mini mad me
34 posts
Joined: 11/10/2004 08:05:28
Location: Overton United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
could be ball joints etc.
Hi, you say there seems to still be excessive play in the steering. If you jack the car up so the wheel is off the floor, put a hand on either side of the tyre (quarter to 3 as the driving instructor used to say). Give the wheel a bit of a shake, feel the play, then try it for up and down play (with your hands at half past twelve), if there is play in this direction too, it could be wheel bearing, or ball joints etc. Its easiest to get someone else to give the wheel a shake and have a look underneath to try and locate it. Check for play in: top suspension arm (inner), bottom suspension arm bush (inner), top and bottom ball joints, wheel bearing, track rod ends, If in any doubt whatsoever, best to take it to a garage to double check.
Posted: Nov 19, 2004 07:14 PM
pickme
672 posts
Joined: 08/09/2004 23:10:14
Location: Chippenham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
ball joints
I use 660550 - the scissor type. The one you have to hammer in is very unkind on the joints and I would think that the other one damages the suspension components with the screw thread pushing on it.
Posted: May 16, 2005 08:07 PM
Alex
129 posts
Joined: 20/10/2004 23:06:00
Location: York United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
i agree with pick me! Only Use the hammer in type if your gonna renew the ball joints. They destroy the rubber covers!
Posted: May 17, 2005 10:18 AM
Ball joint
The above is fine if you want to replace the joints EVERY time you take them apart, but for repairs related to other ares it seems a bit unnecessary. Its a bit like cutting the tyres off if you want to change rims. Granted new tyres would be nice, but its a bit over the top.
Posted: May 20, 2005 05:30 PM
JK
11 posts
Joined: 15/09/2004 16:53:23
Location: WESTCLIFF ON SEA United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
ADJUSTABLE LOWER ARMS / TIE RODS + BALL JOINTS
OK. HAVE LOOKED ALL OVER THE INTERNET, AND READ EVERYTHING I CAN BUT IVE DECIDED I AM THICK. i got these s/hand rose jointed lower arms, and new adjustable tie bars brom minispares, along with the caster/camber gague. now does the bottom ball-joint have to be in front of the top one? that is having the ball joints at the 5 o clock position?? or behind at the 7 oclock position?? i have camber set at 1.5 degrees both sides, and have been able to adjust the o/s side caster to the book setting of 3 degrees, eventually i will go to 5, however the ball joints on this side are at the 7 o clock position; the other side i cant seem to get anywhere with. any ideas im stuck :0(
Posted: Jun 04, 2005 05:43 PM
luke_j_baker
10 posts
Joined: 26/06/2005 22:15:10
Location: Cardiff United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Ball joint???
I need to replace a ball joint on my mini (nothing new there!). Although, i have discovered that the passenger side of my car uses sealed ball joints (ones that cant be shimmed down) and the other side uses shimmed ones??? I can do the work myself, done one or two before, but what i need to know is can i use a ball joint with shims on a wheel hub that uses sealed ball joints? Basically, are they interchangeable/compatible with each other, or do i have to use a sealed one? Also, do they sell the sealed ball joints on this site? I only found ball joints using shims or ball joints for metros (maybe its the metro one I need!!). Thanks, Luke
Posted: Jun 28, 2005 12:21 AM
68Moke
33 posts
Joined: 10/09/2004 21:06:12
Location: Lakeville United States
Ball joints
I guess it depends entirely on what hub you have. What hub do you have? What size of brakes do you have? What size tires do you run? It sounds like someone may have mismatched the hubs at one time in an attempt to make a repair. I dont know. What part numbers appear to correspond to the style of ball joint?
Posted: Jun 28, 2005 02:28 AM
Sorry, forgot to put these details in when I posted origionaly. It;s a 998cc Mini City E 87-88 (E reg) and is pretty much standard. It has 8.4 Disc setup on the front running on 12 wheels and 145/70R 12 tyres. I had a look under the car today, but i couldnt find any part numbers corresponding to the hub or ball joint. Luke
Posted: Jun 28, 2005 07:35 PM
G. Mureddu
15 posts
Joined: 22/03/2007 17:14:05
Location: Nuoro Italy
Please help..ball joint
Good evening. I need all four ball joints for a Mini british open of 1996,is possible to find those articles on the site? Thanks
Posted: Sep 12, 2007 06:38 PM
mark
397 posts
Joined: 18/08/2005 14:01:28
Location: Hitchin United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
ITEM CODE GSJ166MS
Posted: Sep 13, 2007 10:55 AM
Posted: Sep 13, 2007 01:16 PM
if you dont have any, order a few extra shimms as they dont come with alot
Posted: Sep 13, 2007 03:22 PM
Posted: Sep 13, 2007 05:44 PM
Roobz
223 posts
Joined: 15/12/2005 01:31:36
Location: Redbridge United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
You get a pair, so by 2 sets and some shims and you should be alright.
but whats the worst that will happen if you dont use the right amount of shims??
Posted: Sep 13, 2007 09:32 PM
Posted: Sep 14, 2007 07:27 AM
you will get a selection from your old ones, but i would get 2 large, and 4 of each of the others
Posted: Sep 14, 2007 07:38 AM
Posted: Sep 14, 2007 08:36 AM
T. McCay
8 posts
Joined: 09/12/2004 21:30:26
Location: Lincoln United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Lower Ball Joint Adjustment
Posted: Sep 21, 2007 12:03 AM
taffy1967
1783 posts
Joined: 27/09/2006 18:58:07
Location: Rhondda-Cynon-Taff United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
This might be helpful to you?: -
Miniaddicts TV Ball Joint Fitting link
Posted: Sep 21, 2007 10:11 PM
Hi, thanks for the link. I seem to have solved the problem with the aid of this and a bit more trial & error. It appears that the grease I applied during assembly caused the issue. I took it all apart again and cleaned everything up. Took out the spring and reassembled the lower joint and adjusted the shims to get the correct amount of play as before. Then I took it apart again and fitted the spring and only a very light smeer of grease. Once it was assembled and checked I then pumped it full of grease via the grease nipple. Everything seems ok now. Thanks again Tom
Posted: Sep 23, 2007 10:01 AM