Lower ball joint issues.

[Perry]

Bought a ball joint off eBay a while ago from Eurocarparts. Now ECP said they didn't stock the ball joint for my car. However they did sell this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lemforder...pe:182&hash=item35cd3b2164:g:3iYAAOxy2HFSYWVR on eBay which is part number 617745225.

It's says 2.0 16v sport and it says 12mm mounting hole. So all was going well after getting the old one out. I checked the size against the old one and the old one looked taller, but the same diameter.

I put the new one in, eventually got it lined up and together but I had an issue getting the pinch bolt in. Eventually got it it and and damaged the pinch bolt. At this point I noticed the reason for that was likely because the ball joint was sitting so high in the hub that it was touching/almost touching the ABS as I rotated the brake disc. So although the new one looked as if it was as tall when side to side, it actually went further up in the hub.

 

[Perry]

I've actually damaged the new one getting it out. So I've butchered it just to have a look and it looks the same

 

[Perry]

I'm starting to think human error may have been at fault here and I've managed to get the joint higher in the hub than it needed to be, which had inturn made the pinch bolt harder to get in and ruined it.

 

[Louis]

They do look to be identical. Sure there was a thread not so long ago where someone used a ball joint from another renault that was the same. Maybe laguna?
But that looks to be the same in the link anyway.

 

[Perry]

I think a combination of me rushing to get it finished to watch the football and getting pissed off has made me not notice it wasn't lined up right. I've then forced the pinch bolt in and damaged the threads, before noticing. Then getting it back out I've split the rubber so it needs replacing anyway. Only cost £16 so I'll buy another and take it easy.

 

[Perry]

They do look to be identical. Sure there was a thread not so long ago where someone used a ball joint from another renault that was the same. Maybe laguna?
But that looks to be the same in the link anyway.

Side by side now it actually looks identical, where it didn't at first. I can also see on the cone part of the ball joint where it's been sitting higher and the pinch bolt has gone past it.

 

[Perry]

Got another one, done it no problem. You live and learn....

 

[shiftspark]

This happened on mine at weekend, you need to line the grove up on the shaft otherwise they can move in too far and can't get the bolt in. Watch you don't damage the CV boot as I nicked mine in my struggle :smile:

 

[Perry]

This happened on mine at weekend, you need to line the grove up on the shaft otherwise they can move in too far and can't get the bolt in. Watch you don't damage the CV boot as I nicked mine in my struggle :smile:

Ha at least it's not just me then! In around 27 years of messing with cars I can't remember having to pull the ball joint back down or if I've done it before I've corrected it without even thinking about it. I think I was in that much of a rush on Saturday I pressed on without thinking.