Peugeot 406 - C U L8R 406

[sierraman]

Scissor jack underneath to apply some pressure to it. Jobs like this you really need an impact wrench.

[beko1987]

really need an impact wrench.

Yes we fucking do! Anyone close to aylesbury who could lend and drop one off? Tomorrow...

[sierraman]

I wouldn’t tackle suspension jobs these days without one. Careful now with the breaker, likely to shear the bolt, with the impact it rattles it off. Less chance of sheared bolts.

 

I’m confused now which but you are trying to undo?

 

I’d hang your caliper up with some bungee cord as well, could bollocks the flex if you have it hanging like that.

[beko1987]

I wouldn’t tackle suspension jobs these days without one. Careful now with the breaker, likely to shear the bolt, with the impact it rattles it off. Less chance of sheared bolts.

 

I’m confused now which but you are trying to undo?

 

I’d hang your caliper up with some bungee cord as well, could bollocks the flex if you have it hanging like that.

On a 406,the balljoint screws up into the hub, which is being a proper twat to undo

[Lacquer Peel]

Soak the offending bit in wd40 for the night, hopefully it will penetrate it and help.

I still haven't figured out what WD40 is for but it's definitely not an effective penetrating oil.

[sierraman]

Right I see. I think your success with that will be to put the jack under the bottom arm so it’s under load then try undoing it. Usually works on stuff like track rod ends etc. Probably teaching you to suck eggs here but leave the 12 sided sockets in the house. You want solid 6 point flat drive sockets on a job like that.

[sierraman]

I still haven't figured out what WD40 is for but it's definitely not an effective penetrating oil.

I’ve found it’s fairly effective at removing pen off the walls when the kids have discovered a biro. Fucking shit at undoing bolts though. Plusgas is the stuff for that.

[beko1987]

Right I see. I think your success with that will be to put the jack under the bottom arm so it’s under load then try undoing it. Usually works on stuff like track rod ends etc. Probably teaching you to suck eggs here but leave the 12 sided sockets in the house. You want solid 6 point flat drive sockets on a job like that.

Tried that, it just twists sadly

[beko1987]

I’ve found it’s fairly effective at removing pen off the walls when the kids have discovered a biro. Fucking shit at undoing bolts though. Plusgas is the stuff for that.

The massive stain on the drive is all plus gas!

[sierraman]

If you had a picture of the offending bolt tomorrow that might help. I’ve no idea off hand about 406 suspension but couldn’t you remove the wishbone then drop the hub off the strut? A bit extreme but if nothing else works.

[beko1987]

That's on the cards for sure, pretty high in the list

[Lacquer Peel]

Is it worth you buying a cheap blowtorch?

Me and Richard got the similar threaded balljoint on my 405 moving with a camping stove if I remember correctly.

[Zelandeth]

Good luck with it...this is the sort of job that I've decided are worth paying a garage to do.

 

My Xantia needed a ball joint changing for the MOT in November - even with their full arsenal of tools available they wound up taking the whole suspension arm off the car and attacking it on the bench.

 

...only charged me £60 though, given the number of expletives in the description of the job I was expecting an additional zero in there!

 

In short though, these ball joints are a bloody pain...heat and an impact driver are going to be almost essential in my experience - and I've done a few over the years as we used to sell a load of 406s and Xantias. Which despite their foibles I still reckon are some of the most competent cars ever made.

 

The other thing to watch if using a breaker bar is that it's very possible to rip the teeth off the ball joint socket and/or wreck the bits it fits into, after which you're in for a world of pain and may as well just change the wishbone and be done with it. Impact gun should shock it loose without so much risk of that happening.

 

One is currently at the top of my tool wish list.

[Arthur Foxhake]

Have spoken to Sam,bit* drunk now, typing this with 1 eye open.

Am available for help tomorrow if needed, not sure I have the technology though, we'll see.

[SiC]

Yes we fucking do! Anyone close to aylesbury who could lend and drop one off? Tomorrow...

Unfortunately I'm a hundred miles away or so. However Machine Mart have this on offer at the moment:

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cew1000-electric-impact-wrench/

 

I've not had one but others report they work well for the money.

[strangeangel]

Good luck with it...this is the sort of job that I've decided are worth paying a garage to do.

 

Glad to know it's not just me then! I get that packing it off down the garage isn't a luxury that everyone can afford, though.

[beko1987]

I think part of the disappointment so far is we have tried everything that should be reasonably and humanly possible to do without hub removal.

 

We'll have a crack tomorrow and hope the plusgas has helped over night, but if not...

 

I'm having beer now!

[DSdriver]

I still haven't figured out what WD40 is for but it's definitely not an effective penetrating oil.

But diesel is

[strangeangel]

I'm having beer now!

 

I think you've earned at least one, Sam! Enjoy.

[Ohdearme]

Glad to know it's not just me then! I get that packing it off down the garage isn't a luxury that everyone can afford, though.

I don’t mind having a crack at this stuff but it requires a strict three cars rule in the house, trying to do this stuff when you need the car back up and running in a day/weekend is too stressful and prone to disasters.

 

Case in point, the Galaxy is still up on three wheels as I wait for a caliper rewind set to arrive, pliers and grimacing weren’t working.

 

Feel your pain beko.

[Shirley Knott]

Scissor jack underneath to apply some pressure to it. Jobs like this you really need an impact wrench.

 

^This is good advice.

 

I spent £50 or so on one of these a couple of years ago and wouldn't be without it...

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400W-ELECTRIC-1-2-DRIVE-IMPACT-WRENCH-SOCKETS-240V/323480543380?epid=2286737354&hash=item4b50f16094:g:GI4AAOSwZl1btMW1:rk:2:pf:0

 

Admittedly having to have it plugged in and traipsing round with a cable is a pain, but it cost buttons compared with a cordless jobbie, it's hella tough and seems capable of buzzing even the most stubborn stuff off.

[Stanky]

I've got one of those Clarke impact guns and have yet to find something it won't undo. they are worth every penny IMHO. They also come with 4x 6-sided impact sockets though I don't recall what sizes. possibly 15, 17, 19 and 22mm. I know they're not sizes i commonly use but are handy nonetheless.

[Tamworthbay]

I still haven't figured out what WD40 is for but it's definitely not an effective penetrating oil.

Yup it doesnt penetrate much if at all. When compared to something like plusgas or rusolvent it’s shite. A good soaking of plusgas then use of shock and unlock or similar usually works a treat. WD40 is ok to stop rust on bare metal until you paint it a day later and stopping hinges squeaking.

[Tamworthbay]

I've got one of those Clarke impact guns and have yet to find something it won't undo. they are worth every penny IMHO. They also come with 4x 6-sided impact sockets though I don't recall what sizes. possibly 15, 17, 19 and 22mm. I know they're not sizes i commonly use but are handy nonetheless.

Same here, next door neighbour has a PT cruiser (I know, I do feel sorry for him) there is a bolt on the front suspension where it joins the body that is like a mini turret bolt in size. He had tried everything to shift it including a six foot scaffold pole. He was more than sceptical about the impact wrench but it shifted it no problem. I have a rechargeable dewalt impact wrench that shifts most things including stubborn wheel nuts,

[Matty]

Find a big screwdriver that fits into the vents on the disc, then wedge that against the caliper carrier?

+1 what I usually do. Failing that impact gun is always the way

[Matty]

Scissor jack underneath to apply some pressure to it. Jobs like this you really need an impact wrench.

He beat me to it

[beko1987]

Yep, impact wrench is needed... Prob can't get one tomorrow though.

 

Mmmm. We're gonna try heat tomorrow and better bracing. Other problem in my head is once this sides done, the other needs doing

[artdjones]

I have got a tight ball joint out by taking off the boot and then cutting horizontally around the circumference of the ball joint with a cutting disc on a 4½" grinder.The pin then can come out and the remaining part can be knocked around with a chisel to unscrew it from the hub.The heat of cutting it helps it loosen.

[D Spares & Tyres]

I did one on my Xantia. Knocked round with a hammer and chisel. Took a while though. There is a special tool available.

[beko1987]

I have the tool. The tool is very well attached to the hub. But the hub moved too much to get a heave on