Front end "clunk"
Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2017 11:15 pm
So the x5 developed an annoying clunk on the front end boxing day
I jacked it up and had a quick look with my favorite pry bar and found play in the track rod end and the lower ball joint (the one in the hub)
Track rod end was straight forward although I changed the track rod too because it had a bit of wear in it
The ball joint was a different story though
I found that the best way to take the old one off was to remove the whole hub, place it in the vice and apply substantial amounts of percussive pressure through the medium of a 24mm socket and extension bar and the biggest hammer in my tool chest
After that it was an easy job to put it all back together (thank God for the impact gun)
Hope this helps someone else who is struggling with removing that ball joint
I jacked it up and had a quick look with my favorite pry bar and found play in the track rod end and the lower ball joint (the one in the hub)
Track rod end was straight forward although I changed the track rod too because it had a bit of wear in it
The ball joint was a different story though
I found that the best way to take the old one off was to remove the whole hub, place it in the vice and apply substantial amounts of percussive pressure through the medium of a 24mm socket and extension bar and the biggest hammer in my tool chest
After that it was an easy job to put it all back together (thank God for the impact gun)
Hope this helps someone else who is struggling with removing that ball joint
