hi i have just changed the ball joint on my 2003 1.4 octavia and the three bolts that hold it onto the wish bone seem to be very close and touching on full lock to the hub???

i pretty sure i have the correct part fitted, was wondering wether i have bent the wish bone a bit, did do a bit of levering to get the balljoint taper out, but nothing to mega ( i thought).

any ideas of things to check?

thanks carl

your using the 3 bolt bracket?

yes, that came with the balljoint.

are your old bolts the same length or shorter?

exactly the same length. 

going to do the other side and see how the new part sits, if its ok then i can only assume i put somthing out whilst trying to get the balljoint free or else it was always like it.

thanks carl

Have you put them in the right way around? The head of the bolt should be at the top, with the thread end sticking out the bottom.

6 minutes ago, Saints92 said:

Have you put them in the right way around? The head of the bolt should be at the top, with the thread end sticking out the bottom.

The bolts on the normal lower arms go upwards. The only ones that go downwards are the cast lower arms as they require different hubs to bolt to. 

6 hours ago, carlos21 said:

hi i have just changed the ball joint on my 2003 1.4 octavia and the three bolts that hold it onto the wish bone seem to be very close and touching on full lock to the hub???

i pretty sure i have the correct part fitted, was wondering wether i have bent the wish bone a bit, did do a bit of levering to get the balljoint taper out, but nothing to mega ( i thought).

any ideas of things to check?

thanks carl

Double check with the other side of the car. Take some pictures as it's easier to make a judgement with pictures. 

Just now, simspj said:

The bolts on the normal lower arms go upwards. The only ones that go downwards are the cast lower arms as they require different hubs to bolt to. 

 

Yeah, you're right, last one I seen had them going upwards so I've, wrongly, had it in my head they're all like that.

i have the heads at the bottom thread end at the top, thats how the old ones where anyway.

did the other side and it was the same and i didnt put any pressure on the wishbone at all.

ive spent a while cross referenceing the part numbers and it appears they are they right bit although some of the photos seem to include split washers which would make the bolt a wee bit shorter, my kit didnt have any tho.

not sure if now that it is on the ground with the wheels on maybe the angles are slightly different.

i will probably just take it to a garage and see what they recon , id imagine they will suggest just cutting the excess bolt off.

it seems my mechanical forays are divided into two camps, the went well, saved money, feel good camp and the was a right pain in the ass, took ages , feel ****ed and wish i had just paid a professional camp!!! this job was in the latter.

thanks for your help and replies much appriciated,

carl

I had one come on that their 'mechanic mate' had put together but was a bit wandery now.. We put a new arm and balljoint on it in the end but it gives a nice photo of how it should look. I also include photos of the way it came in, and suggested that person never works on his car again. 

 

 

 

 

i might not be great at stuff but not that bad, christ!!!!

One of the worst I have seen