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Top Balljoint ....Help/Advice


Graham Hutton

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Has anybody here ever changed the rubber gator on the front suspension top balljoint? I accidentally split mine a tiny bit when I split the joint to set the camber. At the time I didn't realise there was a special tool for splitting the top joints but I do now!!

Anyhow, I thought, no problem, I'll get a replacement rubber gator, pop it apart, stick the new one on an all will be well. It's a nightmare because the gator has a metal edge which is an interference fit onto the rebate in the casting around the balljoint. My digital calipers tell me that the ring on the gator is about 0.75mm small diameter than the casting. Having ruined two new gators trying various ways to get it on I thought I'd cry for help on here..... I've tried pressing it on, even made a special wooden press shape to push on the bevelled edge, all to no avail. Tried, freezing the ball joint and sticking the gator on boiling water. and if it were not for the fact that I don't really want to go and get the camber setup again, perhaps I'd be better to just order a new ball joint as a complete unit.

Anyhow, that is quite a rant! Sorry.......anyone got any thoughts?

Graham

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Thanks Ian, I've tried something quite similar but not with a holesaw. I'll see if I can find a pipe of the right diameter and do as you did. I had a go with a socket that I thought was a good fit but I reckon it bent the new one slightly out of round and it was game over from then on.

grrr

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Thanks everyone. I got there in the end! I had to file the rebate on the casting around the balljoint down a bit and slightly grind the inside of the metal ring on the rubber bit. Measuring with my digital callipers, the internal diameter of the ring on the rubber was around 0.75mm smaller than the balljoint. If I ever have the same problem in future I will just buy a new balljoint for sure!

Another one of those quirky caterham jobs mastered I guess.... I wonder what I'll stumble across next...

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