Just done this thanks for the video the front nut on the cradle is a real pain to access because of plastic trim near the bumper and had to use a crowbar to leaver the cradle away from the wishbone bolt. Took 3 times the time it should take on a normal car.
Great ‘how-to’. The symptoms are a ‘clunk’ usually every time the relevant side smacks a bump or hits a pothole. It’s a deep ‘clunk’, because it’s heavy bits that are smacking together with a degree of force - if it was lighter panels, lighter bits of the car, thin struts, it’s more of a rattle or tap you;d get. This is a good guide, because the bit where the repairer advises to jack up the arm afterward, until just about lifting that side of the car, before tightening, is VITAL. If you don’t the suspension arm lasts a month or two! The rubber bushes only have a little play or give in them, they must be about their middle position ie unstressed, at the point the car normally sits at, with suspension compressed a usual amount under the car’s own weight. Also, for that month the wrongly-installed arm lasts, that side will be more strongly sprung than the other, and thus make the car handle weirdly! Thanks for doing the vid, my friend, doing the ice-breaking for me. Take care all. [UPDATE: The Torx 20 that is holding the inner arch liner to the bumper, was corroded for me. This is where plans go awry! The Torx was no longer recognisable, but I used a pair of water pump pliers - those big long skinny pliers - and managed to get a grip on the seized-on washer, and that gave enough torque to turn it an aching 1/8 turn at a time. They could just use stainless steel - like the bolts I bought on ebay to replace the corroded ‘cheese’ ones fitted to the under panel for the engine. This brings up a reason why having the ‘correct’ spanners or socket sizes only, is a bummer. One of the most common techniques I use to remove corroded bolts or nuts, is to use a 1mm undersize spanner or socket. I hammer it on, and usually the corrosion is so bad, the bolt or nut is at least 1mm under size almost anyway. One of the underpanel bolts was like this, but as the stainless steel bolts are replacing them, this problem will be dealt with. The T20 will be replaced with a woodworking stainless steel screw, of about the same diameter, but just cut off or half-filed and snapped off, to the right length and a washer of any sort but I think I have a ‘penny washer’ that’s also stainless so will use that. Why do I have a lot of stainless stuff? Made the house fence a while back - 10 years - and bought stainless everything to assemble it. When the wood rots, I will literally just be able to re-buy suitable timber, and re-build with the same fasteners. Anyway, doing the meaty part of the job tomorrow, for which I got an impact driver. Done without one for my 6 decades, finally seen the light. Take care all.]
Just done this thanks for the video the front nut on the cradle is a real pain to access because of plastic trim near the bumper and had to use a crowbar to leaver the cradle away from the wishbone bolt. Took 3 times the time it should take on a normal car.
Great ‘how-to’. The symptoms are a ‘clunk’ usually every time the relevant side smacks a bump or hits a pothole. It’s a deep ‘clunk’, because it’s heavy bits that are smacking together with a degree of force - if it was lighter panels, lighter bits of the car, thin struts, it’s more of a rattle or tap you;d get. This is a good guide, because the bit where the repairer advises to jack up the arm afterward, until just about lifting that side of the car, before tightening, is VITAL. If you don’t the suspension arm lasts a month or two! The rubber bushes only have a little play or give in them, they must be about their middle position ie unstressed, at the point the car normally sits at, with suspension compressed a usual amount under the car’s own weight. Also, for that month the wrongly-installed arm lasts, that side will be more strongly sprung than the other, and thus make the car handle weirdly! Thanks for doing the vid, my friend, doing the ice-breaking for me. Take care all.
[UPDATE: The Torx 20 that is holding the inner arch liner to the bumper, was corroded for me. This is where plans go awry! The Torx was no longer recognisable, but I used a pair of water pump pliers - those big long skinny pliers - and managed to get a grip on the seized-on washer, and that gave enough torque to turn it an aching 1/8 turn at a time. They could just use stainless steel - like the bolts I bought on ebay to replace the corroded ‘cheese’ ones fitted to the under panel for the engine. This brings up a reason why having the ‘correct’ spanners or socket sizes only, is a bummer. One of the most common techniques I use to remove corroded bolts or nuts, is to use a 1mm undersize spanner or socket. I hammer it on, and usually the corrosion is so bad, the bolt or nut is at least 1mm under size almost anyway. One of the underpanel bolts was like this, but as the stainless steel bolts are replacing them, this problem will be dealt with. The T20 will be replaced with a woodworking stainless steel screw, of about the same diameter, but just cut off or half-filed and snapped off, to the right length and a washer of any sort but I think I have a ‘penny washer’ that’s also stainless so will use that. Why do I have a lot of stainless stuff? Made the house fence a while back - 10 years - and bought stainless everything to assemble it. When the wood rots, I will literally just be able to re-buy suitable timber, and re-build with the same fasteners. Anyway, doing the meaty part of the job tomorrow, for which I got an impact driver. Done without one for my 6 decades, finally seen the light. Take care all.]
Good video and useful. Can you share the torque moments?
thanks for your help
Well done, excellent..
What are symptoms of needing to change this,mine has knocking on passenger side front suspension,it’s the only part not been replaced
What symptoms did you have on this bad ball joint?