[gnu]

LOWER BALL JOINT - Late R25 with ABS

This is probably going to be an unpopular thread as we are generally fans of or MG-R's but after spending far too much time this weekend doing some CV gaiters/ ball joints on my R25 this weekend I have to vent.

The lower ball joint is only really accessible with an open ended spanner 1/8th of a turn at a time, as it has the drive shaft above. So you struggle for ages to wind the tight locknut up and off, but before it comes off the thread it hits the ABS reductor ring. Continue to wind it and it starts to gouge the ABS teeth off. Okay, better pop the ball joint. Ball joint popped and then it just turns the ball joint in the socket (no Allen key lock for the ball joint). Jack underneath the ball joint to try to lock it, no joy. Plus Gas, no joy. Remove the anti-roll bar bolts, drop links, steering link, hub nut etc. and there is enough movement to remove the drive shaft. A night soaking in Plus Gas, improved access from the top with the drive shaft removed and jack underneath, allows eventual removal the next day. Why not a shorter thread or more compact castle nut (like they use to have)? Addition of the ABS reductor ring doesn't help! 😣

Please add you 'What idiot designed this?' annoyances...

 

[James 25i]

Found the exact same thing when replacing a driveshaft a few months back, ended up chewing up a couple of teeth on the abs ring you undo the nut as much as possible then it hits the ring and you have to brake the ballpoint, problems is you still have half the thread to get the nut through and if it’s a bit tight it just turns the ballpoint round, I had to resort to some mole grips unfortunately. As you said not very well thought out.

 

[gnu]

I‘m glad I’m not the only one this happens to (but not wishing it on anyone else)! Did your ABS light come on after! I stopped before too much damage was done to the ABS ring, but had the headache of locking the balljoint To undo the v. tight locknut. .

 

[James 25i]

In the end I ended up replacing the driveshaft because some idiot drove it without properly reassembling the CV joint (me) the second time I put it back together I managed to do it without loosing any teeth, not looking forward to when I have to replace the suspension arm

 

[gnu]

Yeah, I was glad to get that gaiter job done. Still got the other side to do, but as it was intact, I hope it will last until the clutch needs doing...

 

[James 25i]

Yeah, I was glad to get that gaiter job done. Still got the other side to do, but as it was intact, I hope it will last until the clutch needs doing...

Well for your sake I hope your clutch lasts because I can tell you that getting the driveshafts out the box is a nightmare, they’re held in by circlips and the don’t wanna budge probably the most stressful job I’ve done in a while, never again

 

[gnu]

Well for your sake I hope your clutch lasts because I can tell you that getting the driveshafts out the box is a nightmare, they’re held in by circlips and the don’t wanna budge probably the most stressful job I’ve done in a while, never again

Funnily enough, I hope it lasts too! Yes, a clutch is quite a job on the driveway. Well done for getting it done.