2000 Mountaineer UCA Install problrm

[hyperexplore]

Installed new UCA's today had a hard time getting the pinch bolt to hold the bottom of the ball joint tight. Checked the new and the old with a caliper and both are the same. Had to grind out the pinch opening (a little for for the pinch bolt to hold the ball joint tight.
Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Turdle]

You didn't get the upper joint shaft into the knuckle far enough. it is not a "pinch " type lock at all, rather there is a groove in the upper ball joint shaft which the bolt slides through. This locks it into the knuckle.



Back to work

 

[hyperexplore]

it only goes in so far before it stops due to the change in the thickness of the shaft.

 

[Turdle]

Nope, it will fully seat all the way to the rubber boot. You have to go straight in though. Try putting a jack under the lower arm , bringing it up a bit.

Once the shaft is in all the way, Then the bolt will go thru

Here is a picture, if you look real close you'll see the ring at the base of the ball joint shaft. This smaller diameter ring is where the bolt rides. In other words, the ball joint will not slide out if the bolt is there, with or without the nut.

 

[hyperexplore]

I'm talking about the bottom of the ball joint that sits in the spindle . The pinch bolt is supposed to squeeze the shaft on the bottom of the ball joint.
but it does not squeeze tight enough to hold it.

 

[Turdle]

I'm talking about the bottom of the ball joint that sits in the spindle . The pinch bolt is supposed to squeeze the shaft on the bottom of the ball joint.
but it does not squeeze tight enough to hold it.

No, it is not supposed to " squeeze it tight"

the bolt rides in the groove which is Machined around the shaft. You do not have it far enough in. Once it is far enough the bolt will slide right in.

Take a picture of your old one, put it on photobucket and I will show you. Push the rubber boot up enough to see the machined ring groove

 

[hyperexplore]

This as far as I could get it to go. Do I have to spread the opening in the spindle to make it fit to the notch ?

 

[corkey]

you have to take the bolt all the way out to get it in there properly,,

once the bolt is out it will go in till the bolt passes through again in the groove

 

[corkey]

and it is way easier to do with the wheel off,

 

[corkey]

so it ends up bottomed out like this,,

parden the blurry image, Turdle was working on it still,

 

[hyperexplore]

I had the feel off earlier. Question is that the ball joint wont push all the way into the spindle for the bolt to pass through the notch in the ball joint shaft. Is it easy to spread apart the spindle opening so the ball joint shaft will go in ?

 

[corkey]

use a pry bar on the arm to pull it down,while you have something under the spindle it will go, ,
and yes sometimes a small screwdriver in there helps, but go easy,, they are cast and will split costing a bunch,,

 

[Turdle]

It is not in all the way

The reason you are having trouble is you are going in at an angle. You need it to be straight in line to go in. Raise the lower arm a tad, and use a hammer on the upper arm to drive it home

Maybe this picture will help. Make the yellow and red lines straight.



the bolt needs to be all the way out to get the ball joint shaft seated, then you can "catch it" with the bolt. Once you get it seated further you will understand what I mean by catching it with the bolt.

 

[hyperexplore]

Thanks I'll got the idea. Ill get back on tomorrow. need some tequila now.

 

[Turdle]

Thanks I'll got the idea. Ill get back on tomorrow. need some tequila now.

Well, at least you got your priorities in line.

 

[hyperexplore]

No matter what I try it will not go in.