I have changed many sets of ball joints in the past 40 years but never a set of VW's. Just how do these come out? I have a 73 std.bug and looking at the new ones online they look to be just the same as all the others. Here is the deal mine have notchs that look like it takes some special tool and they could screw out. Do they come out by screwing them or can I just beat the hell out of them and work off some frustrations?
The notches merely align the joint fore and aft.
You need a 10 TON hyd press!! Forget about banging them out. You need fairly precise tooling to hold the arm in the press and more tooling to fit the joint surface. And all the joints are not the same.
For a one-time job, I don't think it's worth all the things needed. Scout around for a shop experienced in Typ1 ball jts, or even a supplier of exchange trailing arms.
Speedy Jim
beating the hell out of them can result in bent trailing arms....they need to be secured and balljoints pressed out. the "nothces" are for locating the balljoint in the correct position....they do not screw out...
Take them to a shop. I had a ball joing that took 13 tons of pressure before popping out with a loud bang.
New ones are pressed in too. Careful with the alignment, the notch should line up with a mark on the trailing arm, but rust may have eaten the mark away.. look closely
Jan
J.
I checked them out but at 180.00 that is not small change for me. My only income is S.S. since I am disabled and after I pay my bills and get food and meds I am very close to being broke. I know of a shop that may eather do the job or let me use the press and I can do it myself. I was hoping not to have to take the arms off but oh well what well be will be. : ' ) Thanks everyone now atleast I have a better idea of how to work on them.
I've had good luck with heating the arm cherry red with a torch before banging or pressing the old ones out. Be careful not to rip the rubber boots when installing the new ones.
Does anyone rent out the VW ball joint press? I purchased my VW T1-specific ball joint press from Matco Tools IIRC, which is probably not made anymore. I still have the Link Pin rebuilding tools too! lol I am not sure those "universal" C-type ball joint presses will work easily with the T1 ball joints.
So you might have the option of renting or purchasing a press to do the job with. Does Autozone or maybe other Auto Part Stores lend out their tools?
Or you could purchase of the "universal" ball joint press on Ebay
later, dave (One out of many daves)
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