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Triumph TR6 - Hello from the wheelwell

I decided to change bushings on the '74 TR6..but the ball joints wil not cooperate. I am using a fork type removal tool in an attempt to remove the joints, but hammer and leverage persusaion has failed. Any hints, advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
SM Martinez

Bigger Hammer!
DON KELLY

I've always found the screw type ball joint splitter to be more effective, and it does less damage than big hammers.
Ron
R. Algie

Use a pair of BAH's on opposite sides of the joint. Hold one BAH againts the joint and give the opposite side a hearty rap with the other BAH. Works everytime, I guarantee it.

Rick O.
72 TR6
Rick Orthen

The screw type ball joint splitter worked fine for me also.

Rick you got me puzzled, where is a BAH used for. Are you sure it is a tool ?
In dutch a BAH is somthing baby's deposit in a diaper.

Erik
Erik Creyghton

ok a shot in the dack

BIG ASS HAMMER?????????

Ken Jackson

Erik:

On this side of the big water bah and bfh are the same thing.

To the wheelwell-------Rick's advice is bang [pun NOT intentional] on!! A couple or three good whacks should do the trick. Or-----if you are not changing the ball joint itself just remove the two bolts holding it to the upper a-arms.

Luck!
Tom

I can figure out what the "F" stands for
Got the message
:-)

Erik
Erik Creyghton

Hey Wheelwell:

Don Kelly summed it up in two words - bigger hammer. I used the fork type tool at first with a carpenter's hammer - nothing. Two whacks with a BA ballpeen hammer and off they came. If the ball joints are still good and you destroy the rubber boots you can buy the boots from Moss.

Cheers,
Bob
1976-TR6
Bob Evans

Hey Bob----------

If the ball joint is still good, why remove it from the vertical link? The upper a-arm bushings can be replaced by removing the two bolts holding the ball joint to the [outer] end of the arm------viola!!

What am I missing here? [other than the point]

Luck to all!
Tom

Tom
Good eye lad.
I think you are the only one who got the point.
I might add you also need to remove the "cotter pinned" nuts on the front and back upper A arms. NOTE: the front A arm is marked with an "F" and the rear one with a "R"...they are NOT interchangeable.

I had to do this exact procedure in order to pass the safety.
As far as the ball joint is concerned. If it needs replacing forget the BAH and the BFH just buy the whole thing. MOSS (pair of them)661-080.
I am woundering if you mean the threaded end of the joint will not pop out of the vertical link??? A good dose of WD40 and well get the BAH out:)
Rick C
Rick Crawford

I'd do the whole suspension including the shocks/springs and their rubber seats. Take it all apart, you'll be so proud of your accomplishments!

And reassemble the bushings with a dab of Dutch BAH. You are going with uprated (urethane or nylatron) bushings, right? The stock rubber ones are very retro technology that you should keep in the catalog only.

Rick O.
72 TR6
Rick Orthen

Tom:

I had assumed I'd need a suspension rebuild when I bought my car or probably soon after & ordered a few parts while I had the $$ on hand. My ball joints were better than I thought and I could have reinstalled them with new boots. In any case I installed the new ones. BTW, I installed stock rubber upper A-arm bushings and they are too squeaky - now replacing again with Prothane from Moss - and will not be removing the ball joints. Point taken.

Bob
1976-TR6
Bob Evans

Thank you for the comments, it helped! I found a liittle rust in the culprit ball joint, it was in there good; no pitting in the vertical link seat, and that is good news. The left one popped right out using the fork.

Now that I replaced the bushings with with Prothane, how the he%* do I put the springs back? the TR6 shop manual calls for a jack placed under the spring plate..I have tried this several times (I made a jig to clear the damper studs)and I cannot seem to get it straight, the spring tends to push the plate against the trunion. Peter Russek's repair guide calls for a special spring compressor tool S112/1; I can't find such a tool.

I rented a couple of different sping compressors but they tend to lose the center and the spings tends to be crooked or the drive screw hits the top of the damper housing before compressing enough to do the trick.

I was thinking of cutting a steel plate with a hole in the center for the drive screw (spring compressor), but before I go that route I wanted to ask if someone out there has a source for the "right tool"

Thanks!
SM Martinez

SM--You're on the right track with the screw drive/plate compressor. Check the TRF catalog; I believe they have an illustration of the tool. Just be sure you use quality AllThread rod (me--I bought the tool from TRF).

Rick O.
72 TR6
Rick Orthen

Rick,

Thanks for the tool ref, I ordered one this morning..it would cost me more to make my own.

Steve
74 TR6
SM Martinez

I just used allthread from the hardware store, drilled out a 2X4, used some big washers. I'm sure the premade tool is better, though. There's a lot of energy stored in that spring, even when it's at its lowest fixed point. I parted out a TR3 once without using any compressor, and I had a chain around the spring to keep it from flying away. It scared the crap outa me when it let go, not recommended practice.
Tom

Actually, you don't need "the tool" to remove the spring. Doing the reverse tooless as well (as Bentely would advise) is a sick joke.
Rick Orthen

When i rebuilt my suspension I heated up the vertical link at the ball joint and they popped right out...
jeffm

This thread was discussed between 12/10/2005 and 23/10/2005

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