My brother has just recieved word that his ball joints in his 1974 kombi need replacing.

As with me, he is totally strapped for cash, so I was wondering if anyone has done a home job? Ball joints seem to be about $45 each, but the labour is heaps.

Anyone ever done it?

Cheers
Tnate

Forget about the home job unless you have a 20 ton
hydraulic press in your garage.

The ball joints are impossible to replace unless you remove the trailing arms
and use a 20 ton press to push them out n back in again

[Edited on 10-10-2002 by vw54]

I just saw an add in the trading post for a ball joint press for a mercedes.
After clicking on it, it turned out to be a lump of metal with a plunger and screw.

How come Mercedes ball joints don't need a 20 ton press?

Just pondering...
Tnate

Sorry...

Looks like a Very Basic 20 tonne press...
If it does a Mercedes, it should handle VWs OK.
How much is it?? and where is it?
So to replace Ball joints in a late beetle, do the Torsion arms have to be taken out??
Seems a small job just got a lot Harder!!
:o

go ahead and give it a try,,,, but look out for someone with a press... cause you will need it.

Get someone to rig up a press and use an hydraulic jack to push 'em in (or, you can use the old bush method of a hammer and a lump of steel, or rock, behind the arm.) You also need to buy a "fork" from K-mart to remove the old ones (PS - never re-use them.) Or shop around; you'll probably find the price a lot lower at an "old-timer" VW shop (non-VW people are scared of 'em, and figure they can move the labour cost up to meet the ball joint price.)

I have done them with a hammer and vice before, just takes a few good jits, drift them back in and off you go..
Bitch of a job but it can be done.

I am adviseing for one last time

u need a press to remove Kombi ball joint as they just dont come out
however hard you hit them with a hammer and drift or ball joint puller
or whatever... but hey go ahead n smash your hands up ...
make sure youve got some first aid equipement on hand and someone to treat you,

I agree to let a VW place do the job. I paid $90 labour plus the cost of the ball joints to do the two L/H ball joints (upper & lower) and I believe I got a very good deal. I would not bother stuffing around on something that could be done so easily with a hoist and press.
This price may give you an indication of who is over charging? Any less than that and that is even better
If he is strapped for cash, he can get one side done at a time, but I would not advise getting only one unit done.

Peter

Another way to remove the ball joints is to drive at about 140kph on one of the mine roads - it works really well on toyota 4wds! Bugger! I still think you should shop around for a better price - unless you think you will be doing enough of them to justify the cost of buying the equipment needed (I'm serious about the home-made press; a couple of local mechanics use them.)

Removing ball joints incorrectly, or using the "bush" method can destroy the trailing arms. This can still happen, but if you're at a good VW shop, they can fit second-hand units for a good price (mine turned out to be stuffed anyway - heavily grooved in the section that slides in the torsion housing.)