Bottom ball joint thread - mullered? WITH PICTURE

[seismic22]

Right, okay so i might be getting a little over worried but im skint at the moment and am meant to be currently completing my final dissertation for UNI (i.e the largest form of assessment for my final year) NOT messing about with my car.

What do people think about this bloody nut doing up, im scared. Unfortunately i am a serial abuser of threads, I lack a certain finesse when i feel pressed for time (and daylight!) and therefore this has possibly worried me more than it should.

Last time i messed up a thread it was a CV joint, this time its the bottom ball joint on the hub carrier (why is the ball joint on the hub carrier and not the wish bone like other cars)as i have mentioned in my other MOT WEDNESDAY thread

I need to either sleep tonight feeling it will be fine or sort out what im going to do about it,

What do you guys think??

Thanks again!

[jasper5]

Read what I wrote in your other thread....take a small hacksaw or file and cut a new thread.

[maglite1]

go get a new nut and some threadlock , wire brush everything and as jasper says get a good hack saw blade and carfully " carefully " make sure the threads are clear and are not going to cross thread again , when ya put new nut on all going well ide add some threadlock so it wont come un, done just dont go throwing car around corners and allways have in mind the dodgy thread .

[bangernom1cs]

If you've got that far it might be worth getting a new one..they arent too expensive?

T

[seismic22]

Any advice given regarding repairing the thread i will definately try,, but, if it is beyone repair whats it like to remove the ball joint?? I have already seen that you need a special castellated tool to unthread it from the hub carrier.

Forgot to mention, the damage is only on the one side shown, the opposite side is fine.

Cheers

[steve_earwig]

It's a shame the pic doesn't show the whole thread, I'm not sure where the bolt actually sits on the thing and how much it matters. Was it damaged by turning in the arm? New locknut as above to give it the best chance, cut threads the best you can (better if you've got a die that big), threadlock, keep eye to it. Don't overtorque it!

[maglite1]

ide deefinatly get that thread to go again just be carfull when re tightning the nut add some threadlock and dont force it over tight , from looking a the photo the threads look stretched from someone swinging on the nut previously , go easy just make sure its tight without over due force and it has threadlock on it will live again .

[seismic22]

The thread hidden by the nut is fine, as is the opposite side of the thread that is not shown. The ball joint hangs from the bottom of the hub carrier and goes through the end of the wishbone. I think it was damaged when the wishbone popped down off the end of the thread.

[jasper5]

Seriously, you are worrying for nothing, a little attention with a hacksaw or a small file will sort it.The damage is really superficial.

The only problem you may have is the ball joint shaft spinning as you try to tighten the nut, in that case fit an axle stand or something under the bottom arm to put pressure on the ball joint pin to stop it spinning.

[seismic22]

I think your right, ill give it a bash and take your much appreciated advice.

Thank you

[seismic22]

Okay, had a slow start today as was raining here in bristol. Anyway, re gaitor'd and fitted drive shaft, hack sawed the thread on bottom ball joint and looks as if it may be okay. Havmt tried the nut on the thread as my theory is if i get it on once i dont want to take it off only to find it wont go back on.

Only prob is i did what you said jasper and remove the hub from the strut. Now upon refitting with the drive shaft through the hub and the bottom bull join in, i can get the hub up around the strut, got a good technique?

Cheers

[jasper5]

Clean up the strut bottom and the inside of the hub assembly where the strut fits and grease it, put the driveshaft through the hub and fit the nut on it, push the strut back into the hub and line up the slot, then knock it back in, fit the nut and bolt, get a large breaker bar or jack handle and lever down on the bottom arm far enough to drop the ball joint pin back into its hole.....watch the driveshaft doesn't fall out the gearbox. Alternatively.....

With the driveshaft fitted through the hub and the the bottom ball joint fitted to the bottom arm, push down the bottom arm with the breaker bar/jack handle and force the strut back into the hub, swivel it until the slot lines up and fit the nut and bolt....this is how I usually do it.

[seismic22]

I shall endeavour to follow your advice. I currently cant seem to be able to get the lowe arm to go low enough but i will try again. Also i feel the main problem i am having is that the bottom of the strut is wanting to lean out at the bottom. Ah well i will give it all another go tommorrow.

Though i had said i had got the cv joint on and driveshaft back in again, that was a partial lie! I thoguht i had until i realised that me being a novice with a large amount of age related "lack of experience" i hadnt actually got the cv joint past the cir clip and in fact it really didnt want to go on. I got the driveshaft out again (pain in the arse as its the one with the bearing) and "im giving up" hovering in my head for quite a while perseverence paid off and i got it on, gaitors back on, ready for tommorow!

Thanks to jasper and everyone elses much appreciated help. I need as much as i can get.

By the way, i just thought, even though i have been on here a few months now i have never introduced myself properly, im Rory, 22, from devon, living in bristol, about to finish a building surveying degree. Bit of petrol head who has had to be sensible and go diesel hyper miling whilst skint at Uni. Didnt think i would like the 406 but i like it more and more the longer i keep it.

Cheers.

[jasper5]

Well done for keeping at it

To get the strut back in, line up the peg on the strut and the slot on the hub, it will be at an angle, you have to push it towards the inner wing and if you greased it, it will slot in nicely.

[seismic22]

Well its been pissing down with rain but i have managed to get the hub all back together and the bottom ball joint thread that i mucked up and then hacksawed back to place worked and the nut threaded on nice. Just off to get some Thread lock and some rubber/surgical gloves as im sick of having black hands everytime i work on a car!

Jasper - tried to get the hub all back together with ball joint in place first etc but just would not go, could not get the lower arm and hub low enough. tried everything, the wishbone was bottoming out on the subframe. Did it the other way and with a second pair of hands pushing the lower arm down and me pushing the hub and strut inwards the ball jpoint slotted into the lower arm.

Just gota fit disk etc and check everything, tighten handbrake and see why the horn only likes to work when pushed hard in the centre and i think itll be ready for the MOT.

Cheers!