tip for seized bottom ball joints

[axford]

Hi all , tried to change the bottom ball joints on my 2001 c5. They are the ones that citroen seem to prefer that require the castlated socket to remove. Anyway even with this and a 6 foot piece of scoffold they would not budge.
OK its bite the bullet time and I took it to the dealers to be done. An hour later and the dreaded phone call saying that they had had 3 mechanics on it with heat etc and they couldnt get it moved so I needed a new hub for 700 pounds.
Asked them to put it back and id have a go - they were very nice and didnt charge me by the way.
Right now if your faced with this I can tell you a way which I worked out after much drilling and frustration (and a burst thumb). The top 'dome' of the ball joint is just a very thin metal cover. Hit it hard over and over again with a hammer and good centre punch and it will disintergrate to an extent where you can yank it out with long nose pliers. This gives you the space to get get a jig saw in. carefully make 3 cuts - two 1 cm apart and another oposite these. Keep checking so that when you think you are close to the threads STOP. Get the centre punch and hit in the middle of the two close together cuts and it will collapse in over. You will find corrosion in the threads and if its like mine would never have turned in a million years.
Hope this saves someone from having to replace their hub in it's entirity.
Regards Chris.

[CitroJim]

That really is an excellent tip Chris

Equally applicable to Xantia, BX and related Pugs too..

Excellent!

[Gibbo2286]

An easier way would be to use a can of pipe freezer available from your local plumbing supplier and heat alternatively, freeze the joint surround first then heat it up and it will break the seizure.

This is an example of what I mean but I bought one from my local DIY shop for a fiver.

http://www.bhl.co.uk/product/ARCTIC_SPR ... KIT_CANJKT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jgra1]

thanks Chris,

and off topic, thanks Gibbo.. I may try that method on an old outboard I am struggling with right now..

need to get the power head off the lower leg! and cant no matter what ;(

John

[citronut]

there price to supply and fit a new hub is just a little bit steep as the hub is only

Part Number Description Quantity Price excl. VAT Price incl. VAT Total incl. VAT Selection
0000364664 FRT SWIVEL PIN 204.87 GBP 245.84 GBP 245.84 GBP

this might not be the exact hub for you car but it is for A C5 HDI 90, other models shouldnt be much diferent though,

regards malcolm

[axford]

Hi all, thanks the input.The pipe freeze would not work as the hub has too much bulk to get the temp down and the thread is surprisingly fine on them ,all of which on mine was soild with corrosion.Also I forgot to say the obvious that you have to grind/cut the majority of the ball joint off first - just protect all the rubber bits round about when you do this. Needless to say put a bit of copper grease on the new ones so your not faced with the same prob if you ever have to do them again.

[citronut]

i think a lot of members on here use thread lock on re/fitting these,

regards malcolm

[Carsten S]

Another trick:
Find a spare nut from a wheelbearing, pull the rubber of, and clean up the grease. Power the weldingmachine up, and weld as much as possible. It requires some amps to get a good welding.
The heat from the welding helps alot to get things loose. An impact wrench usually do the rest of the job

[c.morewood]

Or buy a secondhand pair from a breakers, specify that the bottom ball joints must be removed, fit new joints to second hand pair and you have the originals to either work on yourself or sell on, mitigating the cost of the secondhand pair. This way you have the car off the road for the minimal amount of time.

Chris

[Lighty]

Another trick:
Find a spare nut from a wheelbearing, pull the rubber of, and clean up the grease. Power the weldingmachine up, and weld as much as possible. It requires some amps to get a good welding.
The heat from the welding helps alot to get things loose. An impact wrench usually do the rest of the job

Have to do this a lot, but works everytime, especially with my 3/4 air gun BIG BERTHA