Recently, I removed both lower ball joints and a pair of NOS items were fitted. I received outstanding assistance from great friend and fellow Rover owner Rob. He used his skills to make two excellent tools to enable fitting the ball joints with significantly greater ease. The first is a frame that secures the swivel pillar, thus allowing a stable solid platform to be utilised. Once placed onto the jaws of an offset Dawn vice, the pillar is both stable and secure for fitting the ball joint.
The swivel pillar is held extremely secure within this purpose built frame. There are two distinct frames, one for each pillar.
The second tool is a dolly, machined by Rob on his mill. It made fitting the ball joint significantly easier than, as example, using a length of water pipe. The dolly has been machined so that it rests securely upon the crown of the ball joint, with no contact with the ball joint flange. Thus all of the applied force is directed into the crown, enhancing fitment.
The shadow mark illustrates the location of the dolly with the crown of the ball joint.
The ball joints are fitted dry, no grease or oil is applied to either the splines of the ball joint, or the inside surface of the swivel pillar. I had used a touch of grease in the past, but this time opted for fitting them dry.
The base of the swivel pillar, showing the location of where the lower ball joint resides.
The casting of the swivel pillar is such that the flange of the ball joint, when flush with the casting closest to my fingers, must be 1 to 1.5mm below the top of the casting, at the point opposite. If you find that the flange is flush with the casting all of the way around, then the ball joint is going in crooked, and you will run into problems in continuing to drive it in. The best option is to then pull the ball joint out sufficiently to allow corrections to be made, so that when you drive it in again, it follows the correct straight path.
It is also advisable never to file the splines around the face of the ball joint. If you find that you just cannot get it started, then a very slight chamfer around the leading edge only of the first row of splines may be acceptable, but ideally you should refrain if at all possible from this action.
The dolly follows the ball joint into the recess within the swivel pillar.
The ball joint fully home.
One thing that did strike me though is that initially we attempted to press the ball joints in using a 12 tonne press. The press though was not able to do the job, insufficient force it appeared being delivered. I would have thought it capable, but that was not the case. I appreciate that there is a certain loss through the frame of the press, but to what extent I do not know.
So I used the hammer as seen, and slowly but surely, the ball joints went in!
Ron.
The swivel pillar is held extremely secure within this purpose built frame. There are two distinct frames, one for each pillar.
The second tool is a dolly, machined by Rob on his mill. It made fitting the ball joint significantly easier than, as example, using a length of water pipe. The dolly has been machined so that it rests securely upon the crown of the ball joint, with no contact with the ball joint flange. Thus all of the applied force is directed into the crown, enhancing fitment.
The shadow mark illustrates the location of the dolly with the crown of the ball joint.
The ball joints are fitted dry, no grease or oil is applied to either the splines of the ball joint, or the inside surface of the swivel pillar. I had used a touch of grease in the past, but this time opted for fitting them dry.
The base of the swivel pillar, showing the location of where the lower ball joint resides.
The casting of the swivel pillar is such that the flange of the ball joint, when flush with the casting closest to my fingers, must be 1 to 1.5mm below the top of the casting, at the point opposite. If you find that the flange is flush with the casting all of the way around, then the ball joint is going in crooked, and you will run into problems in continuing to drive it in. The best option is to then pull the ball joint out sufficiently to allow corrections to be made, so that when you drive it in again, it follows the correct straight path.
It is also advisable never to file the splines around the face of the ball joint. If you find that you just cannot get it started, then a very slight chamfer around the leading edge only of the first row of splines may be acceptable, but ideally you should refrain if at all possible from this action.
The dolly follows the ball joint into the recess within the swivel pillar.
The ball joint fully home.
One thing that did strike me though is that initially we attempted to press the ball joints in using a 12 tonne press. The press though was not able to do the job, insufficient force it appeared being delivered. I would have thought it capable, but that was not the case. I appreciate that there is a certain loss through the frame of the press, but to what extent I do not know.
So I used the hammer as seen, and slowly but surely, the ball joints went in!
Ron.
