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Tips
Tips

Side Rod Ball & Joint Installation

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DSarge

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I am replacing the dust covers on the front end of the BN2 as they have dry rotted. I've read the posts within this forum regarding the HF ball and joint separator, but what about installation? How easy will this be? If I need this tool to separate them, then I would imagine installation would need the same amount of force. Any tips, videos or ..... volunteers?
 
The wedging effect of the threaded tapered shaft is what the separator overcomes. Tightening the nut after reassembly will draw the taper back in gradually, holding it as before.
Follow the shop manual, if you've got one.
Good luck,
Bob
 
Make sure that the mating faces (tapered shaft of the ball joint, hole in the rod) are dry (no lube) and clean when you assemble the pieces. Otherwise, what Bob said.
 
The HF tool is well worth the money. Well engineered and manufactured. Tip, loosen the nut on the ball joint but leave it attached by a few threads when using the tool. That way when the joint finally separates, the tie rod won't fly around.
 
There are better tools to use when separating the tie rod ends on a Healey. They are not "ball joints". Do not use a ball joint separator. I have a puller, if that's what you would call it, manufactured by OTC that I have used for over 40 years. A quality product. I would attach a photo if I knew how to do it. On the other hand, HF makes tools out of low carbon content steel and you get what you pay for.
 
Following Rob's instruction then striking the rod on opposite sides with a couple of hammers will do it too !!
 
AH100M said:
Make sure that the mating faces (tapered shaft of the ball joint, hole in the rod) are dry (no lube) and clean when you assemble the pieces. Otherwise, what Bob said.
Click to expand...

Why (dry)? I've always put a thin smear of antiseize grease on the tapered shaft, and have never experienced any problems. I don't believe the connection is secured by (presumably) friction between the taper and the tie rod end but by the stretch on the threaded, tapered shaft. Clean for sure.
 
I once tried replacing a ball joint with some residual grease on the tapered shaft and when I started to tighten the nut the ball joint spun rather than the nut tightening because there was more friction in the nyloc nut being tightened than between the mating surfaces of the tapered shaft and the hole. Since then I've always made sure that the mating surfaces were pristine. I've never taken apart a joint that had any corrosion that anti-seize would have prevented. The joint is in deed secured by the nut but the friction between the (dry) jointing surfaces permits the nut to start tightening rather than spinning the joint.
 
:iagree:-Bill Schmidt---
 
I've used a pickle fork, but they tend to bang things up. Last time I tried undoing the castellated nut a few turns and lifting slightly with a bottle jack, while heating with a propane torch - this worked great -- very little heat and the tapered shaft separated from the rod.

Also there's a Hyundai part number floating around for replacement boots that far outlast the Moss parts.
 
Makes sense. I've never used a nylock on a ball joint; always castellated. I've used nylocks elsewhere, but for some reason don't really trust them; prefer castellated if at all possible.
 
In the past week, I've used the HF ball joint separator to remove the side rod ends from both the center bar and the swivel arms. It worked perfectly for those pieces, but did not work to remove the steering arm from the steering box. Had to take that one to the local machine shop. I even tried the free loan pullers available from Kraegen. None of them would remove the arm fom the box.
 
I had the same experience - I've never been successful with the steering arm either. It might have been the same with the idler too.
 
Rob Glasgow said:
In the past week, I've used the HF ball joint separator to remove the side rod ends from both the center bar and the swivel arms. It worked perfectly for those pieces, but did not work to remove the steering arm from the steering box. Had to take that one to the local machine shop. I even tried the free loan pullers available from Kraegen. None of them would remove the arm fom the box.
Click to expand...

Removing the steering arm on the bench, I used the HF pittman puller with a cold chisel or punch stuck in one side as a shim and some kroil. The puller is a little too large and will rock to one side when pulling. The chisel prevented that.
 
I found this one of the most stubborn joints to separate. None of the standard tools / pullers etc made much of a difference. In the end I followed the advice on Michael Salters blog page : https://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=967 and using the slightly modified Pitman Puller both steering arms came off as advertised.
 
BBH said:
I found this one of the most stubborn joints to separate. None of the standard tools / pullers etc made much of a difference. In the end I followed the advice on Michael Salters blog page : https://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=967 and using the slightly modified Pitman Puller both steering arms came off as advertised.
Click to expand...

Yes that style puller will work just do not buy a cheap one it will bend!!!
 
BBH said:
I found this one of the most stubborn joints to separate. None of the standard tools / pullers etc made much of a difference. In the end I followed the advice on Michael Salters blog page : https://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=967 and using the slightly modified Pitman Puller both steering arms came off as advertised.
Click to expand...

The HF one I bought must have been an earlier version of this. The opening spans 1-13/16" and that's why I had to shim it. The one Salter uses is 1-5/16" and he notches it a little in order to fit. Price $14.99 US - has gone up a bit but still cheap. It's great to be able to buy the proper tool for a price cheap enough to use it once and still be ahead.
 
A two jaw puller recently did the trick on both the steering and idler arms. The puller jaws wanted to slide off as pressure was applied, but a C clamp then held them in place. The puller jaws have faces about one inch across, so the C clamp stayed on well. The puller made it an easy job that took just a few minutes.
 
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