P38A Penetrating fluid -balls

Hi,

So it looks like I’m going to have to do my ball joints and I’m not looking forward to it as my girl is a little bit rusty.

So I was wondering whether any of you fine folks had any particular recommendations for a really good penetrating fluid ?

Thanks in advance (again)

Bob

awkwardbob said:

Hi,

So it looks like I’m going to have to do my ball joints and I’m not looking forward to it as my girl is a little bit rusty.

So I was wondering whether any of you fine folks had any particular recommendations for a really good penetrating fluid ?

Thanks in advance (again)

Bob

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Plus Gas is often recommended but, I have not been able to find it, I use a penetrating fluid made by WD40 but, not WD40
if you know what I mean.

Others have found that ATF is a very good penetrating fluid.

I read atf and acetone mixed works well. I tried that, fecked up the seals in my expensive pressure sprayer and did naff all that I could see.
Got a can of that wd40 release agent too, don't think that did a lot either. Mapp torch and swearing works best. You got the removal tool?

mine was a horrible mess.

I sprayed mine in red diesel mixed with ATF mixed in a water spray bottle

Flossie said:

View attachment 268830mine was a horrible mess.

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Yikes !

nice pit though !

Flossie said:

I read atf and acetone mixed works well. I tried that, fecked up the seals in my expensive pressure sprayer and did naff all that I could see.
Got a can of that wd40 release agent too, don't think that did a lot either. Mapp torch and swearing works best. You got the removal tool?

Click to expand...

Removal tool arriving tomorrow, swear box cleared

Try cleaning the threads that are showing.
I use a dremel thing with a little wire brush on it.
The better you can clean the threads the easier it will come apart.
In general I find that penetrating oil just makes it easier to start with, but rust on the threads will still make it bind up.

On a scale of 1 to Dental abscess how much of a pain is this going to be ?

I’ve got a couple of days to do it…

Duck-oil, either spray container or 5L cans.

50\50 acetone to atf is the best but I find acetone non synthetic the best...

awkwardbob said:

On a scale of 1 to Dental abscess how much of a pain is this going to be ?

I’ve got a couple of days to do it…

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Have you got the abs sensor(s) out yet? Impossible to say if 2 days is enough because so many things can be immovable or rounded off and what tools and experience you have.

Flossie said:

Have you got the abs sensor(s) out yet? Impossible to say if 2 days is enough because so many things can be immovable or rounded off and what tools and experience you have.

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I’ve only just installed one of ABS sensors, the other is about a year old so I’m not too worried about them, the Swivel hub scares me and ‘breaking the taper joints’ especially so.

here’s a pic of the supposedly damaged boot which is making this all necessary

awkwardbob said:

I’ve only just installed one of ABS sensors, the other is about a year old so I’m not too worried about them, the Swivel hub scares me and ‘breaking the taper joints’ especially so.

here’s a pic of the supposedly damaged bush which is making this all necessary

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Breaking the tapers aint too bad, I have always used a clamp type seperator, get it under tension, then use a couple of
hammers and, it should just pop out.

Use lots of heat around the area but don’t fry anything.

That don’t look too bad bob. I used ATF but it takes time you can’t leave it soak for ten minutes.
Remove what crust you can before application it’s the rust that binds it together. Most of that will come off gently tapping with a LR multitool. One with a point if you have one, or tap an old screwdriver or something. Then wire brush along the joins by hand or dremel etc being mindful of your chest/eyes. Then soak it and go have a brew.
Heat with a torch will help but remove anything that can burn or melt. and bung the new ball joints in the freezer ready. Normally something like this I’d start applying penetrating fluid few days before hand.

I agree with Range Roller, penetrative fluid just before a job does not do a lot, but every day or two for a week or over makes a difference. Also wire brush around the area first - you want the penetrant to try to get between the parts you are trying to separate. If the area has lots of crud and surface rust then the penetrant will soak into that.

I agree that the best tool for separation is heat followed by shock as you are trying to break the bond that rust is forming between the two parts. I find an impact gun is less likely to round off nuts but unfortunately I only have a lower power version so not as effective on larger fixings.

For heat I use a Rothenberger superfire 2 and MAPP gas. It has worked on things I expected to have to drill out.



These came out using heat. The bottom image is after electrolysis and brushing. The fill plug was just deforming when trying with a good set of mole grips fitted very tightly. With mapp gas then applying Plusgas both the plug and the steering lock bolt came out.

Definitely clean the threads as that will bind when undoing.

Good luck with it, but I don't think it looks too bad to be honest.

My ball joints looked like those in the pics but they were'nt too bad to get off. I just wire brushed the visible threads as.already sugested. The one on the steering box wouldnt budge though so its still there.

Col

aj1954 said:

Plus Gas is often recommended but, I have not been able to find it, I use a penetrating fluid made by WD40 but, not WD40
if you know what I mean.

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Restocked my supply from Amazon last week, Eurocarparts also stock it, have used it for years and it is the tops