Anyone swapped an ATV balljoint before?

[Oddball Matt]

Need to swap out one of the front balljoints on my Bashan project. The new balljoint has a clear flange at the bottom as well as a locking ring to secure it in place with once pressed in no problems there, the thing is I cannot find any discernable brake line between the old balljoint and the A-arm itself so not sure if I should be pushing it out from the top or the bottom! In fact the bottom part of the balljoint kinda sorta looks like the edges of the "ring" the joint sits in could have been crimped sort of around the bottom edge but that MIGHT just be the endcap being secured to the balljoint casing. Wouldn't care to damage the arm itself at this point of the build so figured to ask for some pointers before going in. Might become more clear once I get some paint off of it but would sure hear some tips from someone that has done this before. I do have a 10tn floor press that will get the old one out BUT that thing also does a lot of damage if used wrong and let's face it these things aren't exactly top grade steel.

I believe the Bashan BS200-S7 was also sold at least as Comanche Cross and Fude Hornet in case one or the other is more familiar to folks here.

[franque]

Post a picture up, I've done several dozen, I might be able to walk you through it.

[Oddball Matt]

Coming up once I get back home from work, I thought I had some stored in the phone but looks like I never actually took the pics after all...

[Mudflap]

Could be that you have to replace the whole A arm like some of the Taotao quads.

[Oddball Matt]

...yet a model spesific spare part is availble for purchase so one would assume not. Worst case scenario I suppose a suitable hoop could either be made of the original, or welded on to replace it but I sure hope that is not the case.

[franque]

Usually it presses out in one direction, usually the boot side down, sometimes there is a circlip retaining it, sometimes under the boot itself. To detach it from the bottom, if it has a castellated (castle) nut, it is drawn in through tightening this nut, you loosen it and hit the side with a big hammer to temporarily deform the outer taper, breaking the tapered part of the ball joint free. Sometimes I just loosen the nut (to protect the threads) and hit the nut until it breaks free.

It depends on what side you're trying to loosen.

[Oddball Matt]

It is the right side lower balljoint. No castellated nut other than the one holding it onto the steering knuckle (assuming that's not the one you were referring to) and no circlip either, at least haven't seen one and the rubber part has ruptured away so cannot hide under it either. I know how to take the suspension apart but a bit unsure how the balljoint itself is separated from the A-arm (the construction of the new one is quite self explanatory assembly wise however it differs from the original somewhat)



Not sure if this picture is of any help but it is the remaining still unpainted arm.

[dirtbkr188]

Will one of these work to separate the lower arm from the spindle, and then you can remove the a-arm to press out the ball joint itself?

[Oddball Matt]

No the problem is not how to separate the balljoint, as can be seen most of the arms have already been painted and therefore separated, everything's basically just fingertight. The problem is how to get the balljoint, cup and all, out of the A-arm.

[franque]

The picture doesn't help, I'd need to see both sides of the A-arm to determine how the ball joint is fitted in. What I usually do is take either a hydraulic or an arbor press, and use a socket that is similar but slightly smaller diameter, and use that to press the ball joint out from the top, the end with the cup that the ball rests in. Usually there is a lip on the ball joint that keeps it from being pressed in too far, so it would also be hard to come up with a way to force it stuck in there, as long as there's no circlip.

[Oddball Matt]

Well guys I figured out what`s the issue, and the issue is I`ve been had... Observe:










Notice a difference? Yea... I did some more research and it looks like what several stores sell as a BS200S-7 lower balljoint is actually that of the BS250-11 on which the lower A-arm outer end is completely different. In short this balljoint cannot be fitted onto this A-arm.


...as is...

The arm is junk already, and I`m NOT gonna pay 25eur shipping to get a 20eur refund so... *cracks knuckles* hold my beer and watch this...

[Oddball Matt]

http://www.chinariders.net/showthrea...524#post341524

Please follow the link if you wish to see how I solved this issue, figured it`s better to post this on my build thread than here.