HELP! Installing rear ball joint and I'm stuck...

**drmaniquiz** · 03-08-2011 05:02 PM

Alright fellas, I'm trying to install my new rear ball joints and I have all the necessary tools to do it, but I'm having difficulty pressing it out. I don't know if the joints are so rusted inside that I can't get them out ---OR--- am i pressing the wrong way?? That is, are they supposed to come out towards the rear, or towards the front.

This is what I've done so far...

1) Removed the circlate (which is on the rear side of the ball joint)
2) I removed both sides of the rubber boots

From what I've seen in the YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG8jkWMsQw4), it appears that the BJ comes out towards the FRONT of the car, but from where I'm looking at MY car, the larger metal ring around the OLD BJ is at the rear, so it looks as if it should come out from the REAR? Does this make sense?

My question is this, the YouTube video makes it look so easy for the BJ to come out. Is this accurate for most of you? Or do I gradually keep tension on the BJ pressing tool, wait, tense it again, then again wait for it to loosen up before it comes out?

Any suggestions you have would help.

Thanks again.

**JimLev** · 03-08-2011 06:21 PM

The end that has the circlip on it should be at the back end. After you remove the clip the tool will push the BJ forward to remove.
Installation is just the opposite as shown in the video.
It will fit in either way, however I don't think that the center section will fit in because the back side of the BJ has a flat surface for the swing arm to ride on and the front side has an extension for the middle tube to fit around.
Yours is probably corroded, spray some penetrating oil on it and let it sit. Don't use any heat, it will weaken the aluminum.

Use the (insert link) for URL's. You can also name then so the link itself doesn't show up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG8jkWMsQw4

Same link, just named.

**drmaniquiz** · 03-08-2011 08:14 PM

Thanks Jim for your input, I did spray some penetrating lubricant on the BJs and letting it sit overnight.

I see that on my new BJ (as well as the BJ in the video) that the male end of the BJ also has the larger rim on its side which would flush with the carrier when properly inserted. But for some reason, when I look at my OLD BJ, the male side of the BJ faces the front (as it should) but the larger rim appears at the back, and flushes with the carrier, hence why I was getting confused as to which side I'm supposed to push it out, front or back. Do you know what I mean?. Since the BJs are corroded, I just can't tell if this larger rim is part of the BJ or part of the carrier? But these are the original BJ's so I can only assume that it would push forward like all the others.

**JimLev** · 03-08-2011 11:21 PM

From my spare parts collection......

**drmaniquiz** · 03-09-2011 09:48 AM

Thanks again Jim! Your photos here are a great help! That ring where the circlip sits under I thought was part of the BJ collar itself, but I can see now that it's part of the carrier. Hence this is why I was confused where to push it out.

Wish me luck as I'm off the attempt this frustrating repair again!

**fritracer** · 03-09-2011 12:01 PM

pictures...all I can say is damn!!! You rock. Wish you worked for Bentley; it would be a far better manual if you did.Fritracer
Cincinnati, OH
2000 540ia Sport Package 9/99 Silver/Black
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 420 stroker w/6 Pak 430 HP,
510 lbft torque

**JimLev** · 03-09-2011 05:50 PM

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Mrs Lev · 03-09-2011 06:56 PM

**drmaniquiz** · 03-09-2011 07:58 PM

Just an update Jim, sadly, I gave up on removing those rear ball joints. No matter how much torque I'm giving to push em out. I just can't. And what's worse, is that I'm now having the same difficulty pushing out the ball joints of my front tie rods. I can't torque my tool any further without breaking my arms. Any words of encouragement? Advice?

**JimLev** · 03-09-2011 08:20 PM

Penetrating oil, let it sit, tap the side of the wheel carrier with a hammer, give the bolt head a little turn and it should pop out. Help a friend do his two months ago, car had ~120k on it and they had never been replaced. Car is driven year round, snow, salt, rain. They poped right out.

Did you try a hammer on the rear BJ? Give it a good whack in the direction it comes out, then put the BJ tool on it and give it another go.

**JimLev** · 03-09-2011 08:26 PM

"Drive It Like You Stole It, A Sickness for Quickness"
The Bottle Rocket "King of Spray" 2 Stage Nitrous Oxide
Dare to be different and stand out among the crowd of me-to-cars!
No guts, no glory! Tire smoke, not traction control!
Zionsville all aluminum radiator to replace the 3 leak prone Nissens Radiators!

NOS Progressive 2 Stage Controller with port injection
Snow's Performance Methanol/Water Injection
Dinan downloads, VAC Under Drive Pulleys
Dinan Carbon Fiber CAI
Dinan Front Strut Bar
Electric Cooling Fan w/PWM controller
NGK Iridium Plugs
DDE Enhanced Angel Eyes, Smoked Lenses
Koni FSD's/H&R Springs, BAV Brass Caliper Bushings
Eisenmann Race Exhaust (from H8-Rain's car)
///M5 3.15 LSD
///M5 Sway Bars, Front & Rear
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Sway Bar Bushings
///M5 Gauge Cluster Rings ///M5 Lip Spoiler
///M5 Mirrors and Switches
Leather Z weighted shift knob (thanks H8-Rain)
Rogue “Octane” Short Shift kit w/WSR
Rogue Tranny Mounts
StopTech Brake Lines Front & Rear
Axxis Deluxe Plus pads Front & Rear
Staggered M Parallel 66, Xenons
Modified CDV, UGDO
Euro Storage Tray (thanks Zombywolf)
Redline in Diff and Tranny
Passport 8500 X50, Escort ZR3 Laser Jammer
G-Tech/Competition Pro Data Logger
Auto Enginuity OBD-II Scan Tool
25% Tint, X-Pel, LoJack
PIAA Driving Lights
35W Xenon backup bulbs
BMW CCA Member Boston Chapter

**drmaniquiz** · 03-09-2011 08:30 PM

Well, I did try the penetrating oil, did give it few good whacks, but to no avail. I live here in Minnesota, so this will give you a good idea as to what road conditions I'm dealing with; for certain those joints are corroded well into the carrier.

The car also has 190k on it, with all the stock suspension components. They all didn't give me problems until now, I've got that 50mph/braking shimmy which is getting worse. My front tires are just miles away from tearing apart.

**drmaniquiz** · 03-09-2011 08:39 PM

And no, I'm not using the exact BMW BJ tool specifically made for e39's and e38's (Laser 4787), but something similar, the only place I saw that carries those are places in the U.K. and I can't afford to wait for it to be shipped. This is the tool which I am using, and failed.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1540463

The tie rod ball joint removal tool, again I found on ebay which is this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ball-Joint-Puller-Tool-VW-Audi-BMW-Mercedes-Auto-Repair-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27b92e8f25QQitemZ17061 0560805QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

**JimLev** · 03-09-2011 08:58 PM

The Rear
Are you sure that the rings are aligned OK so you are pushing on the back of the BJ and the front ring is not impeding the BJ from coming out? Get a bigger hammer and whack the bolt after you have torqued it as much as you can.

The Front
Never used that one, the BMW one looks beefier.

Keep working at it, you'll get it.

**drmaniquiz** · 03-09-2011 09:38 PM

The rear:

Yes, I was thinking the same thing ealier wondering if my rings were aligned properly so that it's not resting on the collar of the BJ. It's not a precise fit and it took a bit of haggling just to find the right 'cylinders' in that set, and a good size bolt to make it work. But nope, still didn't work. I'm tempted to cancel my appointment at dealer to take them out this Friday and ordering that special tool from the U.K. instead, just because I'd hate to see the new BJ's I bought go to waste and get charged dealer price for a new set plus installation. Plus, if I can't get my tie rods and thrust arms in place by then, I can't have them do my alignment anyway. Let alone, drive it over there with everthing still taken apart.

The front:

I sprayed lubricating oil on it, torqued it as much as I can, and I'm letting it sit overnight because my arms are killing me. Hopefully in the morning I will see it popped off or at least loosened up a bit. I sure hope I have better luck with the thrust arm BJ's...

**JimLev** · 03-09-2011 09:53 PM

install your parts.

**drmaniquiz** · 03-09-2011 09:57 PM

Would the dealer do this? The parts I bought are all aftermarket, and not OEMs direct from my BMW dealer

**JimLev** · 03-10-2011 06:18 AM

Put all the parts in the trunk, tell the service advisor you were going to change them but couldn't get them out. When the car gets into the shop the technican probably won't care.

**drmaniquiz** · 03-10-2011 10:28 AM

Thanks again for your advice Jim, truly appreciated. I'll give it a try; heck, I already paid them over $2k last week to have some engine work done, so hopefully they'll agree. But like I also put on my other post, I failed to remove the tie rod BJ', and the thrust arm and control arm BJ's don't look to promising either. Doubt they'll agree to put those on for me too.

**cn90** · 03-10-2011 10:41 PM

JimLev,

Watching the youtube video you link, they say the torque is 256Nm (188 ft-lb) for the long bolt holding the balljoint to the carrier:

Is that true?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG8jkWMsQw4

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