Wow, was my center bearing shot or what.. *pics*

[Jon K]

So i seperated the shafts, unmounted the center bearing frmo the 2nd shaft... yeah... i knew this would be bad. the drive shafts themselves are fine... U-joint is in good shape etc. flex disc is shot too. no pics of that yet. everything is coming along. i got the upper and lower control arms done today. i need to drive to Zygmunts (Bimmerparts.com) tomorrow to get the Flexdisc and tie rod end that has play.

http://e34.digital7.com/BMW%20Work%20(Pacer%20Break)/DSCN0573.JPG

So yeah i read everyones response to removing ball joints and none seemed to be a promised "this will work" so I made a little tool, or a combination of two, actually.

This is a small (to small to use on the control arm plate) tie-rod puller, combined with a large large bushing press c-clamp. it has a bearing in the threaded shaft so that it doesnt spin the object being pressed. the press piece on the tie-rod pull is just through the top so as to not slide out from the c-clamp under torque. this worked BEAUTIFULLY. 2 mins setting the tool up and 10 secs of air-gun time and POP the damned things pop out with a very statisfying noise.

http://e34.digital7.com/BMW%20Work%20(Pacer%20Break)/DSCN0578.JPG
http://e34.digital7.com/BMW%20Work%20(Pacer%20Break)/DSCN0579.JPG
http://e34.digital7.com/BMW%20Work%20(Pacer%20Break)/DSCN0577.JPG


also installed the M5 3mm spring pads, i have yet to do the rear Bruno rear subframe reinforcement plates though... that takes 15 mins i hear though, i will update! peace guys!

[bahnstormer]

awesome luck in replacing that center bearing...i wonder how mine looks =\

[MaloventEvil]

awesome luck in replacing that center bearing...i wonder how mine looks =\

lol. well i had this problem for a while and i thought it was a wheel bearing... i was driving the car home from work to the mechanics shop and i felt a loud THUNK hit the floorboard... i pulled over instantly... car was towed to a mechanic who was amazed that the driveshaft didnt completely fall off. it was a horrid moment for my checkbook. (i crashed the car a week later) :(

[ryan roopnarine]

jon, are you saying you used the autozone rental balljoint press with the autozone tie rod puller (not the pitman arm puller) attached to get it out? thanks.

[Jon K]

jon, are you saying you used the autozone rental balljoint press with the autozone tie rod puller (not the pitman arm puller) attached to get it out? thanks.

Its a tie rod puller with with the ball joint press, not sure if they are from autozone, but the combination of the two is what i used. we didn't have access to the arm puller, and the tie rod puller was too narrow to fit over the arm plate and push the joint out...

[andyman32]

I'm about to do my thrust arms too - so, with that ball joint, do you really just kinda pry the thrust arm ball joint off there? Will the joint just kinda 'pop out' of the bushing?

[Jon K]

I'm about to do my thrust arms too - so, with that ball joint, do you really just kinda pry the thrust arm ball joint off there? Will the joint just kinda 'pop out' of the bushing?


Just prying the joint won't do it. The things are in there for good, you need some way to force it out. Hence my little press thing i used. The joints don't pop out of any bushings, the ball joint is a metal stem that is pressed in the metal control arm receiving plate... it's a bitch to be honest. I used a pickle fork to get a little bit of give in the joint, then i used the press to pop that thing out.

[632 Regal]

I used a #20 sledge and ended up heating it with an aceteline torch to get it to "pop" out.

[Jon K]

I used a #20 sledge and ended up heating it with an aceteline torch to get it to "pop" out.


Call me crazy but i just dont like throwing 20lbs of a metal chunk down on my notoriously finicky E34 suspension...

[632 Regal]

:D


Call me crazy but i just dont like throwing 20lbs of a metal chunk down on my notoriously finicky E34 suspension...

[andyman32]

This begins to sound like a job I should let my mechanic handle.

All I have is the ball joint pry bar. Clearly that won't cut it.

[632 Regal]

the pickle fork and #20 sledge, the #10 sledge didnt help at all (I started with a 3lber). The other side would not budge after whailing on it about 15 times...I was getting a bit fatigued and felt the torch was a safer bet than swingin 20 lbs of metal into a wheel well. These if torqued properly arent that bad, but if someone uses an impact or torques them tighter than needed it seems like they are inseperable.

You can do it... have faith!



This begins to sound like a job I should let my mechanic handle.

All I have is the ball joint pry bar. Clearly that won't cut it.