JonL

Hi All - I've been replacing my outer CV joint boot. I've managed to replace the boot, but I cannot get the TCA ball joint back into the hub spindle?

The tension in the TCA/ARB is just too much to push down, and if I jack up the hub, it moves too much to do anything useful. Trying to use a pry bar doesn't seem to be very effective because of the lack of thinks to pry against.

Please can anyone give me some pointers on how to get this back in?

Picture of issue:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30928577@N05/9536560951/

SBT83

Wedge the hub, make sure the hub and ball sit straight to engage and use a jack under the it. It's a cowboys way but you can't catch a bull without one

SBT83

Failing that idea, put a flat peice of steel between the grove in the hub and screw the bolt back on the other way to open it up, then it should go in easy enough. Don't go mad tho! Resident cowboy all the way

JonL

Thanks - what do you wedge the hub against?

Dezzer

Undoing the arb body mounts will make it easier to lever down mate

SBT83

I've used 2x4 before. Just long enough to reach the top of the suspension turret. You need to take the compression from the spring out of the equation! That's why a jack won't do it unless there's a force to go against. Just make sure the joint goes in straight. A little tap on the hub may be required

JonL

Thanks, but sorry, I'm still not quite understanding what the method is?

Are you saying, wedge the hub with the bit of 2 x 4 to prevent any lateral movement and then jack up the hub? Or are you saying use the the 2x4 to jack the TCA against to move it downwards?

Dezzer - Worried that if I undo the ARB body mounts that it'll be just as hard to get those back in?

SBT83

You want to stop any lateral movement from the suspension! Pry down the tca so the ball spigot sits in the hub housing. With the suspension wedged, the whole lot shouldn't be able to travel upwards. Take your jack, place it under the new tca and jack it into its seat . Align it to get the bolt through and fasten her up

JonL

Ok, thanks, now I understand what you are saying, but I'm stuck at the point before that I think.

I can't get the TCA low enough (or hub high enough, which every way round) to even get the ball joint close to getting in the hub? Prying just doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere.

SBT83

Ok. So arb removal will give more play as said above. Other than that, take the hub off the shocker, try the other method to open it up, this wil go in easy, then re attach the hub to shocker.

Give them a try. My motto is "it's come off, so it's going back on!" Lol

SBT83

Or jack up the hub and shocker to get it some thing like and tap into position with a nylon hammer where there's a will there's a way

GVK.

How did you get the ball joint out in the first place?

Surely just use the same method to refit?

JonL

Thanks - so if I go with the ARB to body mounts, are they going to be very difficult to put back into place once I've got the ball joint in?

GVK.

I wouldn't touch them personally, if they're like Sierras, they have been known to snap off the captive nuts in the chassis, a complete new whole world of pain.

JonL

Wow, ok, thanks, will give them a miss! This is a nightmare!

As to your other question, I got it out by levering it with a pry bar, but putting it back that way doesn't seem to be working - too much stuff moving around!

With regards to loosening shock method, sounds like I'm just moving the compression problem elsewhere?

GVK.

I know they do have a lot of tension on the ARBs, really need something decent to lever the TCA down then position the hub to line it up. Anyone around to give you a hand, one person levering,the other line it up?

SBT83

You only need to jack the shocker and hub over the ball joint. Then it'll go over. Locate it in the hole and release the jack slowly then place it under the the whole lot and do as above

JonL

Can't jack the hub/shocker over the ball joint, the inner driveshaft keeps popping out when I get about 2 cms up, and then jacking fails. Tried wedging shock as per your other suggestion but that's not stopping the movement. I think I'm missing some sort of driveshaft circlip that might have prevented some of this movement.

JonL

Thanks - where should I be prying against once I find a helper? I'm trying near the joint itself, but that only gets me so far, and now I've split the ball joint boot! Hopefully I can get another one!

SBT83

What about slight "jackage" and a pry at the same time?

JonL

Tried the slight 'jackage' and pry method, same result as too much jacking as the prying eventually pops the shaft out and everything goes sideways. Never thought changing a cv boot would be this hard!

SBT83

Are you sure the drive shaft is engaged properly? They should need a good tug to get them out. Not fall out with the slightest touch? Take the hub off the shocker if it helps. Then once it's all attached pop it back in the shock

JonL

I think it is, have aligned the spines and pushed it home. Takes a bit of a tug to pull out, just the jacking pops it out pretty quickly!

If I take the hub off the shock will it be really hard to get the shock back in the hub when I've got the ball joint in?

Thanks for all your help on this by the way!

SBT83

It should be a lot easier than this ball joint issue lol. As long as you get the hub on the ball joint and all fastend up this will stop the drive shaft slipping slightly. And then it's a case of jacking the attached hub up to the suspension and refit

No probs by the way

JonL

Ok, thanks again! But will the hub need jacking? Surely it's not so heavy that it will weigh down the TCA when it's attached to it? I would have thought I'd still need to pull down the TCA to get the shock in?

SBT83

Look at your options while your by the car, see what looks plausible to you. It's hard for us to help on the other side of the computer. If you were near by I'd have already been round to help you out . So it's a case of trial and error, ill keep throwing ideas in, while ever your stuck mate.

I've personally tried everything suggested and had it back together in a couple of hours absolute max! But it's hard to translate it.

JonL

Ok, thanks - and it's a shame you're not near!

Will give them all a go when my new ball joint boot turns up. Just a final question on levering the TCA/ARB down, is the the best place to lever agains the pick up point for the TCA on the subframe? Thinking of getting a bigger pry bar too to help with this...

SBT83

Get as much leverage as possible. Further away from the "node" point (or flex) as possible. Look for something to pry against. It might be possible to pry against the hub it's self to a certain extent. Where are you based btw?

JonL

Thanks - will see what I can do. Had a good look round it last night to see what I could lever against and have a plan - Just ordered a bigger pry bar to be on the safe side too. Based in Surrey, a bit of a way from Sheffield sadly!:-(