Drop arm ball joint

As for the ball joint in the drop arm, I found that aftermarket kits have a spring that slightly fouls on itself preventing it being compressed enough to get the circlip back in. I just reused the old spring. (Genuine) and it went in first time.

Also look at your circlip, one of the kits I had the circlip was a shade fatter than the original one so wouldn't seat in the groove as it was to big!!!

Ed

flat said:

As for the ball joint in the drop arm, I found that aftermarket kits have a spring that slightly fouls on itself preventing it being compressed enough to get the circlip back in. I just reused the old spring. (Genuine) and it went in first time.

Also look at your circlip, one of the kits I had the circlip was a shade fatter than the original one so wouldn't seat in the groove as it was to big!!!

Ed

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Thanks Ed,

Yeah, I realised fairly early on that the new spring wouldn't compress like the old one. (put it in the vice to see). Am using the old spring and have abandoned the stupid rubber seal also (as taking off the old kit clearly didn't have one and the new one just gets in the way). Also have cleaned up the and plam to reuse the old end cap as it has a hole for a grease nipple and the new one doesn't.

Am now convincing myself that the upper thingy isn't seated right, so am planning a second wave of attack with the die grinding bits.

mundungus said:

Thanks Ed,

Yeah, I realised fairly early on that the new spring wouldn't compress like the old one. (put it in the vice to see). .

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You probably couldn't compress it because the bottom coil of the spring had caught under the cap. It falls down because the assembly is on its side in the vice. Better to do it in a vertical press, so that the spring stays central in the assembly as you compress it.

Turboman said:

You probably couldn't compress it because the bottom coil of the spring had caught under the cap. It falls down because the assembly is on its side in the vice. Better to do it in a vertical press, so that the spring stays central in the assembly as you compress it.

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No, honestly, yes that was a pain in the arse, but I've compressed it many times to the point of almost being able to get the circlip in one tiny bit. Spring entirely inside at that point but as I've said, bent up a three way g-clamp trying to get that last couple of millimetres.

mundungus said:

No, honestly, yes that was a pain in the arse, but I've compressed it many times to the point of almost being able to get the circlip in one tiny bit. Spring entirely inside at that point but as I've said, bent up a three way g-clamp trying to get that last couple of millimetres.

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I always get the new spring in, so I would guess that your top cup is not fully seated in the arm. Unless the kit you are using is very poor quality and doesn't fit.

****part

I had a mare with my drop arm when I did it a year or so ago.

I had decided to replace the whole arm so I cut the old one off when it wouldn't budge using all the suggestions on offer, only to struggle with compressing the new assembly like you...

In the end I swapped one or two (I forget now) of the washers for fractionally thinner ones from the old kit.

Tom

fanatic said:

****part

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That is potentially the aftermarket kit I had troubles with the spring. Just looking at it you could visually see that the coils foul on each other. I still have it, will take a pic tomorrow

fanatic said:

****part

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Defo not ****part. Got all the parts from motor parts direct (not far from me) rather than the usual internet suppliers, and went for the higher price options that they offered. Can't remember the name but definitely not ****part.

mundungus said:

Defo not ****part. Got all the parts from motor parts direct (not far from me) rather than the usual internet suppliers, and went for the higher price options that they offered. Can't remember the name but definitely not ****part.

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I think you are wise to get the best you can, that is about as safety critical as you can get.
Surprised it doesn't go together if it is a good one. Are you sure the top cup is seated fully in the arm?