Fiesta Lower Arm Suspension

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Thu 8 Feb 2007 16:48
Fiesta Lower Arm Suspension - pullgees
Fiesta MK3. I'm going to change the O/S/F lower suspension arm complete with ball joint. In order to separate the ball joint do I need to lever the hub up a bit allowing the lower arm to drop so that the ball joint spindle can clear the spindle carrier ? Also to slip in the new ball joint spindle into the carrier levering up again? I seem to remember doing something like this on another car
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Thu 8 Feb 2007 22:33
Fiesta Lower Arm Suspension - DP
On my mk4, the balljoint separated with hand pressure once I'd removed the hub carrier pinchbolt. There was enough downward travel on the arm to be able to press the arm down, disengage the balljoint from the hub carrier and manouevre the arm out. Same in reverse for refitting, although it was slightly trickier as the bushes in the new arm didn't have so much freeplay. Still quite easy though.

The bottom balljoint to hub carrier pinch bolt is a little unusual in that you have to physically remove the bolt rather than just slacken it. The bolt passes through a notch in the balljoint which retains it in the hub carrier, as well as the clamping effect when you tighten the bolt up. This does have the advantage over the conventional "top nut" balljoint in that it doesn't pull the balljoint stupidly tight when you tighten it up, so it drops out freely when you want to remove it.

Ford recommend the pinch bolt and its Nyloc nut are replaced every time they are disturbed.

Cheers
DP

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Fri 9 Feb 2007 14:57
Fiesta Lower Arm Suspension - pullgees
That a great help thanks very much.
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