I've only ever had experience with new ball joints and tie rod ends and they are very tight when new...

very difficult to move them with Your hands..
so new ones are very tight...

I know once they are loose, they definately need replacing..

so, are they supposed to be tight all the time..

until they wear out???

I have an upper ball joint, with a ripped boot, which I want to replace as its easy to move with your hand..

I cannot get the bottom one unbolted off the lower arm..
so I can check what its like.. its boot is OK..

I have a scissor jack in between the two arms but no go..
they were new when the car hit the road in dec 2005..

The top ball joint on the LHS has a ripped boot too..

I'm replacing the torsion bar grease seals too..

LEE

One of these could get you out of strife Lee,available at Supercheap.Used with a BIG hammer(try it on the joint with the split boot first)

To get the ball joints and grease seals out you are going to have to remove the arms.,

I did this:

Loosen bolts from ball joints and tie rod, loosen ball joints with splitter fork as shown above, remove tie rod, remove upper ball joint with the camber compensator then remove complete spindle from the bottom ball joint

To remove the top ball joint you should be able to lift the top arm up with the suspension in its lowest position, although it will offer some resistance it will go up with a bit of muscle.

Dont forget to separate the camber compensator from the top ball joint as well (before you pull the spindle out)
It will be a pain to do after it is out of the car.

Hope it helps

Good luck

Try not to use the fork to get the ball joint tapper broken, if you intend to just replace the boots you run the chance of damaging the ball joint, put your jack between the arms and load it up as much as you can, with a large hammer held against one side of the stub axle were the ball joint seats hit the oposite side with another hammer, this will distort the tappered hole and the ball joint will come out, works for me every time for me.

Find a ball joint extractor tool that will fit in there, insitu. Its possible, they do exist, thats how I've done them before.
Leave the ball joint locknut on, but flush with the end of the ball joint thread, because that will help locate the arm of the ball joint extractor tool.
Load up the ball joint tool as much as you can, and if it doesnt release, load it up some more, then hit the ball joint with a large 'persuader'. The shock usually helps release the taper lock.
A scissor jack will then be needed to open up the arms to get the spindle out of the way, if needed.

2 useful tools for your garage DIY kit, a ball joint extractor tool, and a tie rod extractor tool.

you check ball joint movement when its all together.
you know LEE like the bloke does when you get a rego check

yea, shame the ball joint clamp type tool won't fit on BJ spindles. They generally get anything undone, well if not cheap chinese shit

Two other options. Use a large lump mallet to thump the area that the BJ taper sits in. This can shock it free. A hammer from either side is even better.

Other option is heat the area the BJ sits in and use the BJ seperator fork. The heat should loosen the hubs grip on the BJ taper

Don't use the jack on the A-arms as you could bend them.

You would be flat out bending the trailing arms with a sissor jack, you just use it to load the joint, stay away from the fork if you intend to reuse the ball joint.

Quote:

Originally posted by ian.mezz you check ball joint movement when its all together. you know LEE like the bloke does when you get a rego check

Quote:

Originally posted by psimitar Quote: Originally posted by vwo60 You would be flat out bending the trailing arms with a sissor jack, you just use it to load the joint, stay away from the fork if you intend to reuse the ball joint. Just personally not a fan of the idea The heat should definately help tho

Lee, stay away from the heat as it is totally unnecessary, the jack is not used to break the tapper it s only there to preload the ball joint so when you hit either side of the tapper it springs apart, it is also illegal to heat a stub axel.

Still illegal in Australia to weld or heat any stub axel and totally unnecessary to heat it as a couple of hits with the two hammers will get it apart.

this is all sounding way too complicated... 2 hammers... big hammer.. heat.. dont heat...
Keep it simple folks.

Lee, buy or borrow a ball joint separator that has the bolt for applying a separating force. They exist and they work on a VW type1 ball joint front end.

As for the original question, are they sposed to be tight or loose, the answer is yes. Tight when they are new, looser as they wear, but not flogged to the point of sloppy. If there is any discernable movement when the wheel is pushed and pulled ( with the front jacked up off the ground of course) they are probably ready for replacement.

In saying that, its a bit academic if you dont have a hydraulic press to push out the old ball joint and push in the new one, so at some stage you have to deal with a workshop.

just try using the two hammers, works every time for me.

Well,

I bought an opposed hinged style ball joint tool..
and had first ball joint off the spindle in a few minutes..

also tried the heating method on a spare spindletie rod end I had still attached.. it worked too..

its HENG HUI universal ball joint operator.. off ebay..Ex Sydney

LEE

Quote:

Originally posted by Adsman Quote: Originally posted by Uber Kafer Quote: Originally posted by psimitar yea, shame the ball joint clamp type tool won't fit on BJ spindles. ??? They do fit. The opposed hinged lever style. Available from most auto parts stores. x2 I have an ABB brand one that works a treat. Also had a cheaper chinese one but it exploded.