MGB Rear Suspension Damper Link Arm

[Davo1969]

Hi all - greetings from UK, recently joined and a novice mechanic on partially restored 1969 MGB Roafster.

I am trying to replace rear lever arm shock absorber and had to remove both shock, link arm & link plate (as existing shock absorber arm had come off splines).

I have eventually managed to get old shock arm off link (top end of link arm) - but I am having real difficulty removing the bolt on the link plate connecting to bottom of link arm (ball joint). I cannot get nut off as just spins along with inside of ball joint - please can anyone assist/any tips?

Thanks

David

 

[YakkoWarner]

I just did two of these in the past couple weeks (was able to remove the link arm while the car was up on jackstands so I did not remove the link plate from the leaf spring). What I did was to get a small bottle jack and apply upward pressure on the ball joint (but not enough to lift the axle from the jackstand). This wedged/deformed the ball joint enough that I was then able to turn the nut and remove the arm from the link plate and since it is being replaced anyway no need for concern over the condition of the old ball joint. If the link plate is already off the car, then coming up with some way to put adequate pressure on just the ball joint may be a trick.

 

[DrEntropy]

Welcome, David.

If the ball is turning in the link, the link is scrap and will need replacing so the only way to get the nut loose will be to pry/cut the link from the stud and use a pipe wrench or Vise-Grips to clamp the thing to undo the nut. Nasty job, a bench vise makes it easier.