How to replace a ball joint (Many photos)

SnowCub

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Location
Bedford, MA
TDI
2013 S350 BlueTec
Any advice on what to use to cut the nut/bolt off in step 13-14? My vice grips won't hold, they keep slipping. I was thinking of a dremel but there's not enough room for the cut wheel. Maybe a sawzall?

Thanks.
 

SnowCub

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Location
Bedford, MA
TDI
2013 S350 BlueTec
I'm wondering if I tightened the top nut enough when I did these. I'm getting a clunking noise from the front end when I first turn my steering wheel after starting the car. I don't hear anything the first turn.

And what size is the top nut. Neither my mm or sae wrenches would hold it securely, hence the question of whether it's tight enough.
 

Lex4TDI4Life

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 22, 2006
Location
NorCal
TDI
2001 Golf-Ute TDI GLS 5spd Manual
Is there an easier way to relieve the pressure on the ball joint than using spring compressors? Mine are too long to fit easily. Can I just use the strut spreader tool and pop the strut out from the spindle?
 

Lex4TDI4Life

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 22, 2006
Location
NorCal
TDI
2001 Golf-Ute TDI GLS 5spd Manual
I decided to remove the top strut nut. Much easier than wrangling with spring compressors.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
SnowCub said:
I'm wondering if I tightened the top nut enough when I did these. I'm getting a clunking noise from the front end when I first turn my steering wheel after starting the car. I don't hear anything the first turn.

And what size is the top nut. Neither my mm or sae wrenches would hold it securely, hence the question of whether it's tight enough.
Earlier in this thread someone posted that it was 18 mm, and their toolkit did not have one.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
cage said:
The bolts to the control arm are stretch and need to be replaced as well.
You could just run to the hardware and get 8mm stainless bolts and replace them one at a time. (so yo don't mess up the alignment.
Can anyone supply me with bolt size and part number? I want to add it to a PDF that I am putting together for Moo Car's approval.

Dan
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
DanG144 said:
Can anyone supply me with bolt size and part number? I want to add it to a PDF that I am putting together for Moo Car's approval.

Dan
Post # 18 says that they're p/n "N 101 277 06 - Bolt for Ball Joint Lock Plate, M8 x 26 mm".

However, VW, in their infinite wisdom, have changed the spec and part number for these... the new numbers are N10127707 for the bolts and 1J0407175B for the lock plates - according to 1stVWparts...

Of course, when I wanted to buy some of these at my friendly local (Canadian) VW dealer, they were asking for a heck of a lot more money than the aftermarket supplier (such as Brian Harrison)... (I don't remember what the part numbers they were offering were...)

Yuri.
 

ericbgorman

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Location
burlington vt
TDI
2002 Jetta
new noise after replacement

Great thread. I would say heed the advice about having something to cut the ball joint nut off--I had to interrupt the job to do so. In the process of replacing the ball joint, I swapped my sway bar links and bushings, and now I have a weird noise issue. I really only hear it at low speeds, it's a very faint wubwubwub that seems to come from the front driver's side--where I replaced the ball joint. It sounds something like a flat tire noise, only much, much fainter. I checked some threads, and it seems like one possibility is the new bushings. I will grease those first, and see what happens. Any other thoughts??? I'm worried I might have caused some slight damage to the axle or something.
 

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
Any chance this noise has to do with the ABS sensor rubbing, or as simple as a stone stuck in the tire tread?

--Nate
 

MOGolf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 27, 2001
Location
underneath something
TDI
2001 Golf GLS TDI Reflex silver, rough road suspension and steel skid plate, 2004 Passat Variant, Candy White, rough road suspension and geared balanced shaft module, and much, much more. 2016 LR RR HSE TD6, 2019 Jaguar I-PACE
or the rotor rubbing on the dust shield?
 

Geraldv

New member
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Location
Durban
TDI
Jetta 1.9 tdi - Touareg 2.5 tdi
Thanks for the instructions. It took 1hr and 10 mins to complete, including unpacking and packing the tools away. I did not use my spring compressors but the idea of continuing to turn the top nut to force the stud lose worked a treat. I then placed a jack under the three bolts of the ball joint and applied enough presure to prevent the stud from turning. This way I did not have to use pliers to stop the stud from turning. Thanks once again for the excllent pictures and detail instructions.
 

JPuck

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 7, 2002
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Love this thread and the instructions, but I don't see anywhere how people are torquing the ball joint nut down to the proper spec while the drive axle is in the way (since there's not enough room for a torque wrench). What am I missing?
Or is everyone just using an 18mm wrench and winging it, torque-wise?

Thanks!
 

abrankhalid

Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2012
Location
Ann Arbor
TDI
02 Automatic
Major trouble

I thought it would take some time but it is a major pia when the bolts refuse to come off.I had to cut the ball joint nut and since I didn't have an electric saw, it was painful.
Then the last nut I was trying to remove started acting funny. I had loosened all three together to avoid this problem. But it still decided to show up. So when I try to loosen the nut , by holding the bolt with a wrench and turning the nut, it keeps on spinning. The bolt on the top just keeps slipping through the grip of the wrench. I have tried getting a socket on it, but it's doesn't fit well on it. I have heated it, put liquid wrench...it doesn't budge.

I am out of ideas. I figure I might have to open the whole assembly to get to it...but if I have so much trouble with 4 bolts, i am sure opening more will nit be easy either.

Any suggestions as to what I should do? I will be trying to open it again in the morning.
 

LandoCommando

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2012
Location
CNY
TDI
99 MK4 5sp
I just did this.
Just an FYI for anyone who is looking: my oem balljoint nut was 19mm.
 

poor1

Veteran Member
Joined
May 3, 2003
Location
UK
TDI
MK4
It is recommended that the three hex bolts VN101 277 07)securing the ball joints are replaced as they are one use bolts.
 
Top