2002 model.. All fairly easy due to all the big sized nuts and bolts.................. apart from getting the upper track control arm ball joint out of the front wheel hub carrier... jesus it took some hitting.
I suppose 13 years sitting in one place it's not going to want to move easily. Also took the precaution of removing the brake disc and undoing the disc shield to get to the inner bolt that holds the ball joint in place, it's a very shallow torq bolt. Much quicker than potentially rounding off the bolt and having to drill it out..


The problem part.. almost rust fused together in the carrier .

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Click image to enlarge

Was toying the idea of changing my same parts as the rears have been done, but I don't know the front ends' history. All driving ok though. Just don't want o junk my new tyres.
How much was your parts bill please. Orig/pattern?

Pattern. £109.

Just changed mine, went OEM with the arms with ball joint attached and then just got the bush and ball joint for the other arm, both sides was under £200... was a right pain pushing out the old bush in the arm though, took well over 10tons to get it out!!! Pete
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You can't put a price on pain... Must remember to move thumb when hitting ball joints in confined spaces.

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ouch! ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

working offshore there'd be a massive inquisition about that (the thumb hit) these days and you'd feel like you'd broken into the palace and been caught on the queens pillow.

be glad when I retire in a few years time ( off due to yet another delayed chopper)

Done a few of these type of jobs where it looks like it will never come off and I have started spraying everything in wd or equivalent 2 or 3 times sometimes a week or two before doing the job if that is possible.What I have found is by spraying up like this you will not believe how much difference it makes to a job.Just done rear shocks on my old 18 year old van with nots half rusted away,got the blowlamp and grinder ready to cut bolts but due to spraying up I didn't need either,just tap off rust ,tap on a socket to fit and came straight off !!

just trying to do this on mine, arms are easy but the ball joint in the upright will not budge, been hitting it for 2 hours now and no movement at all

any tips as i've got to get it finished as driving to Germany tomorrow towing a 3t trailer! 2009(10MY) 3.6 TDV8 Vogue
2004 BMW M3 CSL

A jack under the upright to hold it firm so each hit actually impacts fully on the ball joint - plus a thin wide bolster hit between the "wings" of the joint and the upright.

Don't be gentle.

ball joint fork or take it to a garage..... There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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Ball joint tool isn't of any use as It's not a ball joint that's seized , it's the ball joint body/holder that's stuck/seized in the lower wheel flange

I use a pointed end chisel to hit downwards into the casing of the balljoint, and as mentioned above, a flatter chisel in at the wings.

Benefit of a point end chisel is that it punches into the casing of the balljoint and stays in place each hit rather than sliding off after being hit. Its getting replaced, so why worry about damaging it ... can see below the impact marks left by the pointed chisel:

Click image to enlarge