I've just put my townie through its M.O.T and to my delight it flew through with no difficulties except one probelm.Lower drivers side ball joint. For the last three weeks I've noticed that my tire F/D/S has been losing pressure, so afer the garage explained about the ball joint its made sense.( I'm just stating this as I know how garages love to make money through M.O.T.)anyhow, By the looks of the job its looks quite easy to do, does anybody have any advise to this job.Cheers Graham

- (#11423) Graham, 2 Nov 03 6:50

2 or 4 WD?
2 wd just remove the hub completly and then the lower joint. It's a taper fit to the hub knuckle and can be very tight fit hence best done of the ACE.
As you are this far may as well do the top one at the same time, and both sides but that depends on cash and time. Uppers not handed but can't remember if the bottoms are?
4 wd not done it but beleive the lower wishbone has to be replaced at a unit??

- (#11424) Clive (Bristol), 2 Nov 03 7:53

Cheers Clive, its a 2wd, sounds like breaking the old joint off is going to be a pain.I'll just had to skin some more knuckles and use my trusted chisel and hammer.I'll let you know what happends.Graham

- (#11425) Graham (bristol), 2 Nov 03 17:34

Two hammers hitting each side at the same time worked ok on one side, the other had to be pressed out, but it did pop out in the end. Just make sure the brake caliper is hook up out of the way and not hanging by the hose.

- (#11426) Clive Mucklow, 3 Nov 03 1:51

Clive , what a weekend, tried changing the ball joint, basically with out a splitter, NO GO, would not move, I tried ever angle possible and no, Either I'm going have to get a splitter or a garage job. Cheer's anyway Graham

- (#11696) Graham, 10 Nov 03 7:14

Ball joint splitters (forked wedge type) are dirt cheap at screwfix and machinemart. The latter won't incur carriage if you happen to have an outlet close-by.

- (#11697) Ian Dunse, 10 Nov 03 9:51