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pgtips Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2009 Posts: 860 Location: essex
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 12:39 pm Post subject: Ball Joint Boot replace - help |
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Hi,
I've got a bit stuck in replacing my front upper and lower ball joint boots.
Bentley jumps straight into repair assuming torsion bar has been removed but I wasn't anticipating full blown removal and do it on my bench, I expected to do it (replace the rubber boots) in situ.
I assumed I could undo bottom nuts (27mm) knock the stub through, replace boot and do up again... but as you can guess from the need to post its not quite working out that way.
Maybe it is that straightforward but I'm a bit cautious. There's a camber nut adjustment nut in there I really don't want to tamper with.
Assuming both bottom nuts are undone am I ok to knock the studs through?. (wood and club hammer) I can't use my splitter due to the camber nut which is why I'm pausing/asking just in case. Like I say Mr Bentley hasn't covered just replacing the boot.
Thank you,
PG
_________________ 1975 1.8l FI Auto Westy - Subaru converted
1971 356 kit 1600 TP - semi/stickshift
1971 1302 LS - semi/stickshift
Trim ring info here -> http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559668
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=451210
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479721 |
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Jeff Geisen Samba Chaplain
Joined: December 21, 2004 Posts: 1880 Location: N.W. Georgia
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Boot replace - help |
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Seems to me you’re over thinking it. Bottom loose, correct?
Go to the top joint, loosen its lock nut and remove the bracket and line.
Crank the spindle to full lock. Strike the casting where the joint passes through. A few well placed hammer blows will separate the parts.
Always count on a wheel alignment when separating spindles from joints. _________________ I Corinthians 4: 1 thru 5
‘63 ragtop - ‘68 single cab |
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pgtips Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2009 Posts: 860 Location: essex
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50261
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:34 pm Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Boot replace - help |
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You should be able to break the eccentric loose by just turning it with a wrench, maybe making a punch mark first so you can realign it right where it was before. You will then likely need to use a puller to remove the eccentric from the ball joint shaft.
The bottom ones you can get loose by setting the nut one turn loose from tight and putting a hydraulic jack under the end of the shaft, jacking the wheel up till it is just off the ground, and hitting the side of the eye with a 2#-4# hammer. You probably will not even have to hit it very hard.
Last edited by Wildthings on Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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pgtips Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2009 Posts: 860 Location: essex
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:07 pm Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Boot replace - help |
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I got back to this job tonight and thought I'd post up in case anyone else does this (upper and lower ball joint boot replacement )
I got the nuts undone but the ball joint shafts wouldn't move out free of the housing.
Like others said you have to hit the housing with a club hammer. It takes a few hard whacks on the bottom one it came out and the top one, as bottom one dropped, freed itself.
Keep the nuts on the ball joint shaft so the housing doesn't drop onto the floor.
I couldn't get the boot clips on, there must be a tool for that, so I used some copper wire I had.
I got it bolted back up and close to finishing one side, other will be quicker.
There's a nut that adjusts camber, I marked mine only to find it already had some marks on it so I'll have to Bentley how to fix that. Next time I'll use some paint or like WT said, punch it. something unique I thought my mark was ok _________________ 1975 1.8l FI Auto Westy - Subaru converted
1971 356 kit 1600 TP - semi/stickshift
1971 1302 LS - semi/stickshift
Trim ring info here -> http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559668
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=451210
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479721 |
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