REPLACING WORN BALLJOINTS

This job is covered by the workshop manuals, although the book specifies the use of a "balljoint separator tool" not found in my toolbox. Instead, I use my own secret weapon.

- Jack up the front of the car and support it on axle stands. Chock the rear wheels and remove the front wheels.
- Unscrew the damper upper mounting nut and pull the damper off the pin.
- Unscrew the balljoint nut as far as it goes. (It stops when it hits the driveshaft joint)
- If you're working on the left side of the car, turn steering wheel fully to the left. (Right = turn right)
- Time for the secret weapon: Insert a 22mm open end spanner between the balljoint and the steering knuckle. This will be directly on the balljoint's rubber gaiter. Drive the spanner fully in with a hammer.
- Make sure the spanner is in position, and carefully step on it.
- Apply full bodyweight on the spanner.
- If this doesn't do the trick, jump up and down, or find a larger sized friend to step on the spanner. Be prepaired to fall, the spanner might slip a few times before you get it right.
- When the balljoint has come loose, insert a large screwdriver between the tapered balljoint pin, and the brake disc shield.
- Press the screwdriver against the balljoint pin, to prevent it from spinning when you unscrew the balljoint nut.
- Unbolt the balljoint from the wishbone, and retract it. This sounds fairly easy, but sometimes the balljoint is stuck to the wishbone. Armed with a rust-dissolver aerosol (CRC 5-56 or WD-40), a hammer, several large flat-blade screwdrivers and large plumber's pliers, I once had to wrestle a balljoint for half an hour before it came off.
- The rest of the procedure is by the book.

In the HAYNES 0765 manual, chapter 10-6, point 7.11, it says something about "raise the suspention until a hardwood or metal block can be inserted beneath the upper wishbone and the bodyframe. Lower the car".
-Not entirely true, this is for the 900 only. On the 99, simply jack up the car and the rubber bump-stops, not found on the 900, will do the rest.

This one might come in handy, when buying the balljoints...