ball joint diagram

[sonoma]

does anyone have a diagram or pics of the control arm ball joint area?

i am researching how involved replacing my jts is, i do know i have original jts as they are riveted onto the arm,

thanks

[Mike Self]

First of all make sure your ball joints are reallly worn. Mine were fine after 218k...but I replaced 'em as part of a general front suspension overhaul.

OEM ball joints are riveted to the lower control arm, so must be drilled out; replacement is by high strength bolts, which are usuallly furnished with the new ball joints.

Upper end of the ball joints are pressed into the steering arms and fastened with a cotter pinned castle nut. This is usually a mass of rust and must be cut off with a Dremel tool, air chisel etc.

Steering arm is attached to the lower end of the strut with three PITA safety-wired bolts. They have shallow heads which are easily rounded off and or will break. If they're stuck, use heat. If they break off, you'll have to remove the strut to drill 'em out.

You almost have to remove the lower control arm to drill out the ball joint rivets unless you have a lift or TALL jack stands. If it were mine, I'd remove the control arm, replace the ball joint and the rubber bushings, plus the subframe bushing, and even the upper strut bushing if the visible rubber mount is badly cracked. And if you do the latter, you'll be able to replace your front shock inserts since you'll have the strut apart anyway. Then you'll have a totally renewed front suspension! (That's called mission creep).

Tools you'll need that you may not have: 22 & 24 mm sockets, 22mm box wrench, deep well 13 & 14mm sockets; cotter pin extractor; a way to remove/insert the bushings (a press or homemade puller/installer--see archives); spring compressors if you're gonna change the upper strut bearings.

Good luck, and have fun. And hope the bolts arent' rusty.

mike

[Maximillian]

Here you go:

http://www.bmwmobiletradition-online.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=2214&mospid=47140&btnr=31_0436&hg=31&fg=05

HTH,

Max

Maximillian

www.bimmer.com

[sonoma]

yeah i know of that diagram, its helpful, its the other end of where the ball jt stud bolts into that i have no clue on

[sonoma]

ahhhh this is very good

do you know of pics showing the process?

ya know i was wondering about the wire tied bolts under there, i just thought the previous owner did that,

do you think this is a do it yourself job? i plan on replacing the tie-rods, connector link, str box, the ball jt boots are cracked, so i suspect they will be failing soon,

[BillWilliams]

that may help.

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,289061/

This article talks about the safety wire too.

[Mike Self]

'73 last winter, and am doing my '69 currently. I also did a Roundel column on the process last spring; if you don't have access to backdate Roundel magazines, I'll be glad to e-mail you the article.

It's definitely a do-it-yourself project if you have normal auto mechanic-type tools (see my previous post for the larger socket/wrench sizes you need).

To to the tie rods, you're gonna need a puller, though. Make sure you need to rebuild the steering box before you tackle that, though. It may just need adjustment. Check archives for how-to.

mike

[BillWilliams]

you can see where the ball joint attaches to.

The three bolts with the safety wire bolt into the bottom of the strut.

The long bolt bolts onto the steering arm. You can see that in the picture with the red grease. The grease may keep my kids from finding a ball of rust in there in the next 30 years when they rebuild it again.

[InkaSteve]

You don't want this to happen..