Fookin Bollox

Right struggling to get the rivets off the lower ball joint, these things are welded on, steel is pretty hard and munching its way through drill bits.

I've tried angle grinding them down flush with the arm, then driving them with a drift........fook me, these things weren't made for dismantling, so much for getting the non-LR ball joint separate from the arm.

I'm open to suggestions, torching it has already been thought of.

piccies

Cobalt drill bit.

Ok thanks Trewy,

Do you know if any mainstream suppliers have them, Halfords, B&Q???

Did a quick search, yielded no obvious results, it might have to be a trip to the specialist supplier, got a week until MOT mail order could be slow

Machine Mart do em I fink.

Ok thanks will have to find a local distributor


Adding that to my list of 101 other things to do today................................meanwhile, FL sits jacked up on one side

here is a set - screwfix... or spark erosion?

Oooooh nice MHM

Although I'm just needing 10mm bits, plus a few back up

Would any HSS bit do, I'm thinking of damming in some coolant and drilling submersed. I do this trick with diamond bits, when drilling glass, works a treat, no heat fracture.

yu cud look here or here - or take it to yo local machine shop? Let them have the hassle?


morning DV - hows the rash?

Northern Irelander said:

Oooooh nice MHM

Although I'm just needing 10mm bits, plus a few back up

Would any HSS bit do, I'm thinking of damming in some coolant and drilling submersed. I do this trick with diamond bits, when drilling glass, works a treat, no heat fracture.

Click to expand...

Sometimes its because you are going to big and too fast with no lub. Do a pilot with oil, or give it a heat with a blow torch and cool it down and drill it if its real tough, that softens it.

I usually grind the heads off first and the heat is enough to do the job.

get hold of an air powered grinder( like a dremel only more powerful) and then get hold of a steel file to fit it, not carburunden

Ok thanks all, panic over.......don't panic Mr. Mannering

I picked up a Presto HSS bit at local store' they had cobalt but not the size I needed


I grinded the remaining heads down.

Got some plastercine, dammed around the rivet and poured in the best heat conducting oil i know........extra virgin olive oil

drilling wasn't too bad, a lot of swarf, the rivets were at least 15mm depth in the core heavy duty, but why stainless steel.

We all know economists build cars these days, even an extra component costing a few pence more is a no no.
Those SS parts would have been better placed in the window cables LOL

The aftermarket ball joint comes complete with 3 X M1O bolts, washers and nylon nuts, at £17 that's a good price.

iirc the complete arm and ball joint is £250ish

What were the symptoms before you went and replaced? I've got an awful knocking on the front right when going over even small potholes, but only seems to be when i'm got the steering going left. If i'm going straight there doesn't seem to be a knock.

There was grease oozing from the socket of the ball joint on the lowest point, not the gaitor on the wheel hub side.

There wasn't a knocking, more like a rubbing/whirring noise, yes when turning left turns only. Faulty ball joint on drivers side.

At first I thought it was a wheel bearing or CV joint, these appear to be solid.

Haven't road tested yet as the arm was put back when the light failed.

Wheel bearings and CV appear to be solid on mine, given a good shake and no play or movement.

When i had my mountain bike, if i hadn't got enough air in my rear shock damper, then the stiffness of the spring would push back too hard over a hole in the road/track and cause a knock on the damper. Sounds exactly the same, just a bit louder lol.

To be honest though, i haven't a clue what it is thats knocking but i've got my MOT in june so will probably be replacing parts hoping to eventually find the right one.

you sure it's not the drop link or a free floating anti-roll bar.

The stop guides are made of chocolate, mine fell out (not kidding). These are on the inside of the bush/mounts, the AR-bar was fouling against the vertical suspension strut. I have a jubilee clip on both sides butted up against the inner sides of the AB-bar bushes/mounts.

Now you mention the AR bar, last time i jacked it up on that particular wheel, once i'd taken the wheel off i'd noticed where the AR had rubbed against something (can't remember what it was rubbing against) as i had jacked it up. I'll take some piccies when it's light. At the time i thought it might have just been cos there was no pressure on the spring and it was at it's full unweighted length.

Naw she shouldn't be fouling, it's tight on either side, 10mm ish

Some remnants of the stop guides fron nine at the top LH side of the attachment.

Mint, looks like you've found me a solution to me knocking problem.

Might try and replace those stop guides if i can get my hands on some. If not it'll be a diy solution.

Do you think that's wise, sir?

crewebiker said:

Mint, looks like you've found me a solution to me knocking problem.

Might try and replace those stop guides if i can get my hands on some. If not it'll be a diy solution.

Do you think that's wise, sir?

Click to expand...

I never said a word ...................