8 replies to this topic

[spen06]

hello,

i'm replacing the top and bottom ball joints on a secondhand cooper S disc set up... the manual says if i can move them with my fingers, they need replacing, so that's what i'm doing... now that's fine, but the new ones, how tight do i do them up? until the shaft is immovable, or has slight movement under pressure?

i don't have a torque wrench, or a socket, i undid them using an adjustable spanner and a length of scaffold tube (thanks Newton and your related laws of moments of torque and lever arms!) so does this mean i wind them on as tigth as that?

please help me and i apologise for the stupid question in advance and ytour help/patience.

steve.

[Big_Adam]

I always do mine so they are hard (leave imprint in my hand hard) to move by hand.

As for doing them up again, the dome nut is 1.5inch. I bought the flat spanner for it from Mini Spares and always do it up two wacks with a hammer then tap the tabs over.

You also got to remember, your parts coming off where probably a bit rusted on so always take more effort to get off. They can only go so tight anyway because of the shims.

So eermmm ... do em tight. Also buy a torque wrench ... and a massive deep 1.5inch socket that won't fit any 1/2drive tools so you'll need to buy a load of adaptors.

[Ethel]

You can get 1/2" drive ball joint sockets, though the flat spanner is the best tool for undoing them. Torque is just force x distance, so measure how long your lever is and apply the corresponding force: you want 75ft.lb - that might be about half your body weight with an average length socket bar.

[sinadorj]

Hiii

i hope this video can help you litle more... it helped to me .
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

[spen06]

guys,

as always, big thanks for your prompt and helpful replies, i'll get back in the shed later tonight.

thanks again.

steve.

[Guess-Works.com]

Bad practice...

Get a torque wrench...

The ball joints are the things which connect your front wheels to the car, don't be a muppet and use the correct tools...

[bobs]

Overtightening can damage the threads and cause a whole host of problems when your mini sheds a hub and dives into the tarmac at speed... considering this... the correct tools are a very cheap investment.

[xBR4DLEY]

Get a torque wrench - mine was only like £13 I think - Screwfix

[johnbest981]

Plus one for just buying a torque wrench.

if one did shear, and your car went slidding, or flipping across the road and killed some people on the pavement...

how bad would you feel knowing it was because you wanted to save a few notes.

sorry to be a tad blunt there, but if someones car came rolling in to me, i'd be pretty ******* of.... ghost style.