7 replies to this topic

[Swimfitmin]

Hi All

A newbie on the forum.

Have been working on cars for years but this is my first mini.

 

Currently replacing the upper and lower ball joint using the Minispares GSJ166MS kit.

Lower ball joint all good but...

Upper ball joint is loose even with no shims fitted.

Is their a oversized cup I can fit and where can I get one from?

Can I put a thin washer under the cup to raise it up so I can then add shims to make a good fit?

 

Cheers

 

 

[stuart bowes]

can you post a pic of the parts layed out in order so we can see what you have (I use https://imgbb.com/)

 

one of them is supposed to have a spring in the recess underneath but I can't remember which one

 

and yes sometimes the cups are oversized, I had to linish one of mine down until it was slightly too tight fit, and then add a shim, there are often comments about quality of parts these days (but wait for further comments before you start doing that, no doubt others will be along to advise further)

 

side note,, I've read that sometimes the grease groove in the ball part is often badly machined and insufficent, try and get that in one of the pics as well so you can get advice on that too

 

and welcome!

Edited by stuart bowes, 04 September 2026 - 10:41 AM.

[Chris1275gt]

Spring is on the bottom joint.

Edited by Chris1275gt, 04 September 2026 - 12:57 PM.

[stuart bowes]

cheers, it was a while ago I refurbed mine I knew there was definitely one with a spring though

[pete l]

Is the bottom one shimmed up without the spring, when it's correct it's unscrewed and the spring is inserted ?

[stuart bowes]

I've probably thrown this off topic talking about the spring, sorry

 

it's the top one he's having dramas with, the cap isn't going on tight enough

[Swimfitmin]

Have added a short video of the issue.

https://drive.google...?usp=drive_link

It is all tightened up without the lock tab washer and it is still very looses. No Sims fitted.

I think the cup is under size.

 

Also it the top joint (No spring), not the lower as I said earlier.

[stuart bowes]

yep, same issue I had - the threaded section is too long, if you shave a bit off the bottom end where it meets the hub, it will screw on futher and make the ball tighter in the socket

 

as I said above, I did that, linished it until it was grabbing, then went a bit further (on purpose) and the thinnest shim made it a good fit. my reasoning being that as it wears, and gets looser again over time, I then have the option of removing the shim as an easy way to tighten in up again.  although to be fair theyr'e not expensive and in reality I'd probably just replace it

 

don't go mad with it, just a couple seconds on the belt at a time and keep test fitting.  blowing or brushing it out each time so as not to leave debris in there obviously

 

if you haven't got a linisher, glue a bit of sandpaper to a nice flat board and rub it down gradually by hand

Edited by stuart bowes, 06 September 2026 - 10:49 PM.