Ok thanks MikeO

Seen Edd China just bash them with two hammers, one each side to shock it out... I'm guessing that won't do it.

Wanting to preserve the boot, anyone else have a view on this?

. Cheers, Greg
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2011 Vogue SE 4.4 with lots of toys in Stornaway

Just tried to do this arm today but found breaking the taper with this separator

Big hammer....

You will knacker the rubber however you get it out, so plan to replace the cassette ball joint, which is honestly the pig bit of the job.

I ended up just smashing at it until it came off then drilling out the cassette joint. If the big bush on the top end has failed then the bottom ball joint is likely to be pretty much past it unless you have had them done.

Snapped the prongs on a separator getting them to split. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Looking at these

Worth a try, there’s not a lot of space between the rubber and the arm but they look quite slim. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Bought this and it did work perfectly.

Click image to enlarge

Yep, that looks scoobied...... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Thanks to all the previous contributors logging their experience I was able to do this job in 20 minutes today. Didn't need to take the caliper off. I loosened the arm at the bush end (21mm spanner as previously mentioned by others) and then the nut at the top of the ball joint (also 21mm) I then took my FBH and gave the ball joint housing a few (about a dozen) whacks and the taper went pop.

Undid the height sensor, took the bolt out of the bush end and then the nut on the ball joint. Replaced arm and tightened everything up.

Def worth a try if you don't want the effort of removing caliper, moving dust shield and having to get a long ball joint splitter fork. You can be quite mediaeval with the hub with the hammer where the ball joint goes through it. I turned the steering fully left to help access. Dec 2021- 2010 Facelift TDV8 4.4 AB in Stornoway Grey.

Goldstar, did you remember to tighten the suspension arm nuts with the weight of the car on it's wheels?

Good question. Belt and braces - I jacked the hub up to the correct height and tightened there first then checked the nut again after a test drive. Dec 2021- 2010 Facelift TDV8 4.4 AB in Stornoway Grey.

I probably ought to anyway as I don’t know when it was last done but do I “need” a tracking check after changing this arm?

Thanks Dec 2021- 2010 Facelift TDV8 4.4 AB in Stornoway Grey.

As there is no adjustment points on it, then no. In practice, the bushes will be tighter so could pull everything in a bit. Think of how much an unevenly worn tyre will cost to replace vs. the cost of a wheel alignment
I've just replaced all the tyres on mine, along with a height calibration, a wheel alignment makes sense given the extra rubber between the wheel centre and the road.
Admittedly, it didn't cost me anything other than using a 0.5 days holiday that was rapidly expiring, I would recommend having both the height & geometry checked when tyres are replaced - if for no other reason than checking for worn suspension components that will cause uneven tyre wear.

My track rods had to be turned in a total of one turn to bring the wheels back in line after changing my lower arms so I would if I were you.

Booked in for Friday. Thanks chaps Dec 2021- 2010 Facelift TDV8 4.4 AB in Stornoway Grey.

One question for the panel, why do you torque a nut then add a quarter turn?
Why not just torque it to a higher Nm ?


The bolts are single use with 'over stretching' providing extra thread locking in assemblies subject to constant vibration under heavy loading.

Tightening to the specified torque stretches the bolt past its 'elastic limit' (under which it would return to its starting length if undone - elastic behaviour). Adding a quarter turn puts a known amount of extra, non-elastic 'plastic' stretch into the bolt, plus the full elastic stretch pressure; the bolt can NOT rattle loose.

The metal's elastic behaviour is greatly altered by the plastic stretching, with a new and much lower elastic limit value and it should not be re-used after undoing from its plastically deformed fastening. But people are people and temporary fixes may need to be applied in remote areas, so the engineers who designed the bolt specifications calculated in enough 'second elastic limit' to allow 2 'safe' uses. But the torque value for the extra quarter turn are greatly different for each final tightening. Rather than confuse auto mechanics with first and second use torque values the 'extra quarter turn' directive is applied.

Whenever you see 'single use' or 'extra quarter turn' believe it. It means pre-tension to ~half the first stretch torque until final tightening (this allows for loosening and re-adjusting while still below the second elastic limit) then only fully tighten when all is aligned. Never trust that the bolt has not been used twice - ALWAYS fit new 'single use' bolts.

[Prior to retirement I was a metallurgist, so just to repeat the message with added authority - Never trust that the bolt has not been used twice - ALWAYS fit new 'single use' bolts.]

bye. 2003 TD6, EGR delete, vortex crankcase breather update, performance chip, UHF 2 way, Android head unit, crash camera on dash, always-on rear view camera to mirror screen, LED DRL`s, Electric trailer brake controller. FSR replaced. Pulling 3T caravan all about Australia

Last edited by bgennette on 9th Dec 2022 1:31am. Edited 1 time in total