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Ball Joint Splitter

malcolm

malcolm

& Clementine the Cat
Messages
4,520
Location
Bedford UK
I'm thinking of investing in a new ball joint splitter - the only one I have at the moment is the wedge type that damages the ball joint seals, and I'm planning to replace my front discs next week.

Of the two other types - those G shaped ones seem prone to bending and slipping off, and I've never tried the scissor shaped ones.

What do you guys use? Can you recommend any?
 
Hi Malcom

Scissor type is the best I've ever used but they still occasionally split the seals if its a tight fit. Did on my GTA. Never used one on a four yet though so let us know how you get on.

Re Ian's green GTL on the newcomer's thread. You asked if he'd got the Irish postie van. I won that one. Chuffed as well! Hoping to get down to Stuart's next week to pick it up. It will be replacing my tidy F6 which I shall offer here in 3 or 4 weeks hopefully.

Thinking of putting my 5TS 1289cc engine in the F4 and possibly the 5 speed box from a 5TL I have for spares. See how it goes as it is first though. Get it all in one colour too.

Lee
 
I've borrowed a scissor type extractor so have all three now. Roll on the group test.....

I love the colour of the Irish postie van. Was it one of the ones assembled in Ireland?
 
Malcolm, you'll find you have another splitter in your toolbox - it's called a hammer!!!!!!!!

I have only ever used a hammer, wedge type splitter and a hammer, and a hammer and 1" thick, 10" long copper drift (for those difficult to reach joints with just the hammer only)!

Steve
 
I've heard of the hammer thing: Bash the suspension part between a couple of hammers and the taper will pop out! :eek:

It's never worked for me. Is there some technique involved? What is it? - It can be number 4 in my group test (no more than 4 please as I've only got 4 joints!).
 
I struggle to hold a cup of tea when I'm hammering away at the Renault.
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Surely one hand holds the beer and the other is for the cigarette. :rolleyes:
 
Postie Van

I know the thread is about ball joint splitters but I think we're done on that subject now untill you report back!

You asked about the van though. Don't know if its an Irish manufactured one but possibly as its on an E plate (1987) and that seems quite late for a French RH drive one if that is the correct year of manufacture. I'll ask Stuart when I go to collect it, I'm sure he'll know more.

As for the colour, I wasn't sure at first, bit Opel Corsa Max Power I thought but as its the original and the same inside its growing on me and certainly have no intention of changing it, just getting it all the one colour. Hopefully it'll make the meet!

Whilst I'm on does anybody know if Renault 12 vented discs fit mark 1 5's and 4's. Not that the 4 (even if I ever put my spare Gordini engine in one) are crying out for vented discs but I wouldn't mind putting them on my 5 TS racer thats definately getting a Gordini engine (and thats why the van may end up having the TS 1289 engine in it). Just that there are a pair on ebay at the moment. (I may regret posting that here!) If so any suggestions on calipers?
 
Alpineman said:
You asked about the van though. Don't know if its an Irish manufactured one but possibly as its on an E plate (1987) and that seems quite late for a French RH drive one if that is the correct year of manufacture. I'll ask Stuart when I go to collect it, I'm sure he'll know more.


Whilst I'm on does anybody know if Renault 12 vented discs fit mark 1 5's and 4's. If so any suggestions on calipers?
Click to expand...

The VIN of the van will give the clue as to where it was built and the model year.

I presume by Renault 12 vented front discs you probably really mean Renault 15/17 vented front discs, as the 12 only had solid front discs (excepting the 12G).

Anyway I doubt if the 15/17 disc will fit, as the 15/17 has a different hub than the unvented disc R12 wheel hub (stub axle carriers are identical 12/15/17). Also the wheel PCD of the 4/5 is smaller than that of the 12/15/17, so the retaining bolts for the 4/5 disc and the 12/15/17 disc would also be proportionally different, whether there is enough meat on the 4/5 hub, and the hub offset is appropriate to allow the 15/17 disc to suit is another thing. I’ve got a 15/17 disc in the shed if you want us to measure the thing up.
 
Clementine said:
.....It's never worked for me. Is there some technique involved? What is it? .....
Click to expand...

YES: Brute Force hehe

I've not been able to take one out myself (well maybe once). I let my mechanic do it. He uses two hammers or something heavy on the other side to focus the energy on the joint and not put all that energy somewhere else where it's not required (or desired). They DO pop out.
 
If all else fails

If all else fails heat the joint and try again. of course the rubber will go but you are replaceing the joint anyway. It worked for me after breaking two ball joint extractors and spending allot of time on a couple of 20y old joints. Actually these joints don't fail the second the rubber slpits and I would advise that they were only replaced if there was noticable play between the parts.
 
Well, there will always be Murphy's law there, as happened today to me: Gather all possible tools around the car: hammers, pry levers and a good scissor type ball joint extractor. Then undo the lower balljoint nut. Halfway through the process, the taper releases smoothly and all you do now is rotating the ball joint with the nut...Then force again the stub axle carrier upwards to re-wedge the taper so you can remove the nut...finally you will notica that whatever you do,the ball joint will always rotate because someone mushroomed the thread end, so the option is to cut the threaded part (the ball joint was worn anyway...).
 
About those damaged boots.

The scissor type is definately best. They can really take the mechanical pressure judging by the bang when the taper lets go. Incidentally, does anyone know whether you can get replacement rubber ball-joint boots without having to buy the whole joint, & if so where from?
 
Hi,

Just did my own test on the scissor type and the 'C' type ball joit splitter, I'm too cowardly to try wedges, hammer or crowbars !

The 'C' type was hopeless - kept slipping and also eventually started to bend the threaded stud on the ball joint, as the bolt on the splitter turns directly on the end of the stud and so slips giving a force which is at and angle, rather than straight down the stud.

The scissor type was much better and worked really quickly. without any damage to the stud or the rubber.

I am replacing the CV joint boots. I found a replacement boot by FAI Automotive, which is a design particularly for franch cars that requre the CV joint to be removed to replace the boot. This boot is extra stretchy and comes with a plastic cone that you put over the joint and then slide the boot over it (once the cone is greased). It also comes with some very low profile metal clips, to clear the brakes etc. Seems a good system and quite quick to fit too and I didn't bash my knuckles for once, which makes a really nice change !

Not sure but maybe FAI do some universal ball joint gaiters too. They have a website under FAI Automotive PLC

Hope this is of help to someone.
 
Just as a side note, I used something called "Stickyboot" It has a seam down the side and takes about half an hr to do both. You get a tube of superglue type stuff. YES it does work very well if you do it clean and properly. I did a friends Toyota 2 yrs ago for the CT here in France and it just passed again with NO breaches in the boot..I got under and looked while it was up in the ramps...
None of that dismantling.. saying that i do have the scissor type and it has never failed me...
http://www.bailcast.com/universal
Is the link
 
My father made this tool today, it works great without damaging the rubber.

P4140002r.jpg

P4140001r.jpg
 
i normally put a 5ft scaffold pole on the arm
then smack the side of the joint itself or the arm it goes into
it normally pops out ok then
that tool looks good though,any thoughts on making a few and flogging them
 
Excellent - I've never seen one like that, I'd guess because all the ones in shops need to be adjustable for width. But yours looks like it would be less damaging to the rubber parts than other types.

I've been using the scissor type which isn't too bad on the rubber, but the upper joint is difficult to get at due to the angles in the suspension. Yours would probably work better.
 
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