Tightening Upper Balljoint

HI

Just re-attaching hubs/brakes and I'm having trouble with the upper ball joint, all the others tightened up fine but I'm having trouble with both the uppers. The nut threads to a certain point and then when it starts getting harder to turn the threaded section of the ball joint rotates with it, making it impossible to do up.

Anybody got any tricks or suggestions?

At the moment the car is being jacked up under the LCA so that the hubs weight is not putting on pressure on the joint.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/f.../balljoint.jpg

Check the threads of the ball joint and the castle nut, you might have damaged it when seperate the upper control arm from the knuckle. If so you, can use the appropriate tap and die to re-tap the threads. Otherwise you will need to replace the ball joint

push down on the top arm as you tighten the nut.


make sure the threads are all ok, no junk in the split pin hole

if the pushing isnt enough,another technique is to use some combonation pliers/multi grips and use them to squeeze the balljoint together as you do it up.its the same as pushing down on the top arm,but the tool gives more force than your hand can.

if you get desperate you can put a jackstand down under the hub and lower the car onto it,which will compress the ball joint and you should be able to tighten it.be very careful with this though,last resort kinda thing.put another jackstand under the car incase the hub one slips and think it through before you do it

if pushing on the thread to "hold" still wont let you tighten the nut , then the thread is stuffed and you need to either fix it or get a new ball joint end.

Try a bit of WD40 to loosen up any grit in the thread , or perhaps even multi-purpose grease to help lubricate it.
Remember to tighten to 55NM. Dont overtighten !

Thanks guys, got a friend to help push down hard on the upper control arm and we eventually managed to get it. Cheers