Stiff steering. After ball joint replacements.

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by dubsurftones, Aug 20, 2018.

  1. Replaced for ball joints 78 t2. Now for some reason the steering is super stiff. Undrivable. Lift it up. And you can move the wheels side to side by hand and the steering wheel with one finger. But when on the ground. It won’t steer at all .Won’t snap back in the curves etc. really tight.I’ve looked around and got a few different answers but nothing definitive.anybody had this problem before.??? The ball joints were very tight when I took them out of the box. A bit stumped .thanks
     
  2. What brand of ball joint did you use?

    I recall some other people saying they had really stiff Meyle ones yet I have fitted meyle ones on my van and it drove fine.
    Also I think the Bentley manual mentions two different sizes of ball joint.
     
  3. It was the first time this ball joints have been replaced. So standard size was used. Febi billstein .211405371A. Thinking of Taking the wheels off cleaning out the grease in torching As the steering wheel is being turned . Maybe that’ll loosen them up. I heard Meyle are bad.
     
  4. Dubs

    Dubs Sponsor supporter extraordinaire

    Are they pressed in with the cutouts facing front and back?
     
    paradox likes this.
  5. Yes all four
     
    Dubs likes this.
  6. Dubs

    Dubs Sponsor supporter extraordinaire

    Cool. Did you press them in yourself, or get a garage to do it? I have seen some that have been pressed in with what looked like a tool that put the pressure on the centre of the ball joint, rather than the outer edge.. that tends to cave the top of the casing in, onto the ball inside and tightening up the joint.

    The only other thing I can think of is as Para said, oversize joints where they are not needed, but sounds like you used standard size so shouldn't be that.
     
    dubsurftones likes this.
  7. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Go back and check the cutouts are exactly right. It only needs about 5 degrees error and you are stuffed.

    The further off they are, and the further the suspension drops or rises from the stock zero point, the more likely it is the slot in the joint hits the stem of the ball.
    So if its lowered by turning torsion springs, the margin for error is reduced.

    Somebody was on here a few months back complaining of clunking. This was the cause 20171031_125254.png
    Doesnt look far out, but it was enough.
     
    dubsurftones likes this.
  8. The Volkswagen dealer here in regensburg Germany pressed them in ,. I know a guy who knows a guy .
     
  9. I’ll throw. up some pictures tomorrow
     
  10. I had the same problem with mine, fitted 4 new ball joints and after a few months the steering is very heavy and does not straighten its self after a bend, so checked a lot of things but nothing sorted it out so I injected oil into the joints with a syringe time it for a drive and once the oil had worked in it now drive lovely and corrects it self after a bend.
     
    dubsurftones likes this.
  11. It has to be ball joint related .everthing else was just as it was .....
     
  12. Crappy aftermarket joints .. were they stiff before being pressed in or could you just about move them by hand ? This problem has cropped up a lot over the years and only remedy is to replace them ... I can’t remember what joints I used but it was a few years ago
     
  13. IMG_6161.JPG
    the new reproduction ball joints are not fit for purpose as they are made same way as modern ball joints (and those modern wishbone designs do not need to hold the weight at all) original OEM balljoints can hold the weight of the van easily with different design closing plate while the repros have plastic insert and pressed metal plate making it stiff until the plastic collapses - but then you have 5mm up and down freeplay in the joint. Original OEM balljoints can be easily moved by hand before and after pressing them in.
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2018
  14. Ok , after numerous attemps and solutions..What i did was . Loosen the nuts 1 full turn . Took the original old nuts from the bus screwed them on the ends and hit each one with a big lump hammer a good wack . Steers so much better ...,see how long they last ..
     
  15. yes what you did is collapsed the nylon bush. it would happen with time anyhow. also the OEM would not do that no matter how hard you hit - as they are designed to take the impact loads.
     
    Pickles and snotty like this.
  16. Are they all like it do you know ? Febi ? Lemforder ?
     
    paradox likes this.
  17. yes there is no guarantee as most are repackaged crap, there are batches that are good from some manufactures. but there is no way of knowing who and when. I did source some OEM in the past and still possibly could do but it took a lot or work. (and money - the good ones are not cheep either)
     
    paradox, snotty and 3901mick like this.
  18. the trick is you buy loads and take a grinder to them. post pics.
     
    paradox, Surfari and 3901mick like this.
  19. The parts lottery eh :(
     
    dubsurftones and 3901mick like this.

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