Tuesday, September 22, 2009

E39/E60 Balljoint tool pictures
















E39/E60 Rear balljoint tool write up


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My E39/E60 rear suspension balljoint replacement process:
Got some research links here I used for reference, kudos to the ones putting these instructions together:
Between those three ref’s I got enough info to get some make shift bits and pieces to attempt to tackle this job without resorting to forking out over $ 300 Cdn for that BMW ball joint tool from the stealer.
Below is my starting arsenal; some of it assuming I don’t use it……. will be returned to the store. Spend $ 80 on the ball joint removal tool (see here for details http://www.princessauto.com/tools/auto-repair/auto-repair/2990269-ball-joint-remover/installer-kit ) and don’t believe will need it but got it JIC, additionally spend around $25.00 on the various pieces of plumbing, (2-1/2” pipe nipple and a 1-1/2” hex 3/4” drive socket are the two main and crucial pieces, they must each be of the correct diameter to fit the outer diam. of the balljoint for the one and fit inside the wheel carrier ring for the other. The 1-1/2” socket was just 20 thou smaller in diameter than the balljoint and the pipe joint was just over 30 thou larger in ID than the OD of the balljoint stop ring. and a 3 ft long ½” diam. threaded rod, (NEXT TIME I’ll use get a 5/8” diam. instead!!, I did have apiece but thought it would be overkill….., how wrong I was!!),
nuts and washers I found in my own stash.
I cut off a pce of 8” long to start and see if I can fit my contraption onto the wheel carrier and push than sucker out. Sorry to say I did not measure the piece of rod I cut but bet it is longer now than before I started……..
As the threaded rod just was not strong enough for the job , ended up using one of the threaded piece out of my spring compressor tool kit instead , worked great and is worth it just to buy a spring compressor set for this job.
Grind or file off a piece to flatten the one side of the pipe nipple so it does not bond against the wheel carrier, also cut out a notch from the pipe flange as its diam. is a bit too large. Make sure to use loads of grease on the threads of the stud around the nuts and grease the inside AND outside of the 1-1/2” socket (I never thought to do the outside but that’s the reason she binded and got stuck crooked if I had greased it this likely would not have happened.)
you’ll need some sort of wrench extensions long breaker bar etc…
A week prior to the procedure I crawled under the car and sprayed a good dose of Liquid Wrench over the ball joint and wheel carrier ring it fits in. Did this several times during the procedure again. One additional important tool to have is a small angle awl (see picture), that I used to “unearth” the “C”snap ring, a lot of aluminum corrosion around there combined with the rust from the steel parts meeting the alum.

Place the new ball joint in the freezer for a few hours before installing it.

Friday, July 31, 2009