18 replies to this topic

[daemonchild]

Model: Austin Mini Racing Flame
Year: 1989
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):

Trying to buy the right bits to solve MOT failure comment:

"Nearside front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint"

So, please, what do I need to get?
I'd prefer to buy some bits 'just in case' and change more than I strictly need to if you see what I mean.
If you know the minispares part number, so much the better!

Tom

[rozzer1275]

ball joint kit (may not need it can reuse exsisting one if the lock washer is ok just re-shim it)
castle nut split pin

tools
grease gun
hub nut socket
ball joint spliter
ball joint deep socket

[chappy]

ball joint kit (may not need it can reuse exsisting one if the lock washer is ok just re-shim it)
castle nut split pin

tools
grease gun
hub nut socket
ball joint spliter
ball joint deep socket

+ Torque wrentch.

[stardude]

+breaker bar and maybe a scaffold pole

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

its easy enough to do i had mine in bits 4 times to make sure i had shimmed it all right as i kept takin one out fitted it and then the hub wouldnt move lol

[Dan]

I'd buy a ball joint kit and some extra shims if I were you. As said you may well find it only needs re-simming in which case having a few to choose from is very useful. A new lockwasher is always best though, even if the used one looks useable.

[mattw13]

Try searching for threads on here on how to do this- There is a really good video on Youtube talking you through the whole process and what parts are needed. Good luck Matt

[Rhyd]

The Minispares kits include a lockwasher.

I highly recommend the valve grinding paste method - ended up doing mine twice because there was play at certain angles until I ground things smooth.

[stormintrooper]

A new lockwasher is always best though, even if the used one looks useable.

i saw this in a mini mag article and about having to hammer it or something however im confussed about why you would need to hammer this and i do not see how it can lock it?

[Rhyd]

A new lockwasher is always best though, even if the used one looks useable.

i saw this in a mini mag article and about having to hammer it or something however im confussed about why you would need to hammer this and i do not see how it can lock it?

Fold half up against the ball joint, and half down against the hub, this stops the ball joint from rotating as easily, i.e. stops it falling off!

[stormintrooper]

ah ok the i think i get that, one half gets hammered upwards whilst the other half stays in its current position, and yh i get why u'd want a new one, metal being bent back and forth makes it very easily breakable

[Rhyd]

one half gets hammered upwards whilst the other half stays in its current position

Not quite - the 2nd half needs hammering downwards against the hub otherwise only the grease nipple is holding it in place. It'll make more sense when you can see the whole lot in front of you

[stormintrooper]

u mean when i coem to remove old one?

[mini7boy]

u mean when i coem to remove old one?

You can probably reuse the old locktab, but they are so cheap that you can order them separately if you want to re-shim your existing swivel hub(aka balljoint) rather than buy a new balljoint kit that normally includes both upper and lower ball joints, shims and locktabs in the kit.

http://www.minispare...=...IN LOCK TAB

the balljoint kits, either cheap or dear are available without grease nipples

http://www.minispare...=...oes not i...

http://www.minispare..... GENUINE(do...

[Dan]

Only buy genuine ball joints, there have been several failures of non-genuine ball joints among our members and it's not something you want to go through really.