Ball joint splitter

Hi

My first post on this brilliant site.

My wife has a 2006 jimny since new (which I love so much I am buying one soon as well) which had a service in the dealers yesterday.

They phoned her to advise king pin on offside needs replaced and that will be another £200 please. She calls me and I asked her to tell them not to change kingpin as I have lurked on this site for many years and looks like fairly easy DIY job.

My question is before I buy parts from this site -please can you advise what type and size of ball joint splitter is required?

Thank you

in theory you shouldn't need one - i undo the nut at the top, then unscrew the nut so its at the top and hit it with the BFH - most times the joint splits - leaving the nut at the top preserves the bolt and the nut.

If that don't work then go buy a standard/generic splitter from Halfords

Hi and thanks for the reply

Will try the hammer and if that fails will buy a splitter.
Bit curious why Suzuki dealer wanted £200 to replace kingpin bearing as my wife told them she only had an hour before she needed the car and they said an annual service and kingpin could be done within that time costing £350 !!!
The dealer is actually very good but £350 for an hours work and including service parts costing around £45 and the rest must be labour/profit

Replacing the KingPins is not a hard job, its just bluddy messy (make sure you get/wear some Nitrile gloves) i did mine in about 3hrs.

Make sure you get the Waterproof Grease (Martin sells it I think) and a grease gun to put it in.

Hardest part is getting the old KingPin Races out - I used a pointy chisel, a few careful taps and mine flew out .. once you see the races you'll understand how to get them out! Some people tack-weld a blob onto them, but as I don't have a welder, so used my pointy chisel and my little BFH (bfh)

Martin's "How to Guide" is extremely useful -- good luck!

Dealers will quote for replacement kingpins aswell as bearings, these are rarely required, The only time I have changed just 1 of 4 kingpins is because I drive my jimny hard off road and then 70 miles on a collapsed bearing chewing the kingpin on the inner bearing race.

Plenty of tissue paper is also desirable to clean off old grease.

Thanks for all the advice guys-much appreciated.
Will add the grease and sealant to shopping list
Away from home at the mo working so only got my mobile for Internet and can't seem to get the shop on this site but will order when home.
If I get stuck I might be back for more help
Thanks gents

its not always a good idea to undo the nut to the top & hit it with a hammer it can damage the threads

take the nut off & hit the part that the ball joint goes through that will shock the ball joint to drop out

or buy a ball joint splitter for under £10

www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/detai...-ball+joint+splitter

I've done the job about 4 times now and I've never split the ball joint yet!

Hi again
Ordered kingpin bearing and seal and the grease and sealant today from this site. Guess I don't really need the swivel seal. Checked our jimny and the drivers side is indeed leaking oil. Ordered a ball joint splitter as well as no doubt the other side will let go some point soon knowing my luck.
Don't have a welder regards getting the bearing race out but I can remember old cars I had when I was younger had that set up and not the modern replaced the whole hub set up so hopefully can put in vice and drive out with chisel etc. errrrr I hope
Thanks again
(Nervous king pin novice )

To get the race out use either a cold chisel or a punch just make sure it's got a good edge to it, you can just get it on the lip of the race to tap it out.

I used martins guide the first time and can now do it in 20 mins a side.

You need a long punch or plain rod to knock them out, as you have to go through the bearing on the other side, then the end of the punch just rests on the lip of the race, and taps it out.
The top one is a pain, as you have to work upside down (Well it is at my age )

The Ed China way to break the taper on a ball joint is to hit the ring part along the line of the arm. Assuming you don't catch the rubber and nick it so it leaks, this shocks the round hole oval, and fires the tapered joint out.

I use a splitter

i didnt take mine my steering joints off on the passenger side i just turned the steering wheel the the left and the once the king pins are out turn the drivers side wheel and the hole hub moves out then hang it out the way