Heninger LCAs - Replacement Ball Joints

[Patrick C]

*Bump*

I have a set of Bryne's LCAs and a set of ball joints from deloreanclub.uk. I was under the impression that these ball joints could be used to replace the ones that came with Bryne's LCAs (the VW cross reference part). So I took the arms and ball joints to my mechanic the other day and asked him to press the old ones out and get the new ones pressed in. He called me later and told me that the new ones (deloreanclub.uk) were too large and could not be pressed in.

Have I proceeded under a false assumption? Are the deloreanclub.uk ball joints not usable in Bryne's LCAs? Is there a special trick or type of tool needed to get them pressed in? Or should I be looking for another mechanic?

Any help is, of course, much appreciated =)

-Kevin
VIN2234

Before ordering my Arms I asked Byrne about balljoints and he said his arms use the stock size balljoints. The euro ones should fit fine.

[content22207_2]

This question came up when Steve was running his forum as a Google Group. At that I measured one of Byrne's ball joints (new) against an OEM ball joint (pressed out). They were within something like a thousandth of an inch of each other. Don't know if there's some way to access that post on a wayback machine. When time permits I can press out another OEM ball joint and take new measurements.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[content22207_2]

Press in portion of Uro Parts ball joint is 1.515" diameter, .452" tall flutes, .685" to the boot.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[axh174]

Thanks Patrick and Bill. It's sounding to me like I need to try another mechanic (or try renting a ball joint kit).

I'll post an update in the near future.

-Kevin
VIN2234

[durech]

Heninger and Associates, Inc is OPEN again. Limited number of parts (but the most important ones)

[DMCMW Dave]

The part on Byrnes arms that is unique is the inner bushing. Stock ones won't fit at all.

Try putting the arm in an oven for a while at 250 degrees for a while, and put the ball joint in your freezer. That may get you the clearance you need for installation.

[content22207_2]

Uro Parts ball joint pressed into an OEM control arm:

UroPartsBallJointIntoOEMArm.jpg

If you can go one way (Byrne ball joint into OEM arm), you can go the other (OEM ball joint into Byrne arm).

Bill Robertson
#5939

[content22207_2]

I'm a little concerned about your mechanic -- I just pressed a ball joint in and out in a couple of minutes using nothing more than a manual ball joint press:

UroPartsBallJointRemoved.jpg

Personally I would rent a press from a parts house and do the job yourself.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[DMCMW Dave]

I'm a little concerned about your mechanic

OR the quality control on the arm dimensions. . . .

[Farrar]

OR the quality control on the arm dimensions. . . .

Were stock LCAs manufactured by Lotus?

I ask only for information.