General Oh Cr@p, Sei Probs, Please Help

[socheeky]

Hi all,

I was lowering my sei sx today using just lowering springs, all was going fine until we started on the fronts.

Stupidly, i followed the Haynes (cinq manual btw) and *tried* to remove the tie rod end for some stupid reason. On half way through i realised, i dont need to do this to remove the strut.

Anyhow, to cut a VERY long story short, the tie rod end has had it also, because of all the faffing about, the lower suspension ball joint is knackerd.

What a day.

So, i now that i need a whole new lower suspension arm, but how the hell do you use those ball joint seperators? I bought the one with a bolt in that you suppodesly screw up onto the thread and it pops off (yeah righto),

does the tie rod end (a new one) come with the thread? i hope so

how much am i looking to pay for a second hand lower suspension arm.

If i would have just left the track rod end, all would be fine.


So please, can someone offer any advice?

Thank you

Soph.

 

[custard]

forget a 2nd hand lower arm.get a new one as there cheap enough.
personally of the 2 i found the impact version easier on the cinq than the screw type
which thread are you meaning on the tie rod?the internal one on the tie rod or the male thread on the rack?

 

[socheeky]

hi custard boy, many thanks for a fast reply,

its the track rod end that connets to the hub,

i know you can pop the ball joint off, but the threaded part that secures it to the hub is knackered, i take it the new part does come with the threaded part?

With an impact version, i take it its the fork type?

I was going to buy a second hand lower suspension arm as i dont know who would sell me one on a sunday, so i thought hit the scrap yard. I need the car for monday!!!

If only i would have left the track rod end............

 

[fingers99]

We've been here before, but I prefer this type to the wack it with a big 'ammer fork ones, although they tend to work on anything!

You may find that your Fiat dealer is open Sunday morning (don't forget the chassis number!)

 

[arseofbox]

Im gonna agree with fingers on that BJR - Ive removed 50% of what Ive shouted at using that tool..against about 10% of the other tool (and I have both)

 

[custard]

We've been here before, but I prefer this type to the wack it with a big 'ammer fork ones, although they tend to work on anything!

You may find that your Fiat dealer is open Sunday morning (don't forget the chassis number!)

you may find the dealer open but not the parts dept.unlikely they would bother to try and help with it either.
never hurts to try

 

[mr500]

The impact fork type splitters destroy the rubber boot. Ifyou can make one work always go for the screw type...

 

[simi]

at work we get a scafolding bar pull it down and got a mate to smack the ball joint with a big hammer it allways works for use the propper tools dammage the balljoint :slayer:

 

[Xen]

NEED URGENT HELP GUYS!!!

Im doing the same on a punto as im trying to locate a knocking noise from the steering. Got the nut between the trackrod end and the hub nearly off but now its just spinning in the balljoint - I cant undo it or do it back up

I have a replacement trackrod end but obviously need to remove the original first.

How do these ball joint tools work? Do they pull the thread clean out of the balljoint? if so, how is the scissor type supposed to work? cant get my head around it.

 

[fingers99]

You put the open end on the wishbone, the rounded end on the nut (or thread, if the joint is fubared). Screwing the nut up then pushes the joint through the wishbone.

Sounds like you need to cut the nut of with Mr.Noisy or a hacksaw.

The nuts do tend to seize on the thread: helps to wire brush them well, and use WD40, but far too late for that in this case.

 

[Xen]

ahh i see, thanks

yeh i saw the state of the thread before unscrewing and cleaned it and used some WD40 - still managed to jam it on the end of the thread

getting the end off the track rod looks like it could prove fustrating aswell

 

[rallycinq]

Track rod end off the steering arm should be easy, the threads are all covered.

The balljoint works on a taper, if, as you undo the nut the nut tightens on the thread then the taper comes loose. You need to apply pressure, with a scaffy pole or similar, to force the taper back into the joint as you then tighten the nut. Clean the threads, then loosen again until it sticks, then tighten, reclean the threads and loosen etc etc until it comes off.

Cheers

PD

 

[fingers99]

Usually I grip the fixed end (the arm that connects to the steering rack) with moles and whack the thread of the tra with a hammer anti-clockwise). Can be awkward one handed, so get a mate to do one or the other.

 

[Xen]

Thanks guys, i got there in the end... didnt even turn out to be that trackrod end it was the one on the other side that i did before the MOT - locknut had worked loose. I blame the garage man who tracked it - he touched it last

Edit - I was thinking, instead of tapering them, why didnt fiat make a square section to go in a square hole on the hub assembly? that way, no spinning threads and no jammed tapers??

 

[rallycinq]

Its not just Fiat. Ball joints have been tapered since they were invented. It means that the actual size is not important.

If there was shaped one, then any wear in the upright would need a correspondingly larger TRE, and that would be a parts nightmare.

In the old days of kingpins, the forerunners to ball joints in suspensions, you bought the bush kit, then had to ream them out to suit you own vehicles requirements.

Classic Mini rear arms are held on with reamable bushes as are 2CV suspensions.

We don't want to be going back to that, thanks.

Cheers

PD