7 replies to this topic

[1963MKI]

Im rebuilding my lower ball joints. I found a suitable combination of shims that provide adequate tightness when the spring is not in the joint. Then when I dismantle it and insert the spring the joint tightens until I cant tighten it anymore yet the dome of the ball joint is nowhere near close to the shims. I have a 60's mk1 with a new ball joint kit. I am wondering did they change the springs at all ? I.e. am I using much too strong a spring ?

[nicklouse]

sounds like the small cup is not seating correctly.

 

nope they never changed the spring.

[MacGyver]

Maybe the little 'cup' that sits under the 'bolt' part gets stuck...
Not sure if I make any sense to you?

Edit: Same sort of answer as above...

Edited by MacGyver, 29 September 2016 - 11:17 AM.

[slidehammer]

One thing to point out is only one of the 2 ball joints has the small spring, the other side only has the cup, are you fitting the spring to the right half of the hub?

[SolarB]

Another thing to check is that the ball joint works properly. There were some shocking ball joint sets being sold a couple of years ago. I had a set that looked fine but when a little pressure was applied the ballpin locked solid in the cup, and this was pressure applied while holding the units in my hand and before they were fitted to the hub. It took me 3-4 attempts to buy a set that worked.

[tiger99]

I am concerned by "adequate tightness". They MUST NOT be tight. The requirement is between "no nip" and 2 thou end float. Otherwise there is a very real risk of fatigue failure after some unpredictable period of use. The Rover manual, with increasing emphasis in each edition, requires that you err on the side of looseness.

 

Fine adjustment can be made by using a carpenter's oilstone, or presumably, though having an oil stone I have not tried it, a sheet of abrasive paper face upwards on a very flat surface. You abrade off a very small amount from the flat face of the dome nut, that sits against the shims, to make it fractionally tighter, or take the ball cup out and abrade it on the back to make it fractionally looser. It is not hard to alter things by much less than 1 thou using these methods. That is what "fitters" used to do, adjusting things till they had a precision fit. Nowadays a so-called fitter bolts on standard parts such as exhausts, and it is no longer the title of a skilled profession. Sad.

 

If you are still having trouble, put the old spring back in, just in case the new one has been wrongly made and is going solid as it is compressed. The spring does not really wear out.

[Dusky]

I always wonder why mini balljoints are so loose compared to other cars I've worked on.

[Spider]

I always wonder why mini balljoints are so loose compared to other cars I've worked on.

 

99% of normal ball joints have a spring loaded seat of one form or another.