Trouble refitting a balljoint

[sarkie83]

Sorry this is related to a modern-ish but figured a few of you must have worked on them (b5.5 passat)

I've replaced the front lower arms but the problem I'm having is getting the new taper joint back into the steering knuckle. One of those annoying times where everything you read says 'removal is the opposite of fittting )

It goes in from above, so not as easy as some other cars I've worked on where they attach from under either, so putting the jack under usual pops them back in...

Not my picture, but this is the one I'm talking about:

[xbl]

I take it the car is back on the floor?

[sarkie83]

Yeah, did hope the full weight of it might also help persuade them in!

[welshpug]

not quite getting what the problem is?

are you struggling for access to get the pin in the hole?

or the balljoint is spinning and you cant get the nut seated?


if the latter then find a non nyloc nut and pull the taper into place to the specified torque, then swap for the correct nyloc, plenty of anti seize so they'll come off when the joint wears out.

[sarkie83]

The issue is that I can't actually get the taper far enough into the hole to get a nut on the end. I did have to go and compare with the old one that I was replacing to make sure it was right!

I think what i'm going to have to do is remove the CV joint, so I can get some access to whack it from above...

[xbl]

Use the knuckle of the CV and the top of the ball joint against each other, drive a chisel in between them to force the ball joint down.

[welshpug]

I wouldn't be whacking anything, all you need is leverage not shock.


I guess you've already fully tightened the inner bolt on the bush? try loosening that.

also if the other side is on the ground the ARB will be putting a lot of tension, so jack both sides up off the floor.

[sarkie83]

Turns out there are two different taper sizes after all...would explain a lot!