11 replies to this topic

[Sovereign01]

I'm in the process of replacing the balljoints in my Mini's front suspension, got to the lower one on the passenger side and managed to remove most of the parts only to encounter something unexpected- the joint seat (the one with the spring behind) is stuck fast inside the hub and I'm all out of ideas on how to extricate it. I've no idea how it even became stuck as the one on the opposite side came out with no difficulty. None of the pliers I have can get a good grip on it, using a shortened Allen key as a hook through the hole doesn't get it to budge either. Some pictures below:

 

Unlike the other three joints, this one seems to be original to the car as the cover is a lot larger than the rest. Here it is next to a normal-sized cover for comparison, along with the aforementioned key.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

[Rorf]

Oh man that is a horrible job to do on the car. Your life would be a lot easier if you removed the hubs and worked on them on the bench. Remember you have to re shim etc. Also far more pleasant to work on nice clean parts.

[Spider]

Will the seat push in against the spring if you try that?

 

Also, try rotating it a few times while spraying it with WD40 or something like that. There are small flats on the seat that you should be able to just grip with a small spanner.

 

It's a little hard to see to be sure, but the bigger cover in your photo looks like one from a Knuckle Joint - I just wonder if there's been a possible bodge done here?

[Sovereign01]

Had plenty of fun and games getting the number of shims right on the other three joints, I bought a couple extra packs of them in case the kits didn't have enough. As it happens I did spray WD-40 in and around the area, including in the grease hole.

 

The problem is that nothing I use can get a grip on the seat because it's slightly recessed into the housing (admittedly the pics don't show that well). I do have a couple of offset ring spanners lying around though, assuming I can find one of the right size I'll give it a go. As it stands the seat won't move at all, I dare not risk pushing it in further.

 

It's possible it was bodged in the time before I came to own it, certainly I haven't touched that joint before otherwise I'd have noticed the oversized cover before now  . 

Edited by Sovereign01, 10 January 2019 - 07:02 PM.

[KTS]

..self tapper in the hole and screw it out?

If you can get a screw to bind in the hole you might be able to use claw hammer to tug it out

[Sovereign01]

Good idea, I didn't think of that.

[DeadSquare]

Does your kit come with a new one?  If so, someone with an arc welder could tack a bit of studding to it and then with a stubby tube, a washer and a nut, you could draw it out.

[Homersimpson]

Do you have an air chisel? I would use that to move it from either the front or side. once you have broken the rust seal holding it in place it should just pop out (maybe!)

[nicklouse]

hit it in a few times to free it up.

 

re fit grease nipple screw a self tapper into the hole to reduce the hole size and get the grease gun on the nipple and pump away.

[Magneto]

All good ideas above. I think it might be slightly cocked in the hole, if so just tapping it with a small hammer should knock it loose....I like the grease idea too....

[Sovereign01]

hit it in a few times to free it up.

 

re fit grease nipple screw a self tapper into the hole to reduce the hole size and get the grease gun on the nipple and pump away.

I did wonder about that, I didn't think of a self-tapping screw for the job of plugging the hole though, I'll give it a shot.

 

The kit did come with a new seat and spring, but not a grease nipple.

Edited by Sovereign01, 10 January 2019 - 11:03 PM.

[richmondclassicsnorthwales]

Weld a steel bar to the cup,  with the heat and something that is substantial such as a steel bar, that should remove it. Make sure that the cup is clean of grease or the weld will not stay.

 

Shame the hub is still on the car, if it were in a vice, you would be able to possible remove the cup with a chisel and hammer by aiming up on the cup with each strike,   forcing the cup out.

 

With the hub still on the car, any strike will lose force as the hub will move