Play in bottom ball joint

[rubachuk]

Fitted a new bottom ball joint over the weekend and no matter how much I tightened it, it wouldn't clamp up tight. Haynes says 22lb torque on the clamp on the bottom of the steering knuckle, is this supposed grip the ball joint tightly, or should it let it rotate?

I also noticed that the new ball joint has bigger groove in it. The one I took off had a groove that perfectly mached the radius of the clamping bolt, the new one has a bigger groove which allows some movement vertically. Is this OK?

[Welsh Dan]

Sounds to me like its the wrong part. All the ones I ever fitted were a snug fit and the groove matched the retaining bolt.

[GRUNT 16V]

send it back!

[mowgli]

agreed.... we don't want to be reading about you.....

[nova_saloon]

Yeh make sure that when inserting the ball joint look through the hole, and the groove in the middle of the joint then make a perfect hole for the bolt to go all the way through and then tighten down lightly, the knuckle doesnt crush the ball joint that bolt meerly allows it to stay in place freely for movement of steering and suspension.

[rubachuk]

Right, so the clamp isn't tightened to the point where it is supposed to grip the balljoint completely then. Mistake number one there. I was trying to eliminate the vertical movement by overtightening but all that was doing was preventing the rotational movement I need.

Mowgli - The car moved off the drive and 50 yards down the road before I decided it was dangerous and put it back on the drive, it's been there since and won't be moving again. Was enough to pull the bottom of the clamp on the steering knuckle out of shape slightly though :(

[nova_saloon]

probs snap the bolt, its hard to describe what is surposed to happen, but look through the hole that the bolt goes through, then push really hard upwards on the ball joint but slowly at the same time, you will see the top of the joint go past the hole. then you will then see the neck of that top joint, and it should make a perfect hole for then the bolt to hold it in so it cant drop down. but give all the movement, whack a bit of grease in it to. cant do any harm

[Iain]

I thought the balljoint itself was supposed to twist, not the metal part inside the knuckle. i.e. there should be no movement whatsoever between the part that enters the knuckle and the knuckle itself.

[nova_saloon]

it doesnt matter to much which one moves to be honest (pref it does to be honest, wear on the bolt may not be good. Woudl just make more sense to him what i was saying as he has never dont it before.

it is just held in by a bolt that fits between the hour glass shape it has on it.

[rubachuk]

saloon - I know how it's supposed go back together don't worry. I was unsure wheter the vertical movement was supposed to be entirely eliminated by the location of bolt in the groove or whether the clamp was supposed to tighten completely to remove all movement, both vertically and rotationally.

However now there seems to be conflicting opinion on whether the balljoint is supposed to rotate in the clamp or whether the balljoint is clamped tight and the rotation comes from the ball joint itself. (if that makes sense)

[MK999]

ball joint rotates, not the clamped bit.... common sense really.

[nova_saloon]

yes^

[rubachuk]

ball joint rotates, not the clamped bit.... common sense really.Which is why I tightened it as much as I could to try to clamp it. Then to be told it shouldn't be clamped and should allow movement

[mowgli]

it goes into the clamp & gets tightened up properly. it simply should not wobble in the jaw of the clamp.

[MK999]

Which is why I tightened it as much as I could to try to clamp it. Then to be told it shouldn't be clamped and should allow movement

Which was wrong, it's got a split in it so it can be clamped, 20lbft is a clamping force, you have the wrong ball joint almost definitely.

[mowgli]

20lbft is just the tightening torque. multiply that be at least 10 to get the clamping force..

[mowgli]

sorry accidental duplication.

[MK999]

20lbft is just the tightening torque. multiply that be at least 10 to get the clamping force..

Yes but explaining that anything over 5nm is 'very tight' is a lot easier than explaining the mechanical advantage of screwthreads and how that relates to him swinging on the torque wrench lol

[rubachuk]

Cheers all.

[lomas]

not just the hole worn? ive fitted new ball joints and bolt was tight but still moved, had to make the gap bigger for the pinch bolt as sides where touching when tightened

[swedge]

I'm having the same problem with my nearside balljoint too, there's play in the joint that goes into the clamp

They are brand new ball joints but I'm using Corsa hubs dunno if that makes a difference

can someone measure the diameter of thier ball joint, the bit that goes into the clamp so I can double check mine

[LEWI007]

ill be going over the garage in a few hours so ill check it

[swedge]

Perfect mate cheers

[rubachuk]

I'll check when I get back home, but I think I measured my old one at 15.01mm and the new one at 14.97mm

I know the ball joints for Nova and Corsa B are the same, but the hubs are different. I had a good look at a few whilst raiding the scrappers for more clamp bolts after I snapped two trying to get the clamp to tighten on the ball jointlol

Are Corsa hubs a suitable alternative if I can't find a replacement steering knuckle/outer hub from a Nova?

[LEWI007]

the hole where the balljoint goes through is exactly 16mm ive just measured it.

[rubachuk]

Completey unclamped I presume?

[LEWI007]

Yes unclamped.

[Sloth]

im sure corsa and nova hubs are the same part number.

[brainsnova]

could it be someone has used the wrong diameter of bolt as i ve done loads of these and never had any play.

[swedge]

I used the new bolt that came with the new balljoint