way. i'm telling you, if the roads would have been wet yesterday i would have flipped her. i had 2 other people drive it to make sure i'm not some crazy lady but both of them said it wasn't right.

of course, neither could tell me what was wrong though. any ideas?


Sounds like alignment. Replacing tie rod ends will change the toe in adjustment. If your front wheels are actually toe out they might react as you mentioned above. Get it looked at by an alignment shop familiar w/ ACVWs.

I changed my TR ends and my beetle handled like a different car until I got the toe adjusted.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Ball Joints Replaced Reply with quote

ashman40 wrote:
erma1967 wrote:
1967 beetle. everything was original and it was loose and rattly but i drove it with no prob. for safety reasons, we just had the tie rod ends, ball joints and steering stabilizer replaced. now i can't drive the damn thing!

i understand that no power steering and new ball joints make everything tighter but i almost died in this thing yesterday. when you turn the wheel abit, as if changing lanes, it wants to grab and keep going. so then you correct it back the other way a bit and it grabs that way. i'm telling you, if the roads would have been wet yesterday i would have flipped her. i had 2 other people drive it to make sure i'm not some crazy lady but both of them said it wasn't right.

of course, neither could tell me what was wrong though. any ideas?


Sounds like alignment. Replacing tie rod ends will change the toe in adjustment. If your front wheels are actually toe out they might react as you mentioned above. Get it looked at by an alignment shop familiar w/ ACVWs.

I changed my TR ends and my beetle handled like a different car until I got the toe adjusted.


The original poster didn't state whether he performed the work or a shop. If it was a shop, they really suck if they didn't bother to do an alignment after changing that many parts. If you did the parts changing yourself, take it to an alignment shop and they should be able to tell you why it's binding up due to a part that was changed or the toe being way out of adjustment.
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**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stevepi wrote:
I find that the hammer method rarely works for me whereas the splitter tool always does and I can use mine(a scissor type rather the one pictured) to pull the camber nut too so I reckon its definately a tool thats worth having.


I use the same scissors-type tool. Works great and looks almost the same as the orginal VW tool that is shown in the Bentley manuals. I got mine at JCW... I know, I know... but it was one of the few great things I picked up from them.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/Steering-Suspension-Tools/GP_2004158_N_111+10212+600021460_10112.jcw
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Gary
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stevepi wrote:
wcfvw69 wrote:
keifernet wrote:
DutchDub wrote:
What about this tool. Worked well for me!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


That tool is not for pressing the ball joint out of torsion arm and re installing a new one... just for separating it from the spindle.


People or companies love to sell things. I have never used one of those to seperate the ball joint stud from the spindle/knuckle. Loosen the nut of the ball joint leaving it on just a few threads. Smack the spindle/knuckle with a hammer where the ball joint stud goes through and they pop loose.



I find that the hammer method rarely works for me whereas the splitter tool always does and I can use mine(a scissor type rather the one pictured) to pull the camber nut too so I reckon its definately a tool thats worth having.


Exactly. God forbid people use the right tool. Also, I have a few beams where the hammer method won't work.
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