This tutorial is also available in French
➔
Swivel hub ball joints change on Austin Mini
Vehicle ➔ Mini 1000 from 1988
Difficulty ➔ Medium
Time ➔ 4 hours
Summary
Advertisement
Recommendations
Use a very good quality ball joint puller to disassemble the ball joints because the force required is very important. If you break your ball joint puller, do not hesitate to invest in a better quality tool.
Required Tools
Sponsored links by
Spare Parts
Our Partners
Packaging :
•
GSJ166MS: Ball joint kit for 1 swivel hub (2 ball joints + 2 seats + 1 spring + 2 locking washers + 1 assortment of shims).
• The other parts above are sold individually.
• The other parts above are sold individually.
Advertisement
Disassemble the hub carrier
Op 01
Remove the pads (➔ see the tutorial ''Front brake pads change'' Op 01 to 05).
Op 02
Remove the drive flange and disc assembly (➔ see the tutorial ''Replacing front brake discs'' Op 02 to 07).
Op 03
Remove the steering ball joint fixing nut. Use the 14 mm socket.
Op 04
Remove the dust cover (the plate that protects the disc).
Op 05
Detach the steering ball joint. Use the ball joint puller.
Op 06
Remove the upper ball joint fixing nut. Use the 18 mm socket.
Op 07
Detach the upper ball joint. Use the ball joint puller.
Op 08
Remove the lower ball joint fixing nut. Use the 18 mm socket.
Op 09
Detach the lower ball joint. Use the ball joint puller.
Op 10
Remove the hub carrier. Pull by hand.
Op 11
Remove the protective ring. Pull by hand.
Disassemble the ball joints
Op 12
Remove the dust cover from the lower ball joint.
Op 13
Remove the grease nipple. Use the 8 mm spanner.
Op 14
Straighten the locking washer. Use the flathead screwdriver.
Op 15
Remove the ball joint housing with its ball joint. Use the 38 mm long socket (Tool 03).
Op 16
Remove the seat, the spring, the shims and the locking washer.
Op 17
Remove the upper ball joint from the hub carrier. Proceed in the same way as the lower ball joint.
There is no spring at the upper ball joint.
Disassemble the steering arm
Op 18
Flatten the steering arm lock. Use the chisel.
Op 19
Remove the 2 steering arm fixing bolts. Use the 14 mm socket.
Op 20
Remove the steering arm lock.
Op 21
Remove the steering arm. Use the mallet.
Op 22
Remove the 2 steering arm spacers. Use the pliers.
Advertisement
Reassemble the steering arm
Op 23
Take the new hub carrier (FAM2390).
Op 24
Fit the 2 steering arm spacers. Use the mallet.
Op 25
Fit the steering arm.
Op 26
Fit the steering arm lock (2K5377).
Op 27
Fit the 2 steering arm fixing bolts. Use the 14 mm socket.
Op 28
Tighten the 2 steering arm fixing bolts to a torque of 45 mN. Use the torque wrench + the 14 mm socket.
Op 29
Fold the sides of the steering arm lock. Use the pin punch.
Reassemble the ball joints
Op 30
Assemble the lower ball joint (kit GSJ166MS) without spring, without shim and without locking washer.
Tighten the ball joint housing by hand until there is no more play between the ball joint and its seat.
Do not lock the ball joint.
Do not forget to position the ball joint seat.
Op 31
Measure the distance between the housing and the hub carrier. Use the ruler.
Subtract 0.90 mm to calculate the necessary shims.
Remove the ball joint.
Op 32
Pack with grease and position the spring and the seat (kit GSJ166MS).
Op 33
Fit the locking washer (kit GSJ166MS) and the grease nipple. Use the 8 mm spanner.
Op 34
Fit the shims (kit GSJ166MS).
The thickness of the shims was defined during Op 31.
Op 35
Pack the ball joint with grease and assemble it on the hub carrier. Use the 38 mm long socket.
Op 36
Tighten the ball joint housing to a torque of 102 mN. Use the torque wrench + the 38 mm long socket.
Op 37
Check that the ball joint can move freely in all planes after tightening.
Op 38
Fold the locking washer against 3 flats of the ball joint housing. Use the pin punch.
Op 39
Fit the dust cover (kit GSJ166MS). Push by hand.
Op 40
Fit the upper ball joint (kit GSJ166MS). Proceed in the same way as the lower ball joint.
There is no spring at the upper ball joint.
Advertisement
Reassemble the hub carrier
Op 41
Fit the protective ring on the CV joint shaft.
It must be 6 mm from the shoulder. Use a ruler.
Grease the outer face of the protective ring.
Op 42
Engage the swivel hub on the CV joint shaft.
Engage the lower ball joint in the lower arm and the upper ball joint in the upper arm.
Fit the spring washers (kit GSJ166MS) and lightly tighten the nuts (kit GSJ166MS) of the 2 ball joints.
Op 43
Engage the ball joint in the steering arm.
Lightly tighten the ball joint nut (GFK3323).
This way the ball joint cannot come loose during the following tightening operations.
Op 44
Tighten the nuts of the lower and upper ball joints. Use the 18 mm socket.
Op 45
Tighten the ball joint nuts to a torque of 52 mN. Use the torque wrench + the 18 mm socket.
Op 46
Fit the dust cover.
Engage the rear fixing tab on the steering ball joint (after removing the nut).
Op 47
Tighten the steering ball joint nut. Use the 14 mm socket.
Tighten this nut to a torque of 30 mN. Use the torque wrench.
Op 48
Fit the drive flange and disc assembly (➔ see the tutorial ''Front brake discs change'' Op 12 to 18).
Op 49
Fit the pads (➔ see the tutorial ''Front brake pads change'' Op 07 to 12).
The End
