27 replies to this topic

[fenghuang]

Trying to release the front hub ball joints;
Scissor type ball joint splitter. (Good quality tool.)
Loosened off the retaining nuts on the hub ball joints, but left them in place with 1mm or so of stud sticking out of the nut.
Fork part of the splitter tool between the ball joint rubber cover and the suspension arm. (Took a bit of force to get the tool in place but hand dorce was sufficient.)
The single pronged side of the scissor against the top of the stud.
Tighten the bolt on the tool.
A louder bang than I expected, and the ball joints seemed to separate ok, both top and bottom.
The bottom nut came off fine
The retaining nut on the top ball joint is now stuck on the stud, the stud rotates with the nut, and it looks as though a thread is stripped.
Until I can get my hands on a nut splitter, the hub is staying in place.

Was the bang the sound of sonething going wrong, or is it normal when splitting front hub ball joints?
Presumably I've trashed the thread between the stud and the actual ball joint. Does that sound right? Or have I managed to **** sonething worse?

[jamesquintin]

try jacking the hub up pushing the taper back into the arm, might be enough to hold the stud still allowing the nut to be undone

Q
 

[fenghuang]

Nope. Already tried that, and various other ways of jamming the stud. The nut has to die.

[Northernpower]

They do go with a bang. Why don't you just saw the nut off?

[mk1leg]

jack it back in place then retighten nut to correct setting then undo nut all the way off to clean thread reft nut till thread is flush to nut and re split

[jamesquintin]

if you are replacing the ball joints, don't matter if you damage the thread getting the nut off...

[nicklouse]

you should have the nut level or slightly above the stud part as you can damage the thread and then not be able to remove the nut-

[dyshipfakta]

you should have the nut level or slightly above the stud part as you can damage the thread and then not be able to remove the nut-

This I think was likely your issue. Also don't just keep winding the tool until it goes put some pressure on the joint and give it a tap with a hammer no joy a touch more etc.

[fenghuang]

you should have the nut level or slightly above the stud part as you can damage the thread and then not be able to remove the nut-

 

Surely if the stud is proud of the nut, all the pressure is going onto the thread, and I would have thought that was weaker than pushing down on the stud itself? Or am I missing the point?

[Northernpower]

 

you should have the nut level or slightly above the stud part as you can damage the thread and then not be able to remove the nut-

 

Surely if the stud is proud of the nut, all the pressure is going onto the thread, and I would have thought that was weaker than pushing down on the stud itself? Or am I missing the point?

 

But then you compress the exposed threads and the nut won't undo and there's no way you can hold the taper to wind it off the compressed threads.

[Dusky]

Thats why I only use the "U" style compressors now instead of the scissor ones

[Rorf]

I have always removed the nut before using the ball joint tool - never had a problem, also give it a slight tap with a copper hammer if it proves difficult. Maybe the previous mechanic who removed the ball joints used a hammer directly on the threaded stud.

[nicklouse]

Thats why I only use the "U" style compressors now instead of the scissor ones

I gave up on those about 30 years ago as they trash the rubbers and after having about 5 fail over a relatively short time I see no gain in using them.

 

never had any problems with scissor  on any car at all.

[Northernpower]

Thats why I only use the "U" style compressors now instead of the scissor ones

One of the problems with using U style is they send shock waves into the rest of the connected components, not good if the joint is especially tight and requires several hard blows with the hammer.

[fenghuang]

But then you compress the exposed threads and the nut won't undo and there's no way you can hold the taper to wind it off the compressed threads.

Surely not enough to damage the thread?