lower ball joints

B

blinko

New member
Has anyone had to replace the lower ball joints on their 900rtv. I replaced both on mine with 1200 hours on the machine. I was wondering when tightening them up how much movement should be in the ball joint.
 
The ball joint is on a taper I believe and should be very tight. I can get the 1100 specs if you need them for the torgue value. Both 9 and 11 would be the same torque.

Otherwise they should be tight and no movement if new.

Also check toe-in now that you have new ones on.
 
I replaced mine several years ago. If I remember right, the torque was around 39 N-m. After tightening, loosen again and retighten - then torque and install the cotter pin. Bordercollie.
 
I agree with Border Collie, 39 n-m, 4.0 kgf-m, or 29 ft lbs. Or so the manual says.

Thought you might like the 29 ft lbs.
 
U-joint question

Can you tell me how to get the ball joint out? Do I need special tools? When I turn the nut on top the bottom spins and I can't seem to clap it tight enough. Obviusly I don't know the trick. Thanks in advance.

Mannie

bordercollie said:
I replaced mine several years ago. If I remember right, the torque was around 39 N-m. After tightening, loosen again and retighten - then torque and install the cotter pin. Bordercollie.
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I used a pickle fork, since I was replacing the ball joint I just hammered the picklefork into the rubber around the old ball joint (my last resort, before the torch) I know it sounds backwards, but it worked ...twice.
 
I used a large pair of vice grips -real tight on the rubber part of the joint. The grip was so tight, it cut the rubber on one of them. I jacked it up and took off the tire first. bordercollie
 
Mannie, were you able to loosen the nut any before the shaft of the ball joint started spinning? For example, did you remove the cotter pin and turn the nut to loosen it, when you noticed it too (shaft) was turning? Or were you able to loosen the nut at least a few threads before it started turning? The reason I ask is that I have noticed on some we have worked on here that the ball joint will loosen up in the bottom of the knuckle and will actually make the round hole into an oval hole. In which case the shaft will tend to turn from the start. If the ball joint shaft is still tight in the knuckle then you will have to "knock" it loose after you get the nut off like thomasnchy suggested. BTW you can hit the lower control arm with a decent sized hammer and pop the ball joint out of the knuckle as well, in lieu of the pickle fork if you don't have one.
 
Interesting, I have one I was working on last night, and havn't got it out yet. In my case, I got the cotter pin out, and the nut spun loose all the way up, but could not get it loose to pop down and out. Pickle fork sounds like a good method, and may have to go look for one at Tractor Supply or Ace Hardware, sounds like that might be the ticket.
 
cov62431 said:
You can also try places like NAPA, Carquest, Advance Auto, etc.
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Many of those stores loan them to you for free if you want to do that. I've borrowed them as well as spring compressors and they just let you have them for a day or 3.
 
Having the right tools for the new ones would be important if they wouldn't tighten up . Mine did. I only ruined the bad ball joint when I took them off I kept the other for a spare and ended up using it later .. bordercollie
 
Thank you guys for the feed back. The nut never loosened. It spins the ball joint bolt. I am going to cut it off at the bottom with a recipo saw leaving and inch or so of the bolt exposed. Then I will grind it to flaten it. Vice grips after that. Should work. Keep you all posted.

Regards Mannie
 
Well, that attempt was a failure! I could not get the nut loose so I drilled it and split it. All clear now except I need a new metric nut!
 
How exasperating that must have been. At least you got the best of it in the end. Let us know how the tightening and end results go. bordercollie
 
Boy did I luck out on my 06' 900. Gave the lower plate of the ball joint a good whop with the hammer, and it just fell right out as I had the nut off already. Lucky ....... lucky. Did some other work to the A arm while there, which I will post up under another thread topic.
 
All done now. I could not torque it as I only have a socket type torque wrench that would not fit between the nut and the cv boot....so I went by feel. Hope it lasts.
 
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