Carina E Lower Balljoint

[JNR]

hi all i need a new lower ball joint for my 1.8 carina e 1996 my question is is it easy to fit as it says in the haynes manual you have to remove hub when i look under i can see 4 bolts 1 at the top of balljoint and 3 attached underneath to lower arm has anyone done this before and how easy was it will i have to remove hub as that seems a lot of hassle just for a balljoint any help would be grateful

[gazza1286]

Yes you need to remove the hub.

You'll need a ball joint splitter - similar to:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...l%3Den%26sa%3DN

The hub nut is very tight and you need a deep 30mm socket to remove it.

Removing the hub nut may require an assistant to apply the brakes with the car back on the ground and the wheel replaced (once the split pin has been removed). Alternatively you will need a couple of 18" x 1" bars of cold steel drilled through for the wheel studs and lock them together as a brace against the ground as you unbolt the hub nut.

The best tecnique is to remove the upper bolts from the strut to hub carrier. Undo the hub nut.

Then allow the hub carrier to lean outward giving access the the balljoint crown nut. Remove this nut before removing the three nuts underneath which hold the ball joint onto the lower wishbone. I can't remember exactly but you should be able to get the ball joint splitter in to remove the taper bolt now. Otherwise just take the combined assembly to a bench and split it there.

So, it's not THAT easy I suppose.

Your profile says that you have the GTI? (that's an entirely different arrangement??)

[JNR]

yes i have the gti and a 1.8 cdx to be honest the ball joints on the gt where easier to remove hehe thanks for your reply m8