Restoring ball joints with your own hands using polymer

Why is ball joint repair necessary?

The suspension arms hold the steering knuckle with the hub using ball joints. This is actually the steering axis of the wheel. The unit experiences loads from all sides and wears out quite quickly on uneven roads. Play in the ball joint leads to loose suspension, and, more dangerously, to inaccuracy in the steering. Critical wear can lead to the destruction of the support - and then the car’s wheel will simply fall off. Probably many have observed a similar picture.

Of course, the wheel does not always fall over, especially on foreign cars, but VAZs suffer from this

It’s good if this happens on an unloaded road and at low speed. What if it’s on the highway and high? The consequences can be dire. Therefore, when minimal play appears, you should try to determine possible malfunctions of the ball joints.

Making an extruder with your own hands: details about the complex

Do-it-yourself ball joint remover (drawings)
If you have a home workshop, you can make the device yourself; in extreme cases, you should use the services of a turner.

It is necessary to make a tightly fitted piston and cylinder. Diameter 10–15 cm, length 20–30 cm. The part should not be too bulky

O-rings can be made of rubber, but in most cases a thick grease will suffice. Make O-rings from quality rubber

A fitting for supplying compressed air is connected to the cylinder on the blind side. It is equipped with a ball valve. Hook up the air injection fitting

An adapter is screwed into the open part of the air cylinder. It is equipped with a lock for fixing the cylinder in which the polymer is heated. Equip the device with an adapter

The polymer cylinder is smaller. Due to the difference in diameters, the pressure when pressing the polymer is higher than that supplied from the compressor

Pay attention to the proportions of the polymer barrel and the extruder body itself

Is it possible to cope on your own?

Repairing ball joints on your own is quite difficult. This is due to several factors. First, it is necessary to make an extruder to restore the ball joints. Secondly, the process is quite labor-intensive.

An extruder can be made if you have an old brake master cylinder (MBC). A special lever is inserted into it, which presses on the piston. The design is quite simple and reliable, and most importantly, it is effective. The recovery process is as follows. A small diameter hole is drilled in the body of the ball joint seat. Compressed air cleans the space between the finger and the body. Next, the plastic is placed using an extruder. Do-it-yourself restoration of ball joints has several clear advantages:

solving problems with backlash;
low cost of repairs.

But there are also disadvantages:

the state of the ball remains unknown;
corrosion is not removed.

In general, this is a rather interesting method that allows you to repair a unit without extra costs. But sometimes it needs to be replaced. For example, if the ball does not stay in the seat due to wear on the hinge. Here restoration will not help, a replacement is needed.

Collapsible method

Diagnostics and technology for changing ball joints on a VAZ 2107

Before starting work, it is necessary to dismantle the ball joint.

To do this, follow these steps:

raise the car using a jack;
unscrew the wheel;
turn the steering wheel all the way;
pull out the cotter pin from the nut using pliers;
unscrew the nut, press out the axle with a puller;
unscrew the hinge fastening;
Use a pry bar to press down the lower arm and remove the support.

After this, you can proceed to disassembling this element. The technology of this process depends on its design.

In the case when the body consists of two cups connected to each other by spot welding, the sequence of actions will be as follows:

drill the joints;
separate the two halves using a chisel;
change the finger and liners;
boil the cups together.

During welding work, it is important to ensure that the internal parts do not overheat. If the bottom is inserted inside the ball joint housing, then proceed as follows:

If the bottom is inserted inside the ball joint housing, then proceed as follows:

the rolled edges of the body can be cut off using a grinder or emery;
knock out the bottom with a hammer;
a steel ring 10 mm high with a plug and thread is cut to size;
weld it to the body so that it presses the inserted pin, liner.

At the end, the ball joint is installed in the opposite order of removal. This will be much easier to do.

Why is ball joint repair necessary?

How to avoid problems when replacing ball joints on a Renault Logan

Of course, the wheel does not always fall over, especially on foreign cars, but VAZs suffer from this

Don't delay repairs

The first and main reason to think about it is knocking. It usually occurs at low speeds when hitting bumps (potholes, speed bumps). This indicates the presence of play in the pin in the body, which is a consequence of wear or lack of lubricant. But not only ball joints can knock, but also worn-out silent blocks, stabilizer struts, etc. Therefore, in this case, a thorough diagnosis is needed to determine whether there is any play in the ball joint in the lever. If there is one, even if it is small, then you need to prepare for repair work.

Making a serviceable cover

The blind part of the support body is made removable. At the same time, you can change the plastic inserts many times, each time restoring the functionality of the support. The removable bottom allows for routine inspection without removing the ball joint from the suspension.

Plug: do it yourself

A hole the size of a finger ball is drilled in the bottom (with a small gap, of course).
It is drilled out - it is said conditionally. A milling machine is required. Don’t be afraid to damage the plastic liner when boring, you will still need to change it. The thread is cut inside. This is a rather complicated procedure due to the large diameter. But in any tool shop they will do this kind of work for a nominal fee. Entrust the work to professionals if you are not one yourself
Then a threaded plug is made for this hole, repeating the shape of the standard bottom.
On the manufactured bottom, you must cut slots for the key, otherwise it will be impossible to firmly tighten the repair unit.
Replace on a clean surface, otherwise the meaning of the work is lost.
Now for repairs it will be enough to unscrew the plug, remove the pin (checking its geometry) and replace the plastic inserts.

Repair glass: everything ingenious is simple

The principle is the same as in the first case - to make a replacement bottom. Only the execution is different. If the bottom of the support is too thin to make a full threaded connection, it is necessary to make a repair cup. It is turned on a lathe from a steel circle of suitable diameter. The same hole is made in the bottom of the glass and a thread is cut. And finally, the support replacement bottom is made.

Then the bottom of the cylinder is cut off from the ball joint using a grinder or a hacksaw. A repair glass is welded in its place. The method is more labor-intensive, but it does not allow the finger to heat up during the dismantling process.

Scheme for manufacturing a product variant

Further operation follows the same scheme: when play appears, unscrew the repair plug, remove the pin, change the plastic inserts.

It is worth noting that spare parts manufacturers produce many options for repair ball joints. Replacement inserts and new pins are sold for these collapsible housings. However, in our article we are considering self-production.

Welding as an alternative to replacement

The fastest option for restoring a ball joint. The rear (supporting) part of the cylinder is simply cut off. The method doesn’t matter - you can use a hacksaw, or you can use a grinder, but there will still be a temperature effect afterwards.

Having gained access to the cylinder cavity, you can change the polymer liners.

After installing the new liners, the bottom is carefully welded. In this case, it is necessary to compensate for the production of metal formed during cutting with the thickness of the seam. Usually it is 1.5–2 mm.

Welding is one of the most painstaking options

Flaring as a repair method

This technology requires professional equipment, so it is impossible to flare a ball in a garage. A crimp ring is cut to fit the diameter of the finger ball.

Turning work will find its place here too

The seat and ball are cleaned of dirt and polished. New liners and a crimp ring are selected or machined from caprolon.

It happens that caprolon is not available, but replacing it with steel is not recommended. It’s better to spend money on this material once than to replace it more often than it could be

After assembly, the crimp ring is pressed in and rolled on a press. When crimping, special inserts-clips are used according to the diameter of the ring.

Inserts can also be found in car dealerships.

Purpose and design

A car's ball joint is a joint with a ball at the base. It is placed in a special insert, like a joint with a human hand. Just like with the arm, the joint allows movement in different planes, the ball joint allows the wheel to turn while maintaining its position in the horizontal plane.

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It is located where the suspension arm attaches to the wheel hub. In fact, the ball joint is the fastening element that connects these moving parts. In some models, this applies more to the domestic automobile industry, there are two of them per wheel. In foreign cars - one at a time.

Consider the design of a car ball joint:

Boot - it protects the mechanism from dust, dirt, water and other road objects.
Pin - a metal rod that secures the wheel hub to the hinge
The ball and the finger are one whole. Allows the wheel to move freely in the desired direction. The ball rotates freely in the liner cage
Plastic liner. It “envelops” the hinge ball, fixes it, eliminating play and free movement in the support body.
Frame. It contains the internal part of the structure: a cage with a ball. This part of the joint is bolted to the suspension arm.

Thus, the ball joint is secured, “pressed” with a finger (metal rod) into the seat of the steering knuckle, fixed on it with a washer or cotter pin, and attached to the lever by the body. Only thanks to it the wheel is held on the suspension in a certain position, the car can easily overcome uneven roads and turn at the same time. You can clearly see what a car’s ball joint is made of and how it works in the video.

Video of what's inside the ball joint - disassembling the case and reviewing its internal components:

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Self-diagnosis

The best option to find a fault is always a diagnostic stand at a service station. But it is also possible to find the breakdown yourself. To determine the malfunction of the ball joint by ear, you will need an assistant who will rock the car from side to side, while the owner himself carefully listens to all the creaks and knocks that the suspension makes.

Checking the condition of the ball joints visually is much more effective, but you will need an inspection hole or a lift. The assistant holds the brake pedal, and the owner rocks the wheel. If there is play, then the ball joint must be changed or, in order to save money, try to restore it.

Node diagnostics

You can find out about the need for restoration work on ball joints through diagnostics. As soon as you hear a creaking and knocking sound from the suspension while driving on an uneven road, the unit is worn out and needs to be restored. To accurately determine the source of these sounds, it is better to carry out diagnostics together - one person enters the inspection hole and puts his hand on the ball joint, and the second begins to rock the car.

If the sound is felt by hand, then the support must be removed and checked for play in the hinge joint, securing it in a vice. It should be remembered that the finger should not move under the influence of light forces, but at the same time it should not bite. It is also recommended to carry out a similar check in the following situations:

A squeaking sound is heard when turning the steering wheel.
When driving in a straight line, the car spontaneously wobbles.
To turn the steering wheel you have to apply quite a lot of force.

Ball joint restoration technology

The essence of the second method is that the ball is made collapsible. In this case, it is necessary to disassemble the structure and throw away the old liner. The finger, depending on the condition, is polished or replaced with a new one. A special sleeve with internal thread is welded at the rolling site. The insert is divided into a ring, installed on top, and a plate, the lower part. To securely fix the unit, a clamping nut is used, which is fixed from below using a threaded bushing. You can also install a grease fitting for further maintenance of the unit.

To carry out such work, you will need a machine for restoring ball joints. It is not cheap, so it makes no sense to purchase it for a single repair. Often, ball joints restored using this method are given a mileage guarantee. A completely normal service life can be considered approximately 50,000 kilometers.

Repair or change?

Usually, restoring a ball joint with your own hands does not give the desired result. Of course, there is an effect, but it is short-lived. It’s good if such a design is enough for 20,000 kilometers. Then you will have to repeat everything. If professionals do this, then the resource of the node increases significantly, and the cost of work becomes much less. With this approach you can save up to 70%. But still, in some cases, recovery is impossible. One of the reasons is wear of the seat directly on the lever. This is especially true for metals such as cast iron. It tends to crumble, and with each disassembly service the situation only gets worse.

But still, before replacing the lever, you can perform 2-3 restoration work, and this is already a significant cost savings. In addition, if a service station gives a guarantee of 50,000 kilometers, this does not at all mean that the unit will fail after exactly that mileage. With proper lubrication and driving habits, the ball joint can last much longer.

Polymer restoration using SJR technology

Did the diagnostics reveal a dangerous gap between the ball and the support liner? A dilemma arises: change or restore. Let us briefly describe the structure of the ball joint.

In the areas marked in red, wear is maximum

The unit consists of two parts, a cage and a rotating ball. Between them is a polymer that dampens hard impacts and reduces friction between metal parts. The system works on the principle of a joint capsule in the human legs. It is this polymer that wears out over time, and dangerous play appears.

Since it is impossible to disassemble the ball joint to replace the liner, there is only one thing left to do - melt the polymer and pour it inside. This is the essence of the sjr method.

Pouring polymers can be of different types

A hole is made in the outer casing (clip) of the ball joint. You can use a ready-made grease fitting, if available.
Using a gas burner, the ball joint is heated to the melting point of the polyamide.
At the same time, blanks (cartridges) made of polyamide, similar to the standard one, are heated in a special extruder.
Using an extruder under high pressure, the melt is injected into the cavity between the holder and the moving ball. Moreover, all the cracks, crevices and hollows of the standard liner are filled.
The polymer hardens, taking the shape of the gap. The play has been eliminated, the ball joint has been restored.

Advantages of this method:

Versatility and affordability.
Compactness and mobility of equipment.
Can be used both in a small service station and in your own garage.
Available consumables.

There are also methods using stationary equipment. The repair technology is close to the factory one used in the manufacture of new ball joints. The cost of repair is approaching the price of a new unit, which makes the process unprofitable.

Equipment

Simple equipment for repairing balls includes

Extruder
3 replaceable nozzles
Digital non-contact surface temperature meter
Consumables (polymer) 5 rods
Metal box
Instructions

The entire repair kit fits freely in a small metal box and does not take up much space. There is nothing to break in the extruder, so the purchase, in fact, is made seriously and for a long time. Additionally, you only need to purchase a pyrometer, a gas burner and consumables in the form of polymer rods.

Here you can get acquainted with the equipment for repairing ball joints and steering ends of the 1st modification.

Additional information on SJR ball repair equipment can be obtained by calling: +7910-368-61-09 (Russia), +7705-497-57-09 (Kazakhstan) or in any other way convenient for you, described on the Contacts page.

SJR technology

It is impossible to replace the used polymer, since the ball joint cannot be disassembled. Therefore, all that remains is to fill the junction of the ball and the cage with a portion of a new one, which solidifies to form an ideal liner in terms of size and physical qualities:

Principle

We make a hole in the outer casing of the clip;
Use a gas burner to heat the assembly to the melting temperature of the polymer;

We melt a new portion of the polymer in the extruder;
Under high pressure, molten polyamide is injected into the cavity between the ball and the holder through a previously made hole;
The solution fills all the voids, hardens and forms a new liner, which is not inferior in its characteristics to the factory seal.

Advantages

The advantages of using such technology are quite obvious. This:

Economic benefit. Remanufacturing is always cheaper than buying a new part;
Versatility. Suitable for restoration of any ball joints and steering ends;
Compact dimensions of the necessary equipment. Even the largest machine can be easily moved from place to place by one person and can be conveniently located not only in a spacious car service center, but also in a small garage workshop;
Cheap consumables.

Restoration of support

The extruder, which already contains the polymer, is screwed onto the thread of the pneumatic cylinder. A threaded hole is drilled in the support body. Using this thread, a nozzle is screwed on, which is attached to the extruder through a nozzle.

As soon as the polymer becomes soft, it is necessary to start the pneumatic cylinder, squeezing the material through the plunger into the nozzle and then into the support cavity. The soft polymer fills all the potholes, gaps and cracks, creating a ball liner with increased resistance to impact. Even if the polymer is not poured quite correctly, the new liner can withstand about 30 thousand kilometers.

It is quite possible to assemble such equipment for restoration with your own hands. The extruder can be ordered from a turner. A brake chamber from a ZIL or an old cylinder from a clamshell excavator can be used as a pneumatic cylinder. All other spare parts are sold at any hardware store.

Making a serviceable cover

Plug: do it yourself

A hole the size of a finger ball is drilled in the bottom (with a small gap, of course). It is drilled out - it is said conditionally. A milling machine is required. Don’t be afraid to damage the plastic liner when boring, you will still need to change it. The thread is cut inside. This is a rather complicated procedure due to the large diameter. But in any tool shop they will do this kind of work for a nominal fee.
Then a threaded plug is made for this hole, repeating the shape of the standard bottom.
On the manufactured bottom, you must cut slots for the key, otherwise it will be impossible to firmly tighten the repair unit.
Now for repairs it will be enough to unscrew the plug, remove the pin (checking its geometry) and replace the plastic inserts.

Repair glass: everything ingenious is simple

Scheme for manufacturing a product variant

Further operation follows the same scheme: when play appears, unscrew the repair plug, remove the pin, change the plastic inserts.

Welding as an alternative to replacement

Having gained access to the cylinder cavity, you can change the polymer liners.

Welding is one of the most painstaking options

Flaring as a repair method

This technology requires professional equipment, so it is impossible to flare a ball in a garage. A crimp ring is cut to fit the diameter of the finger ball.

Turning work will find its place here too

The seat and ball are cleaned of dirt and polished. New liners and a crimp ring are selected or machined from caprolon.

It happens that caprolon is not available, but replacing it with steel is not recommended. It’s better to spend money on this material once than to replace it more often than it could be

After assembly, the crimp ring is pressed in and rolled on a press. When crimping, special inserts-clips are used according to the diameter of the ring.

Inserts can also be found in car dealerships.

Repair work

It should be immediately noted that after the repair is completed, the ball joint will not be completely restored and its service life will be shorter. However, if everything was done correctly, then you don’t have to worry about the safety of the unit’s operation. There are several ways to restore the ball's functionality. At home, two technologies are most often used:

Repair of ball joints with polymer using SJR technology.
Collapsible - the body is converted from a non-separable one into a collapsible one, after which the ball surface of the pin is polished and the liners are changed.

Using polymer

The essence of this method is to inject heated polymer material into the housing. In this case, the support does not need to be disassembled, but an extruder must be manufactured. It is worth noting the main advantages of this method:

Since the housing structure is not destroyed, high reliability of the factory connection is ensured.
The polymer fills all the voids and wear-out areas that caused the support to fail.
When the material hardens, it forms a solid liner, the characteristics of which are at least as good as the factory part, and sometimes even superior.
The polymer contains special ingredients that provide high-quality dry lubrication of the finger.
High strength under impact loads is achieved.

To use this technology, a hole must be drilled in the lower part of the body, the diameter of which is selected in accordance with the extruder used. It is necessary to thoroughly clean the gap between the liners and the ball surface of the pin from dirt, and also blow the assembly with air to remove chips and grains of sand.

The polymer is injected into the housing using an extruder through a pre-drilled hole. Once the plastic composition has hardened, the repair work can be considered complete. The only drawback of this technology is the inability to check the geometry of the spherical surface of the finger.

Collapsible method

After the support is removed, it is necessary to disassemble the housing. To do this, you will need to drill out all the welding points in one half, then divide the part into two parts using a hammer and chisel. Then the flared edges are ground down and a blow is applied to the end of the pin to separate the bottom of the body. After measuring the inner and outer diameters of the body, a ring with similar dimensions and internal threads is made, as well as a plug that is screwed into this part. The height of the ring should be about 10 cm.

After this, a new liner and the restored finger are placed in the body. Having connected the two parts of the body, they should be secured by welding. Care must be taken to avoid overheating the liner.

Then the previously made ring must be welded to the body. After this, all that remains is to screw the plug into the body to tighten the liner and drill a small hole in it (diameter about 2 mm) for the cotter pin.

What is needed for the work

The economy class set is shown in the photo:

The cost of the kit will be recouped only after a while. Rarely does anyone buy it at once - it’s unprofitable

The most important part of the kit is the extruder. It heats up and forms the consistency of polyamide.
Transition fittings, with the help of which the melt is poured under pressure into the ball joint.
A gas torch or a hair dryer to heat up the ball joint (if this is not done, the polymer will harden when pouring, and there will not be 100% filling).
Remote thermometer to control heating.
An air compressor that creates pressurized air for the extruder.

A more advanced version has a piston that creates pressure for the extruder without the use of compressed air.

As you can see, there are also many types of equipment

There is no need to buy a compressor, but the kit itself is more expensive. But you can control the heating temperature using your own thermometer (again, there is no need to purchase one). A gas torch or hair dryer is still needed to warm up the ball joint before filling.

The workbench will provide convenience and safety

Repairing ball joints with polymer using the sjr method: how and why?

Every owner of his own car dreams of saving on its maintenance. Replacing ball joints is one of the expense items, especially taking into account our roads. And if the suspension design involves simultaneous replacement of the ball and lever, the question becomes a pretty penny. To help drivers, SJR technology was invented - restoration (repair) of ball joints with polymer.

What is needed for the work

The economy class set is shown in the photo:

The cost of the kit will be recouped only after a while. Rarely does anyone buy it at once - it’s unprofitable

The most important part of the kit is the extruder. It heats up and forms the consistency of polyamide.
Transition fittings, with the help of which the melt is poured under pressure into the ball joint.
A gas torch or a hair dryer to heat up the ball joint (if this is not done, the polymer will harden when pouring, and there will not be 100% filling).
Remote thermometer to control heating.
An air compressor that creates pressurized air for the extruder.

A more advanced version has a piston that creates pressure for the extruder without the use of compressed air.

As you can see, there are also many types of equipment

Important! The mobile kit allows you to perform work directly under the bottom of the car without removing the ball joint. However, this is not recommended, since local heating using a burner is impossible, and there is a danger of damaging the brake hoses or rubber boots. Therefore, do not be lazy to dismantle the ball joint and carry out the work on a workbench.

The workbench will provide convenience and safety

Making an extruder with your own hands: details about the complex

If you have a home locksmith workshop, you can make the device yourself; in extreme cases, you should use the services of a turner.

It is necessary to make a tightly fitted piston and cylinder.
Diameter 10–15 cm, length 20–30 cm. The part should not be too bulky
O-rings can be made of rubber, but in most cases a thick grease will suffice.
Make O-rings from quality rubber
A fitting for supplying compressed air is connected to the cylinder on the blind side.
It is equipped with a ball valve. Hook up the air injection fitting
An adapter is screwed into the open part of the air cylinder.
It is equipped with a lock for fixing the cylinder in which the polymer is heated. Equip the device with an adapter
The polymer cylinder is smaller.
Due to the difference in diameters, the pressure when pressing the polymer is higher than that supplied from the compressor. Pay attention to the proportions of the polymer barrel and the extruder body itself

An extruder is sometimes called a remanufacturing machine or stand.

Restoring balls using a homemade extruder

Once the extruder is assembled, you simply load the polymer cartridge into the barrel and connect it to the prepared hole in the ball joint.

While simultaneously heating the ball body and the cylinder with polyamide, you shake the ball pin for uniform penetration of the melt. Once the air cylinder in the extruder stops, the process is considered complete.

Allow the polymer to harden inside the part, and you can install the ball joint on the car.

Filling balls on a Toyota Corolla: video

There is no need to remove the polyamide from the cylinder after work. It will melt again when the next part is restored.

By making such a device, you will not only be able to save on suspension maintenance, but also earn money by providing similar services to friends. The cost of purchasing components for the extruder is recouped after rebuilding a pair of ball joints.

About the device

If you didn’t click on the link above and didn’t read it, here I’ll remind you a little about the structure. You need to understand that the ball joint serves for a movable joint that can rotate, that is, movement in several planes at once. In cars it is mainly used in the front suspension to turn the front wheels.

SO:

There is a cylindrical body.
A polymer liner that is immersed in it.
Metal finger or “ball” or rod, there are many names. On one side it has a spherical element, on the other side there is a threaded rod.
The boot protects the structure from the penetration of dust and dirt.
Pressure spring or even the bottom. By the way, sometimes it is not there if the support is not collapsible.

Just like that, but we need this in order to understand how to restore.

Removal and installation

If after carrying out diagnostic measures it becomes clear that the unit is worn out, it must be repaired. Many novice car owners cope with all the work and restore the ball joints with their own hands. To remove and install the support after repair, you will need several tools:

Special puller for supports.
Car stand.
Jack.
Mount.
Pliers.
A set of keys.

Most often, ball joint pullers are not universal. If you cannot find the required tool, you can solve the problem using a hammer. Moreover, its weight should be about 600 grams. In addition, you need to know the place where you should strike so as not to damage the node.

If the nut on the pin has a cotter pin, it should be removed using pliers. This will allow you to unscrew the nut and use a puller or hammer to squeeze out the pin. After this, you should unscrew the housing mount and, using a pry bar, press the lower lever to remove the support.

To install the unit after repair, you first need to attach the housing to the lower arm. After tightening the fasteners, use a pry bar to release the lever and return the pin to the socket. Then the nut is screwed onto it and tightened. If after this the finger rotates, then the lower lever must be pulled up. The last step will be to install the cotter pin on the nut or replace the old one with a self-locking one.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=8CjVcRs508g

Equipment for restoration and restoration of ball joints

Ball joints prevent the vehicle's front wheels from turning outward, keeping them upright. The supports constantly withstand enormous loads, so they have to be changed quite often.

Moreover, for some models, they can only be replaced together with the control lever, and this is an expensive and complicated procedure.

There is a technology for restoring supports that saves money for car owners and even machines that craftsmen make with their own hands.

Ball joint restoration machine

The technology described above is implemented using a machine. It consists of:

control unit with a display showing the current and final temperatures;

extruder;

6 atm compressor;

pneumatic cylinder;

thermal pencil;

set of injector adapters;

polymer.

Additionally, you need to purchase a gas burner and plumbing tools.

How to restore ball joints yourself

Ball joints take on the weight of the front part of the vehicle, including the power plant. Also, during movement, this unit is exposed to constant shock load.

It is quite obvious that in such conditions the service life of the support is limited, even if it is made of the most durable alloys.

As a result, many car owners are faced with the need to restore ball joints.

Device and purpose

The ball joint allows for a reliable movable connection between the wheel hub and the suspension arm. The assembly includes a housing, a ball pin , and an insert made of plastic. The body most often has a welded structure - two parts with a stamped spherical recess for the finger are connected using spot welding.

Essentially, this element is a thick-walled glass made of metal into which an insert with a finger is then inserted. To make the housing structure non-separable, its edges are flared.

Often the liner is not manufactured separately, but the area between the walls of the housing and the ball surface of the finger is filled with a special polymer material. To protect the unit from dirt and water, a boot is placed on top.

It should be noted that active wear of the ball joint begins after the boot is damaged . Until this happens, the unit is practically not subject to wear. Thus, if you monitor the condition of this element and replace it in a timely manner, you can significantly increase the life of the unit.

However, it is worth remembering that the weld joints do not have sufficient tightness and even with an intact boot, water can get inside. To avoid this, the case should be filled with lithol.

Node diagnostics

You can find out about the need for restoration work on ball joints through diagnostics.

As soon as you hear a creaking and knocking sound from the suspension while driving on an uneven road, the unit is worn out and needs to be restored.

To accurately determine the source of these sounds, it is better to carry out diagnostics together - one person enters the inspection hole and puts his hand on the ball joint, and the second begins to rock the car.

A squeaking sound is heard when turning the steering wheel.
When driving in a straight line, the car spontaneously wobbles.
To turn the steering wheel you have to apply quite a lot of force.

Removal and installation

Special puller for supports.
Car stand.
Jack.
Mount.
Pliers.
A set of keys.

There is no need to try to knock your finger out of the seat. The blow should be directed perpendicular to the finger along the eyelet. To remove the ball joint, you first need to loosen the front wheels and jack up the car. After this, the wheel is removed.

To install the unit after repair, you first need to attach the housing to the lower arm. After tightening the fasteners, use a pry bar to release the lever and return the pin to the socket.

Then the nut is screwed onto it and tightened. If after this the finger rotates, then the lower lever must be pulled up.

The last step will be to install the cotter pin on the nut or replace the old one with a self-locking one.

Repair work

Repair of ball joints with polymer using SJR technology.
Collapsible - the body is converted from a non-separable one into a collapsible one, after which the ball surface of the pin is polished and the liners are changed.

Using polymer

Since the housing structure is not destroyed, high reliability of the factory connection is ensured.
The polymer fills all the voids and wear-out areas that caused the support to fail.
When the material hardens, it forms a solid liner, the characteristics of which are at least as good as the factory part, and sometimes even superior.
The polymer contains special ingredients that provide high-quality dry lubrication of the finger.
High strength under impact loads is achieved.

Repair methods

Currently, there are several recovery methods that are popular. One of them is that the lever is dismantled and the rolling is removed. Next, the ball itself is disassembled directly. When visually inspecting the finger, two options are possible: grinding or replacing with a new one. You also need to grind out the liner. For this, caprolon or fluoroplastic is usually used. This completes the restoration of the ball joints. The lever is lubricated, and everything is installed on the car.

It is worth noting that the resource largely depends on the condition of the liner. If caprolon wears out, backlash appears. The beating leads to complete wear of the plastic, and the finger in the body begins to loosen a lot. As a result, it hits the mounting hole of the lever, and the ball gradually wears out, decreasing in size. Ultimately, this can lead to the ball breaking out and the car not going anywhere.

About symptoms of malfunction

Before dealing with restoration, it is necessary to understand why ball joints fail and how this manifests itself while driving. Firstly, it is necessary to take into account the service life - it ranges from 20,000 to 150,000 thousand kilometers. It all depends on the driving style and design features of the car. The main drawback is the boot, or rather, the low quality of the rubber. If it is damaged, then dust, dirt, etc. gets on the hinge. The lubricant is washed out and biting and wear appear. In the future, the situation only gets worse.

Car front suspension

Half shafts If the hum increases with increasing speed, then they are faulty. The axle shaft itself does not break, but it has a weak point - the bearing. Within 3 weeks it is necessary to repress it or replace it along with the axle shaft.

CV joint If the CV joints (grenades) are faulty, clicks will be clearly heard when turning. Especially if you turn the steering wheel from side to side at idle. In this case, urgent replacement is required.

Removing the CV joint from the axle shaft

Ball joints. If there is a malfunction, they creak or knock when driving on uneven roads and bumps. It is necessary to replace them as quickly as possible, otherwise the car will end up in the middle of the road, with the wheel unnaturally turned out.

Wheel bearings. Front wheel bearings can produce both knocking and noise. The noise occurs as a result of wear of the bearing rollers and the separator raceway, and the knocking occurs from strong play in the bearings. It is not difficult to make a diagnosis yourself. To do this, you need to jack up the left side of the car and sharply turn the wheel. If there is a hum that sounds like a metal ball rolling on a sheet of metal, the bearing needs to be replaced. Next, grab the upper inner section of the wheel with your left hand, and the lower outer section with your right hand. Now you need to shake the wheel “to the point of breaking”. If it “lobs” even a little, contact a specialist to eliminate the play in the hub bearing, otherwise its service life will be halved.

Steering. You should start with the gearbox, which sometimes knocks as a result of wear on the main pair and creaks when turning the steering wheel in different directions. As a rule, the problem is solved by lubricating and adjusting the steering shaft. And the steering ends and rods knock like ball joints, and the knocking only appears on rough roads. They urgently need to be changed.

Shock absorbers. As a rule, they do not bother you with “sounds,” but if sounds are still present, you can clearly hear them on an uneven road: they squeak and knock. Their disease is wear of cushions, rubber bushings, and oil leakage. You need to rock the car (press on the trunk and fenders) and listen for knocking noises. If the body continues to sway even after you stop the impact, it means the bushings and cushions are worn out. Driving on such shock absorbers is dangerous, because when you press the brakes sharply, the braking distance doubles. In addition, the cause of the breakdown may be an oil leak from the shock absorber, which is noticeable to the naked eye (you will see adhered dirt and smudges on the body). This shock absorber needs to be replaced.

Springs. Unpleasant sounds of rubbing metal elements are often produced by springs. The reason is incorrect installation - to fix the problem, you should contact the specialists who installed them.

Brakes. Brake pads sometimes whistle when the pedal is applied, even to the point of grinding. If the pads are new, most likely they just haven’t gotten used to it yet, and the noise will disappear after 1-2 thousand kilometers on its own. However, there is a risk that they are crooked, that is, defective. Therefore, if the sound does not disappear after some time, and the car changes trajectory when braking (it pulls to the right or left), the pads should be replaced. On cars that are expensive to maintain, they are quite expensive, so the problem can be solved in another way: remove the brake disc and sharpen it on a machine, and process the brake pads using a grinding wheel.

Self-diagnosis

Restoring balls using a homemade extruder

Once the extruder is assembled, you simply load the polymer cartridge into the barrel and connect it to the prepared hole in the ball joint. While simultaneously heating the ball body and the cylinder with polyamide, you shake the ball pin for uniform penetration of the melt. Once the air cylinder in the extruder stops, the process is considered complete. Allow the polymer to harden inside the part, and you can install the ball joint on the car.

Filling balls on a Toyota Corolla: video

https://youtube.com/watch?v=J4m5X4MGejM

There is no need to remove the polyamide from the cylinder after work. It will melt again when the next part is restored.

Instructions for restoring SJR ball joints

Repair / From Vladimir

Polymer restoration using SJR technology
What is needed for the work
Making an extruder with your own hands: details about the complex equipment operation diagram on video

Restoring balls using a homemade extruder Filling balls on a Toyota Corolla: video

How to lubricate ball joints

Various extraneous noises that irritate the driver when driving often have the same cause - insufficiently lubricated ball joints (BJ).

Should we treat this as an unfortunate inevitability, or is it better to lubricate the supports? Each driver decides for himself, but there are proven recommendations based on practical experience.

It is preferable to follow them if you do not want to spend extra money due to problems with such an important car part as ball joints.

To lubricate or not?

Do ball joints need to be lubricated before installation and during operation? To give the correct answer, it is worth understanding the principle of construction of any of these supports. It can be designed in different ways, but it must have a ball joint, as well as a pin. The base serves to support the hinge; the boot covers the support on top.

During operation, the hinge constantly shifts, which contributes to its rapid wear. In addition, dirt often accumulates in the empty space between the base and the boot, which interferes with the operation of the part.

An alarming sign in this case is the appearance of knocks and creaks. To prevent this from happening, the space under the boot must be completely filled with auto-lubricant.

It is very important to know what is the best way to lubricate ball joints for the most durable operation.

How to lubricate ball joints

How to lubricate the ball joint before installation? The most common options are:

lithium based;
calcium based.

Among lithium auto lubricants, Litol-24 and CIATIM-201 are popular. They contain oil and lithium soap in different proportions, and they also differ in the composition of additional additives.

The stabilizing substances present in Litol-24 ensure good preservation of the hinge and low lubricant consumption during its operation. However, this auto lubricant does not tolerate low temperatures well. CIATIM-201 stabilizes SHO to a lesser extent, but it better protects them from frost, and is cheaper.

Equipment for restoring ball joints

The quality of our roads does not need any additional description and is well known not only to all drivers, but also to passengers.

The first thing that suffers from its low level is the ball joints, which experience destructive influences from all sides while the vehicle is moving.

The diagram shows in red the zones of maximum load exerted on the node connection: The node itself consists of two elements:

DIY ball joint remover: instructions and materials

When repairing the chassis of any car, it becomes necessary to remove steering rods or ball joints.

In both cases, their tip has a conical shape, which ensures optimal fit of the products in the socket.

During operation, they become very compact, and if moisture gets between them, then corrosion forms at their joints. It makes it even more difficult to separate these parts.

To make repair work easier, a do-it-yourself ball joint remover would be an excellent option, which will greatly simplify the repair and help remove the tip with little effort.

Why do you need a ball joint remover?

Without it, it is difficult to dismantle and carry out repair work on the chassis of the car; a puller may also be needed to disassemble the steering joints. It can be used for ball joints of different diameters. When choosing its design, they rely on the technical characteristics of a particular car.

Theoretically, the dismantling of ball joints can be carried out with any available tool, using a sledgehammer or hammer, but such repairs are classified as “stressful”.

If a car service center offers just such services, then you should think carefully before agreeing to them. After all, after such a repair, the impact goes to the suspension elements, which can quickly fail.

What does a puller look like?

There are three types of pullers:

lever;
ball;
wedge (fork together with hammer).

They differ in appearance, but their operating principle is the same. The finger is twisted out of its seat using a hammer or by turning the nut.

The puller is designed in such a way that it fills the space between the connected parts and after turning it you can hear a click, indicating that the connection has loosened and you can remove the ball joint from its seat.

The puller helps even a novice in auto repair work to dismantle it.

Which puller is better?

In the video you can see several options for ball pullers, among them the screw one is considered the best, but only it must be made with high quality.

Its analogue in the form of a fork is universal, since it can be used not only for ball joints, it also helps when removing steering ends. However, its work can negatively affect the anthers.

There are difficult cases when you have to work with a puller and a hammer in pairs: first, the supports are pushed apart with a screw, and then you need to strike with a sledgehammer.

Diagram of a homemade ball joint remover

The main components of a screw puller are:

steering knuckle (2);
hinge pin (1), which is set to position 2;
puller bracket (3), it fits directly onto the fist;
When turning, the screw stop (4) creates the necessary pressure on position 1.

This design is superior to the fork and lever model in that it can not only be made with your own hands. Also, during its operation, uniform pressure is created on the entire area of the ball joint, which eliminates damage to components and their distortions.

The only drawback may be the lack of free space above the fastening nut, which is why such a puller may not fit.

Materials needed for production

The tools and materials available in the workshop will do; you will need to find:

a hammer and a vice to bend the rod in the desired direction;
die used for carving;
a long steel rod (15-17 cm), its diameter can be from 10 to 12 mm, it can be replaced with a suitable bolt;
drill;
nut, its size is selected according to the bolt used;
a plate about 50 mm thick, made of metal, measuring 2x8 cm;
welding machine;
Bulgarian.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

The device for removing ball joints is quite complicated, but if you follow the step-by-step instructions, you can do it yourself:

using a vice and a hammer, you need to bend the rod or bolt so that one arm is about half as long as the other (one side is 5 cm, the other 10-12 cm);
cut a thread on the long part of the rod using a die;
cut a hole on the metal plate that will be specifically for the support pin;
bend the part into a wedge so that it can be put on it;
Place the finished wedge on the rod and tighten the nut on top, but so that it can move along the bolt.

The finished device is suitable for emergency and planned replacement of ball joints on Zhiguli and Lanos, as well as some brands of foreign manufacturers.

The manufactured puller is not universal and cannot be used for different components, but if you succeeded in doing it the first time, then subsequent versions will be much easier.