25 replies to this topic

[Adam Johnson]

No Ethel, you can get really close to fitting it upside down lol...I had it all bolted up but not tightened and torqued. Turns out it was very much upside down/wrong side!

[Adam Johnson]

Having corrected which way around the arms go, I have now gone to tighten the nuts up but the ball joint bolt is rotating with the nut. Is this normal and how do I tighten the nut up?

[jonsharman]

As this post attests I'm not expert on ths front but I do remember doing the ball joints on my first Mini 20 years ago!

The ball joint pin shouldn't move freely but require a bit of force from your thumb to move it in the hub - if the pin is moving as easily as you suggsst then they could be worn and require replacement? This is where the process of assemble, torque, test, shim and repeat comes in. From memory until you have the right 'tightness' in the pin movement you don't grease the joints up either?

I also seem to recall there should be a little spring in the lower ball joint. You shim up without the spring in place and once you are happy you then put it in as it helps with the joint being upside down? When installing the swivel hub into the arms you can apply some light pressure from a spare jack under the bottom arm just to hold things while you do up the nuts.

If I'd have thought back to this I might just have come to the taper!

[Spider]

Having corrected which way around the arms go, I have now gone to tighten the nuts up but the ball joint bolt is rotating with the nut. Is this normal and how do I tighten the nut up?

 

Just put a jack under the lower arm and put some pressure on it, this will load up both top and bottom ball joints and 'lock' the pins in the tapers. You should then be able to do the nuts up.

 

If the nuts need any force to wind them down the threads, have a closer look at the threads. These do need to be in very good condition and usually need little more than finger pressure to wind them down to the spring washer.

[Adam Johnson]

Thanks people

[Cooperman]

Those of us who use our Minis for rallying always fit the tie bar bolt from underneath and secure it with either a castellated nut or a new Nylok nut each time. This may not be regarded as 'best practice', but it does enable a bent tie bar to be changed in about 5 minutes at a service point and that is important.

[Adam Johnson]

Having corrected which way around the arms go, I have now gone to tighten the nuts up but the ball joint bolt is rotating with the nut. Is this normal and how do I tighten the nut up?

 
Just put a jack under the lower arm and put some pressure on it, this will load up both top and bottom ball joints and 'lock' the pins in the tapers. You should then be able to do the nuts up.
 
If the nuts need any force to wind them down the threads, have a closer look at the threads. These do need to be in very good condition and usually need little more than finger pressure to wind them down to the spring washer.

I have dropped the car back onto its wheels as per the workshop manual and have gone to torque up the lower arm ball joint nut but both sides are spinning and not allowing me to tighten them. I have nylons bolts in each side which may not have been the original looking at the diagram but I can see that being the problem given the torque setting required. Do I need to jack up under the arm to load up each side further?

[DeadSquare]

 

 

Having corrected which way around the arms go, I have now gone to tighten the nuts up but the ball joint bolt is rotating with the nut. Is this normal and how do I tighten the nut up?

 
Just put a jack under the lower arm and put some pressure on it, this will load up both top and bottom ball joints and 'lock' the pins in the tapers. You should then be able to do the nuts up.
 
If the nuts need any force to wind them down the threads, have a closer look at the threads. These do need to be in very good condition and usually need little more than finger pressure to wind them down to the spring washer.

I have dropped the car back onto its wheels as per the workshop manual and have gone to torque up the lower arm ball joint nut but both sides are spinning and not allowing me to tighten them. I have nylons bolts in each side which may not have been the original looking at the diagram but I can see that being the problem given the torque setting required. Do I need to jack up under the arm to load up each side further?

 

 

Yes

[DeadSquare]

And having jacked under the lower arm. it would be a better idea to use a plain nut first, to pull the taper together.

 

However, may I suggest that you first take the taper out of the bottom arm and grip it with the slimmest pair of pliers that you can find, and try doing up the nut.

 

If the nut binds on the thread, then it is likely that the thread is damaged.

 

There are now 4 things that you can do:-

 

1) buy a new knuckle joint.

2) run a die up it, holding the thread with the slim pliers.

3) clean the thread with a thread file.

4) if you have a spare nut and bolt of the same dimensions, screw the bolt into the nut until the thread is level and drill 3/16" at approx 120 degrees between the nut and the bolt to make your own simple die, and use it to clean the thread.

[Spider]

Is there something on the Pins or in the holes stopping the pins from seating on the tapers? Paint, grease or some damage?  Damage often occurs when instead of using the correct tools, 2 hammers are used to release the pins from the arms and the hole shape is deformed.

 

I haven't come across any Pins kits that use a Nyloc Nut on them. The originals were a Plain Nut with a Heavy Grade Spring Washer (not the bent bits of wire supplied in some kits).

 

You can torque the pins up while the car is on stands. It doesn't need to be on the ground to do them.

[nicklouse]

You need the spring washer and the plain nut or the nut will not be putting any pressure on the pin.