5 replies to this topic

[Jaam-Design]

Wondering if someone can help. Enjoying the challenge but maybe more than i can do........

 

Just put mini in for MOT and failed on broken knuckle joint into Rad arm on off side of car..

 

Basically you have the rubber that connects to metal cone that then has knuckle joint on the end with ball that goes into rad arm (this is on O/S of car)

 

Where the ball joins the knuckle the ball has sheared off (and is still in the rad arm).

 

Wondering if there is any way of......

 

1. Removing the metal cone and rubber when dropped rad arm and suspension if i cant get rubber off metal cone in situ (tried), almost pulls out but need to move the cone and rummer about 3 - 5 mm more towards rad arm to get past metal disc attached to subframe.

 

2. Removing the reminants of knuckle joint in rad arm (ball) without having to remove / replace the rad arm as heard this can be a nightmare if the bolts holding the rad bracket shear... and i don't really want to give myself a BIG job.

 

Any hints and tips appreciated, don't have a lot of specialised tools but maybe able to use local garage lifty uppy thing for better access / working height and maybe some of their tools if i ask nicely.

 

I have a pair of adjusta rides to put in if i need to destroy metal cone to get it out.... Can also photo at weekend and post if want to see extent of knuckle in rad arm and on end of metal cone.

 

Ohhh tried to get knuckle out of metal cone and stuck fast, have torch if needs heating to loosen up (but not tried yet). have also sprayed with WD40.  

 

Many thanks in advance

[nicklouse]

You will need to remove the bracket anyway if you want to refit it.

Bit the bullet and get the bracket off, arm out. Trumpet out etc.

[Spider]

Have you undone the top shock stud / nut? That lets the arm swing way down.

 

Given that the ball of the knuckle has broken off, I suspect that the drilling in the arm for the complete joint maybe cactus, so you may indeed be up for a new arm. Unless that drilling is in good order it's pointless fitting a new knuckle joint to it.

[richmondclassicsnorthwales]

Hi,

 

Because the knuckle is broken, the arm would and will come out easier.

You will still have to take off the arm bracket. Undo the shocker so it is loose and away at the top, and undo at the nut securing to the pin on the radius arm . Release hand brake cable too for this side only.

The arm will probably pull out as the joint is broke.

 

It;s a case then to get the old joint parts out of the trumpet and arm.

Depends where it has broke in the trumpet. As the knuckle had a small lip, I used to be able to tap out the joint from the trumpet using chisel and hammer. You have to be careful not to put too much of a force on the knuckle as it can fracture the aluminium trumpet. You will have to see what works best for you, Aluminium and steel are not the best 2 metals to mix!.

As for the arm, again, use what need be to get the existing knuckle bit out. The plastic cups can be taken out by a screwdriver down one side of the cup and levering down against it. Just brute force for this bit.

 

If the knuckle in the arm is stubborn and refuses to shift then you could try drilling a small hole in the back part on the arm, nut not too big, 6mm max really.

Then use a hammer and some kind of rod and see if it can be forced out in effect from behind the knuckle, by striking the rod against the remaining knuckle, if that makes sense. Once removed, the hole will not create any problems for a new cup or knuckle and to keep anything out after, before putting the new knuckle in, put excess grease on the outside of the cup before putting in situ and this will seal the small hole off.

 

Hammer, chisel and crowbar are good tools for parts in situ which are stubborn. Use WD as well and sometimes over nite soaks with this are good. Additionally, heat guns are good in certain areas but not all!

 

See how you get on with this,

 

Neil.............

Edited by richmondclassicsnorthwales, 11 June 2015 - 06:45 AM.

[Jaam-Design]

Thanks for the advice.

 

Started to take off rad arm and out of the 6 bolts holding the rad arm bracket in place 3 sheared off.... Not a happy bunny. Now have the nice task of having to drill these out and re threading the holes. Bought some cobalt drill bits to do this job...

 

Then tried to get off the brake hose union from rad arm and found this really stubborn, not successful so far..

 

Decided that rather than me spending hours struggling i'm going to get a local garage to have a look and see what they can do with proper tools.

 

Thinking that i will get them to fit adjustarides in and maybe a new rad arm as they not expensive.  May as well get it sorted.

[firstforward]

I am a bit lost here reading all this.

 

To remove the trumpet and rubber cone which of course will mean removing the knuckle joint with the trumpet is simply a case of undoing the top shocker bolt and allowing the radius arm to lower enough to dislodge the trumpet and rubber cone. There is no need to do anything else. In the OP situation he will still have the problem of removing what is left of the knuckle joint ball from the radius arm but that is another issue.