Having a mare with removing struts.

[cpfcluke]

Taken off the steering rack bolt, undone the top bolts (inside bonnet) but for love nor money can get the lower swing arm ball joint bolt out.

All i wanted to do was to replace the springs!

Heres some pictures to explain what i'm talking about

so iv taken this one out



But cant get this one out!




can anyone help me?

[steve_k]

Get hold of a ”ascissor”a type ball joint splitter & use that & it should come out.

[capri_rob]

Screw the nut back on so that the top of the thread is protected and give it a quick whack with the tapping stick

Even if you knacker the nut up a new nut is cheaper than a balljoint splitter - I did the whole of the front end of mine without using one

[cpfcluke]

Iv already got this.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_255216

and also this

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_255216

The first one is the wrong design to fit, and the second, the prongs are too far together!

so you think that will work?

[cpfcluke]

Also do I need to compress the springs before i take off the struts? do they even need to be compressed to take them off the car?

[capri_rob]

You need to loosen but DO NOT remove the big nut in the top mount with the car on its wheels - otherwise you'll never get it undone off the car without air-tools.

The springs only need to be compressed to remove the top mount once the struts are off the car.

Seriously you don't need to p1$$ around with balljoint splitters - put the nut back on, give it a smack with the hammer and it will pop out.

[Topblag]

using the fork type generally splits the boot and on that basis I'd recommend a scissor type.

[cpfcluke]

Got it.

The cold got the best of me so will have to tackle it tomorrow.

Whats the rough cost for a garage to replace the springs, if i supply them?

[cpfcluke]

Anyone?

[capri_rob]

Absolute minimum of 1hr labour.

If you had absolutely every tool to hand and a lift you could probably get the strut off, get the spring off and built back up and back on inside 30 mins but you'd be rushing.

[Rtaylor2208]

Your looking t probably 1.5 hours of labour for a garage that knows what there doing and has the tools and that's if nothing is seized. So all depends n the horly rate. First time I did mine the fronts took me all weekend, but have done thm gain since and it took me 2.5 hours and I am by no means a mechanic.

[E30BeemerLad]

Scissor type ball joint splitter should have that separated in no time.

Also, remember to undo the anti roll bar droplink as that will help the lower arm to drop down and prevent it from trying to press upwards and relocate the ball joint taper.

[cpfcluke]

Ah cool. Ill continue tomorrow then!

also is there anything that i need to know for the rears? any tips or tricks?

[asmith88]

i tried scissor, fork and the other type of splitter with no luck when i broke a ball joint, three days later i took at it in a rage with a lump hammer,

not long after,



hammers work

[cpfcluke]

Oh jesus.. i really don't want to break it!! haha

[capri_rob]

Rears are much simpler - although standard non-lowered springs can be a pig to get out.

Just hope the mounting points on your trailing arms arent rotten

[mattycoops43]

Right, forget all this about scissors, splitters etc etc. You need a lump hammer, and you need to give the bottom of the leg a few good sharp whacks on the square end of the bit that the ball joint goes through, the bit facing you directly in the bottom pic.

The shock makes the joint pop out without even touching the ball joint or the threads. I haven't damaged a ball joint in years, and own both types of splitters, they do stirling work as paperweights. I never split a ball joint successfully with either type.

used to rebuild landys that have about 20 balljoints on the front steering and suspension.

[e30topless]

^^^ this, you need to fully remove the nut first and strike with precision !!

[cpfcluke]

square end of the bit that the ball joint goes through, the bit facing you directly in the bottom pic.

Which bit?!

[e30topless]

[cpfcluke]

ohhh, is this when the shock is still bolted in via the 3 bolts inside the bonnet?

[chh137]

The bit the taper/thread goes through. 2 or 3 precision WELL struck blows should do it.

[e30topless]

leave the 3 nuts on the top mount strike the ball joint, much better if another person is Levering the lower arm down at the same time..

once the joint is seperated remove the 3 nuts up top, the whole shock/leg assembly will drop down once they are off so be ready to guide it down it before it ruins your wing/day

[chh137]

And TWAT it with purpose. Dont be a pussy hit the fooker .

[cpfcluke]

thanks for the help guys..

Rather than dreading going back to it tomorrow morning, i'm now looking foward!

Ill let you know how i get on tomorrow!

Thanks again!

[paris]

I don't know if the process is the same as on the E46, but on my E46, I didn't have to remove the ball joint at all in order to take the strut out.

If it really needs to come out, even with a regular 3-point jaw puller you can do the job.

[capri_rob]

If you're really struggling as it appears to be the wishbone balljoint thats stuck ( you've undone the steering rack joint yes ? ) then you can undo the 2 x bolts holding the lollipop bush in place, and the balljoint holding the wishbone to the subframe and drop the lot off as one.

You will need a very long reaching extension to undo the wishbone to subframe balljoint - and again may need to whack it.

[cpfcluke]

Iv managed to get it off using a scissor type ball joint remover.

Now another problem, I hadn't loosened up the top of the strut, so cant get the top of the strut off, iv put it all back but when i try and loosen it when its all bolted, the spring is just moving around.

[Kedge]

You should've listened to the bit when Rob said to loosen that before removing it. If you haven't got airtools your best bet is to nip to a local garage and ask them to whip it off.

[Andyboy]

Or, a really serious grippy pair of Mole grips on the top of the chrome damper shaft - don't grip it anywhere near the operating area of the sahft as the resulting marks will destroy the damper seals.

I've only once had an issue with E30 outer balljoints with one which bent a proper BMW scissor joint splitter and took 4 hours with a big hammer to finally shock it free.

[cpfcluke]

Fronts are DONE!

wow, for someone that has NEVER worked on a car before, pretty pleased with myself.

I started on the right side, took me about 7 hours. But from doing that one and help from you guys, I managed to do the left side in under 2 hours!

Hitting the square bit of the metal that the ball joint goes through didnt work at all. had to use the 'scissor' ball joint remover. worked a dream.

Again thanks for the help everyone.


Just onto the back ones now.. Please tell me they are not as hard!!

[jimmyspeed]

just bolts for the rear- swapping in some new top mounts is a worthwhile mod as they are fairly cheap and stronger

I'm pretty sure you use e46 cabriolet ones

[mattycoops43]

Thats the place! I have never failed to get one to pop, although I have had a couple of really welded in buggers that needed a good few hits to release. Don't be dissuaded if it don't pop after the first two hits, although if you get the knack, quite often one hit will do it!

[mattycoops43]

Damn second page-would have made more sense if this was at the bottom of page 1!

[asmith88]

rear springs are handy, droplink bolt and shock bolt out, big lever to pull down trailing arm and pop out spring