My car failed the car test for the same thing AGAIN!

[future_jack]

I'd snap up the Delphi parts - they are the original original suppliers in many cases, and have gained some reputation in Renault circles for supplying original parts rather than rubbish knock-offs even for our 30 year old cars. A Renault 4 owner looking for dampers would buy from Delphi and nowhere else (not even from Renault). Though that might be a special case.

No, I'd agree, Delphi are ok, certainly from my experience with LR parts.

That's great news to hear. Delphi it is so I would imagine.

 

[future_jack]

I got the Delphi ball joint yesterday and only opened the haynes manual this afternoon to find that it says you can't just replace the ball joint. You need to replace the lower arm at the same time.

The Nissan dealership were only selling the two together and this is the reason.

It may also be the reason that the current one failed so soon as I just picked up a ball joint from the motor factors and gave it to a non-Nissan expert to install.

I wonder would buying a lower arm seperately be ok or could it be that the the two are put together in the factory a certain way because as happened last time it is possible to just take out the ball joint and put in a new one.

 

[Iain Westland]

theres good aftermarket and bad, if delphi sell a part you can use it, i think you knock the old b/joint press the new one in an wack a couple of tacks on each side to hold it

delphi, luk, quintin hazel, borg and beck, apec and blueprint are all very very good makes and in some cases oem suppliers

Iain

 

[Iain Westland]

also, do the math, delphi plus fitting = €50 ish and lasts 2 years, how much for the arm plus fitting?

 

[Justme]

Most are riveted as standard.

You cut them off & use the bolts supplied. This is perfectly ok to do.


Justme

 

[Iain Westland]

you can`t weld a suspension component if it is`nt supposed to be.that`s an mot failure.

it will be a press fit, any decent mot station would know it, the weld tacks are just for security. seems to work ok for the bolton taxi test and thats far more stringent than any mot

Iain

 

[malcolm]

For my favourite Renaults it's just as justme said - grind and knock out the original rivets and fit the new balljoints with the bolts that come with the kit. Couldn't be easier.

Probably some confusion developing in this thread though. Attaching the joint to the arm you rarely have a press fit. That's why they give you the bolts. Attaching the taper to the upright and you do have a press fit, and also a nut to maintain that pressed fit. There is surely no place for "a couple of tack welds" in the operation unless those tack welds were the original method of attaching the balljoints.

Maybe you could post photos of the joint types you are thinking of autocare in order to avoid potentially dangerous confusion with all the other types of joint.

 

[andypocock]

That brings back happy memories of an old Renault 12 estate I ran for years. I wasn't impressed when it got handed down to me but I grew to see what a brilliant car it was.

 

[Iain Westland]

Maybe you could post photos of the joint types you are thinking of autocare in order to avoid potentially dangerous confusion with all the other types of joint.

i have used the assumption that its not a bolt or rivett type, sorry but if you can pick up a welder you should be able to figure that out ....

but there are a few jap models that have the ball joint pressed into the wishbone, these are the ones you knock out and press fit the new joint.

dont weld it if it bothers you, but plenty of taxis in the northwest keep their running costs down doing just that ... and i have never heard of bolton council knocking one back yet, but they do fail paintwork on a regular basis.

Iain

 

[malcolm]

Ahh got you. I wasn't aware of the types that are normally pressed in with no other location. Couple of tacks on them would hardly do any harm.

 

[Iain Westland]

i am talking about a very few of the older japs, the welds arnt to stop them comming out but just a fail safe .... as for black cabs, there problem in the past has always been corrosion more than mechanical.

 

[future_jack]

For my favourite Renaults it's just as justme said - grind and knock out the original rivets and fit the new balljoints with the bolts that come with the kit. Couldn't be easier.

Probably some confusion developing in this thread though. Attaching the joint to the arm you rarely have a press fit. That's why they give you the bolts. Attaching the taper to the upright and you do have a press fit, and also a nut to maintain that pressed fit. There is surely no place for "a couple of tack welds" in the operation unless those tack welds were the original method of attaching the balljoints.

Maybe you could post photos of the joint types you are thinking of autocare in order to avoid potentially dangerous confusion with all the other types of joint.

I think it's a bolt and rivet type job - how does a press fit work?

The spare I picked up in the factors has a bolt I think. If it's bolt I don't understand why I have to replace the whole arm but I suspect because I didn't replace the whole arm last time is the reason the ball joint failed so soon.

It's going to be a dose getting under the car on axle stands to change that arm - had a quick look this evening and them bolts look like they havn't budged since the car came out of the factory 1 years ago. I've no heat either

 

[future_jack]

Actually mine is something similar to this http://flashoffroad.com/Maintenance/FrontEnd/balljoints/image/upperBallJointRings.jpg

with a bolt at the end as per picture! Is this a press and fit then?

 

[Iain Westland]

agreed

 

[future_jack]

So any idea why you have to change the arm aswell when it's a bolt on unit?

 

[Iain Westland]

check the rubbers on the wishbone, they might be worn, apart from that no reason except money making i suppose ,,,,

Iain

 

[dazzis]

So any idea why you have to change the arm aswell when it's a bolt on unit?

It's called profittering, most major manufacturers (not just in the automotive industry) do this to retain a grip on the market, yours look bolt or rivet in ,if its rivited grind n knock out the rivets and bolt the new un in, but make a note of how many spacers are fitted(gold bits in photo) and bobs yer Uncle, from memory the Delphi group supply oem parts, and have taken over some big manufactures or become partners with em over the years

As to why the fail regularily 2 things spring to mind 1st off could be cheap bits ith low build quality, 2nd have you got loads of speed bumps over yer way.
mate used to fit joints to his ford peole carrier every 2 years (he used genuine for parts). was told its because we live in speed bump city hth

 

[Justme]

So any idea why you have to change the arm aswell when it's a bolt on unit?

For geomotery reasons?
(and to keep the price up)

Car makers like to keep the number of parts in a car to the minimum so sub assemblies rule.

Justme