Anyone able to help with front control arm replacement near Cambridge?

[Tourist]

Originally Posted by AndrewJames

In other words, you've formed an even deeper bond with the car

Cheers - you're right about that, although today that bond was seriously tested when my father and I tackled the other side!

I'd heard that those bottom ball-joint clamp bolts could be tough, but I wasn't ready for the two hours it took us this morning to get this one out. The nut came off OK but the bolt just wouldn't shift. Nothing worked and after I'd rounded it off, in the end we cut the head off with a Dremel, heated it up with a blow torch and then beat it out with a lump hammer and punch. What a massive pain in the donkey. Lucky I'd got a replacement nut and bolt to hand so other than a big waste of time, it was fine. Really annoying though.

Getting the arm out was relatively easy after that with the dual spanner technique - yet again the inner ball-joint let go with little resistance.

We ran out of time in the end as we couldn't get the rear bush to line up enough to allow the bolts to go in so I'm going back tomorrow to finish the job.

On the plus side, with the Rover out of action, I had to borrow dad's 4-litre XK8 to get home. Definitely faster than the Rover with a nicer sound track, but not as easy to get a bike in the back!

[AndrewJames]

I seem to have been quite lucky with those bottom ball joints. I had both out recently, although not for an arm change. I'd read about people using chains, exhaust clamps and wood etc for leverage. I had the nuts and bolts out within a few minutes (one bolt slightly corroded in, I just turned it back and forth before drifting out). Then had the ball joints themselves out in about a minute using the "black mamba" I had made. A chopped up curtain pole wrapped in duct tape!

I didn't write that to blow my own trumpet and believe me the rest of what I was doing afterwards (shocks, springs) took me far longer than a normal human being would take. It's just interesting how the experience varies car to car. I was surprised to read your inner balljoints have been popping out with ease. I've never touched mine but everyone writes about them being a nightmare.

Sounds like you are on the home stretch and an XK8 ain't half bad for a stop gap

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by Tourist

I'd heard that those bottom ball-joint clamp bolts could be tough, but I wasn't ready for the two hours it took us this morning to get this one out ... in the end we ... heated it up with a blow torch and then beat it out with a lump hammer and punch.

That was my experience too Simon. So why did we have so much trouble when others don't? I think I have an answer.

The design of the clamp on the hub allows a route for water to enter the bolt shaft half way along its length. Twelve years ago I had no choice but to drive through some floodwater. It was not excessively deep but would certainly have covered those balljoint clamps. I have now taken the precaution of protecting this fitting with generous amounts of water repellent material!

Simon

[TourerSteve]

Originally Posted by Tourist

The nut came off OK but the bolt just wouldn't shift. Nothing worked and after I'd rounded it off, in the end we cut the head off with a Dremel, heated it up with a blow torch and then beat it out with a lump hammer and punch.

Pleased to hear you found a solution , If your rounding bolts off are you using hexagon impact sockets and are you ensuring they are a snug fit as often's fitting a size smaller will work without rounding off . With age the bolt head will have rusted and wasted . Handy to have metric and imperial sizes
Remember to copper grease bolt shank when refitting

[Tourist]

Bad news: I've had to give the Jag back to my dad :-(
Good news: The Rover rides again!

We set to this afternoon and within about an hour, got the rear bush bolts re-installed and everything but back as it should be. What a faff!

The passenger side was a lot more challenging, partly because it's somehow more difficult working on that side of the car because I'm right-handed.

The secret to getting the bolts into the subframe is to get the bush housing completely square, something that evaded us yesterday. It turns out that no matter how we jacked or manipulated the arm, it just wouldn't sit flat and allow the bolt holes to line up.

Today's breakthrough was to stick a couple of smaller bolts (I think they were M8 x 50 mm) into the holes to locate the two parts, and then use a couple of G-cramps to force them into alignment. Once it was clamped square to the sub-frame, I could get my little finger into the holes to see which direction the arm needed to move to line up the holes.

Much copper slip was applied to the ball joint clamp bolts, and Tourer Steve, you're completely right, 6-sided impact sockets are the way to go. I think the bolt that rounded was just too rusted in, and also the head was degraded due to rust. It took pretty much all my strength, lying on the floor, beating the end with a lump hammer to get it to shift.

Thanks again everyone for your helpful advice, I couldn't have done it without you.

My Rover now as a clean bill of health again with no MoT advisories that need attending to :-D

[TourerSteve]

Originally Posted by TourerSteve

An allen key can be useful to locate through the other hole in the bush and into the subframe to help line up the first bolt

You know you have the right size socket when you actually sheer the head off rather than round the bolt . Amazing the bolt usually turns first with a 10.9 bolt I oftens hammer on an impact socket !
All seems a long time ago but did comment in post 14, Ideally I use a little angled toggle bar but mentioned allen key as know most have them in tool box
Fight over , will be able to sit and have a well earned pint while watching the football !

[smudge.g]

Glad to hear that all is now sorted for another year. When i tried to change the driver's side arm last year, it tooks days, tons of plusgas, bashing and heating to get that sub-frame balljoint taper out. This year, whilst doing the other side, i found the post that suggests raising the suspension slightly with a jack, then slipping in a hammer head close to the bal-joint. Releasing the suspension, the hammer acts as a fulcrum and the spring tension litterally forces the balljoint apart! It took literally minutes with little or no hammering (which these old dears dont take too kindly too).

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by Tourist

Much copper slip was applied to the ball joint clamp bolts ... I think the bolt that rounded was just too rusted in, and also the head was degraded due to rust. It took pretty much all my strength, lying on the floor, beating the end with a lump hammer to get it to shift.

Inject the gap between the jaws of the clamp with your preferred water repellent compound Simon, to avoid a repeat of this in the future.

Originally Posted by smudge.g

... it tooks days, tons of plusgas, bashing and heating to get that sub-frame balljoint taper out. This year ... i found the post that suggests raising the suspension slightly with a jack, then slipping in a hammer head close to the bal-joint. Releasing the suspension, the hammer acts as a fulcrum and the spring tension litterally forces the balljoint apart! It took literally minutes with little or no hammering ...

There's also a post which recommends using a suitable two legged puller which I found works extremely well too.

Simon

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by SD1too

That was my experience too Simon. So why did we have so much trouble when others don't? I think I have an answer.

The design of the clamp on the hub allows a route for water to enter the bolt shaft half way along its length. Twelve years ago I had no choice but to drive through some floodwater. It was not excessively deep but would certainly have covered those balljoint clamps. I have now taken the precaution of protecting this fitting with generous amounts of water repellent material!

Simon

Of course salt water is the most corrosive and over the years we will have driven through lots of that.

Having been a sea boat owner and user for over 17 years in Devon you find out the sea water does just about everything in.