Ball Joint replacment

[Jordanfaf]

Failed my NCT on a worn ball joint, Renault Ireland want 220 euro for a new lower suspension arm.
so i went on MicksGarage.com, typed in my reg and ordered 2 of the ball-joints they recommended. Thankfully @bbsboy on the forum brought to my attention that the ball-joint i orderd is off a standard 1.2 clio, not a 197 (thanks micks garage)

am i gonna have to go buy a lower suspension arm now, i cant find the ball joint on its own anywhere, and dont know if its even possible to change just the ball joint on its own. I need this fixed ASAP to make the NCT retest date.

has anyone changed theirs before or am i best swallow the big expensive pill and but the arm off Ebay

 

[nutnutwelshman]

@-Eddie- can you help bud TX Kevin

 

[-Eddie-]

Where abouts in Ireland are you? The lower balljoint can be changed, it's a tricky job but can be done and can be ordered separately from the arm. I work for Renault main dealer so if you need help give me a shout.


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[nutnutwelshman]

Where abouts in Ireland are you? The lower balljoint can be changed, it's a tricky job but can be done and can be ordered separately from the arm. I work for Renault main dealer so if you need help give me a shout.


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Thank you @-Eddie- much appreciated

 

[Jordanfaf]

@-Eddie- living in south Dublin. I have a friend who works in BMW who said he can do all the work for me with their equipment, so I just need the part really.

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[-Eddie-]

That's what you need if it's the lower balljoint.


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[Jordanfaf]

@-Eddie- is there a way for me to check that it defo is the lower joint and not the upper. The fail sheet I have only says worn ball joint on it.

I have a diagnostics report from Renault Belgard that was done a few months back. But it also does not specify lower or upper joint.

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[-Eddie-]

I would just get your friend to get it on a ramp to double check which one has play. If it's both you would be as well replacing the hub assembly.


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[turkie172]

I hate to say it but the ball joints listed in Micks garage website are the wrong ones for a 197 they are for normal Clio's and make sure your BMW friend knows the 197 is different also the lower arm is different than standard Clio's as well this is a hub assembly.

And this is what a lower arm looks like


A lot of websites and motor factors list the wrong parts for Renault sport cars it's just a fact so make sure you ordered the right parts and if you want to look for a part get the Renault part number and search for parts that cross reference it don't ever order anything by the description. You really need to sign up and pay the forum it really helps I just don't want you to buy stuff that's wrong and you absolutely need to know what bit has failed

 

[Mattb_197]

As above, the ball joints on these aren't like you get on most other cars and they're a lot harder to change as you have to remove quite a lot of other things to get to them.

Entire hub assembly with ball joint already attached: http://www.k-tecracing.com/show_product.asp?id=5078&appid=3
Ball joint on it's own (you'll need two, best to do both sides really): http://www.k-tecracing.com/show_product.asp?id=5204&appid=3

Labour wise your talking a good 2-3 hours a side IF everything comes off and goes back on smoothly.

I still can't believe how common a fail item these are, pretty poor design! Both of mine were well shot with only 58k on the clock.

 

[Jordanfaf]

@turkie182 would you be able to tell me if these are the correct tie rod ends?





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[turkie172]

What your showing there is track rod ends not ball joints you need to do a couple of things, one show some appreciation if you have a 197 sign up to the forum its a £5 you can pay with PayPal and get access to more info like a how to section you cant see it as an unpaid member but its there for guides like take the bumper off change shocks etc. but it's up to you. Second what the hell is wrong with the car you are trying to fix 3 of us have been talking about ball joints to help you and your looking at track rod ends we want to help but your not helping yourself. Now they look like the right shape ones but I'm not cross referencing part numbers for you I have just bought inner and outer track rod ends the genuine inner ones at £38 each are stamped TRW so buy the TRW ones they will be around half the price. the outer ones I've bought are lemforder 30621 02 009 (7701474796 Ren part number) and 30620 02 009 (7701474795) now here is what you should do as you will have to get the wheel alignment done after fitting unless you have accurately measured them before changing the outside ones, change the inner ones as well if your keeping the car and do both sides and the job is done for a few years, as both sides have done the same work next year you will have to do the other side and pay for re alignment again but money does not always allow for this I understand. The other benefit would be you get the feel of what the steering should be like and if you sell the car it's one less thing a test driver can cry about. Because these parts wear slow you don't notice it day to day until they are replaced and you say to yourself I should have done it ages ago.

 

[bbsboy]

That's what you need if it's the lower balljoint.


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I think Jordan is looking the ball joint in the wishbone, that's the lower swivel joint on the upright.

Could you check with parts tomorrow if the joint that's in the wishbone is available? I could do with one too

 

[Jordanfaf]

What your showing there is track rod ends not ball joints you need to do a couple of things, one show some appreciation if you have a 197 sign up to the forum its a £5 you can pay with PayPal and get access to more info like a how to section you cant see it as an unpaid member but its there for guides like take the bumper off change shocks etc. but it's up to you. Second what the hell is wrong with the car you are trying to fix 3 of us have been talking about ball joints to help you and your looking at track rod ends we want to help but your not helping yourself. Now they look like the right shape ones but I'm not cross referencing part numbers for you I have just bought inner and outer track rod ends the genuine inner ones at £38 each are stamped TRW so buy the TRW ones they will be around half the price. the outer ones I've bought are lemforder 30621 02 009 (7701474796 Ren part number) and 30620 02 009 (7701474795) now here is what you should do as you will have to get the wheel alignment done after fitting unless you have accurately measured them before changing the outside ones, change the inner ones as well if your keeping the car and do both sides and the job is done for a few years, as both sides have done the same work next year you will have to do the other side and pay for re alignment again but money does not always allow for this I understand. The other benefit would be you get the feel of what the steering should be like and if you sell the car it's one less thing a test driver can cry about. Because these parts wear slow you don't notice it day to day until they are replaced and you say to yourself I should have done it ages ago.

Yea I'm aware that this is a tie rod end not a ball joint, the tie rod end needs to be changed as well and I bought these from micks garage with the ball joints. So was just making sure they are right since they often display the wrong parts.

Sorry for jumping about and causing confusion and thanks for the help all of you, I'll be sure to go paid member for the guides

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[turkie172]

Ok man as long as it was not a waste of time but I do believe the ball joint you have ordered will be the wrong ones for a 197 believe me I did enough looking around they are made by OCAP and are for RENAULT SPORT/ALPINE part only and basically the factory racing end of Renault sport and only available as a Renault sport competition part, dealers can only order the hub assembly's at about £200 a piece so you have an inner hub with a bottom ball joint an outer hub with the upper ball joint and the lower arm with a permit forward facing ball joint so on average £200 + £200 + £200 that's why a ball joint is a big deal and if the dealer cant undo the bottom bracket pinch bolt they aren't allowing to heat it or work on it then it's £175 for a new one because a little Allen key bolt seized. And yes before anyone else jumps in some of the parts are about £160 or £180 if you look around that's a bottom ball joint in post #6 now it's a heating and hydraulic press job to put one out and in and not at a simple right angle or I'll smack it with a hammer and socket job. I did my drivers side lower ball joint and to be sure I bought a full used assembly from ALS performance on eBay for about £140 so when I took it apart and something went wrong I could put the car back together and actually I still have the assembly up here in Cookstown Co. Tyrone it's the full thing both hubs, bracket wheel bearing and abs sensor and just to top it off I have a spare inner hub with the original lower ball joint still in it not a wore out one but it has a tiny bit of play unlike the ball joint I took out which was like a pencil sticking out of a cup it had that much movement. So good luck

 

[chongwong]

Raptor6767 supplied both upper and lower balljoints for a very reasonable price when I needed mine done. Be sure that you can find a garage to do the job though, as I really struggled in Scotland. Even if the upper balljoints are operating fine, if the threads are corroded they'll need replacing in order to refit.