Upper Front Ball Joint

[Malcster]

Hi guys,

Just tackling this job now. I've removed the drop link, and bolts from the ball joint in the upper wishbone.

But now I'm kinda stuck - I guess I undo the four allen head bolts? But they are pretty siezed. I can't get an Allen socket in due to the ball joint.

When trying to use an allen key it seems not to want to budge, and I'm worried I round the head.

Any sneaky way to remove the ball joint without those bolts?

Perhaps with it removed I could get an Allen socket on them?

[m4tti]

Lift the arm away from the ball joint and then move the ball joint at different angles to create enough space to use a hex bit.

[Malcster]

Perhaps my hex bits are a bit on the chubby size. I've ordered up some of the ball type extended ones.

[Basil Brush]

A good tap with a hammer and then allen key and ring spanner work well. The threads are helicoiled into the alloy upright so you get a nice corrosion/oxidation mix.

[Malcster]

Been soaking in in PlusGas so fingers crossed...

[pac1uk]

Good luck!

Mine where original so a lot of years for the bolts to corrode, so solid. Hex key would not budge and you have to be so careful not to round the hex bolt.

I had to cut through the ball joint shaft giving more access to the hex bolts, this enables proper hex sockets to fit squarely. Bolts released without rounding or damaging the hub.

[Curdster]

I had this issue on the front brake callipers when taking them off for a refurb. I rounded the hex with allen bits and was stuck and no welder to trying something different.
So I took a normal socket, one slightly smaller than the outside of the hex head and wellied it on with a hammer. This worked as the socket teeth dug into the hex head. Ruined the socket and it wouldn't come off the hex bolt once i got it out , but it was the cheapest last report option I could think of.