The 'E' Type Forum

I seem to remember seeing somewhere that it's possible to fit an alternative bottom balljoint to the front suspension of the series 1. Can anybody confirm this and tell me what I would need (I have XJ6 in my mind). Do the stub axle carriers need modifying?

Thanks, Paul.

XJ40 bottom balljoints go straight on. The only thing you have to do, which sometimes puzzles people, is to drift the gaiter retaining ring ( which looks as though it is an integral part of the stub axle carrier but isn't ) out of the stub axle upright - this can easily be done with a drift or even a broad bladed screwdriver and a light hammer

Thanks for the info :)

This probably answers my other post as the bit of my axle carriers which is damaged is the lip the rubber dust cover fits over. Is this the bit which is not part of the carrier?

Thanks, Paul.

Paul - yes , the rings are separate ( if you look inside the balljoint area you will see that the ring forms a lip )- just drift them straight out and you are ready to go with the sealed for life XJ40 units

Ok thanks, I'll have a look. The previous owner painted everything so it's difficult to tell.

Cheers, Paul.

The sealed ball joint flange is thinner so you need to shorten the bolts a bit. Don't forget the paired tab washers.

Pete

christopher storey wrote:XJ40 bottom balljoints go straight on. The only thing you have to do, which sometimes puzzles people, is to drift the gaiter retaining ring ( which looks as though it is an integral part of the stub axle carrier but isn't ) out of the stub axle upright - this can easily be done with a drift or even a broad bladed screwdriver and a light hammer

Hi Christopher, jumping on this now as I have again one gaiter torn. Do you happen to know the reference for the XJ40 balljoint that I could use to order these straight?
Thanks!

ralph - I've done the work for you !!

SNG Barratt have CAC9937* which is the cheap version, or you can also get from them at 5 times the price the original Jaguar part JLM11860. Frankly, although the Jaguar original parts are usually better, for something like this which is so easy to change i would go for the cheaper one

Thanks Christopher for the prompt response, much appreciated.
All the best!

christopher storey wrote:XJ40 bottom balljoints go straight on. The only thing you have to do, which sometimes puzzles people, is to drift the gaiter retaining ring ( which looks as though it is an integral part of the stub axle carrier but isn't ) out of the stub axle upright - this can easily be done with a drift or even a broad bladed screwdriver and a light hammer

I've just tried to get the gaiter retaining rings out of my uprights and I can't move them! How tight are they?

Paul.

Paul : they are an interference fit so they are quite tight. I've only done it a couple of times and I can't remember what weight hammer I used, but usually you are best with a heavy hammer ( 5lb lump or similar ) and light blows rather than a light hammer and heavy blows . You are drifting them out upwards I hope ! If corrosion has done its evil work, a bit of heat will do no harm

Thanks for the info - I've got them out :) Woohoo

Both of mine were broken. I'm going to fit the all-in-one sealed bottom balljoints but out of interest are those rings still available?

Cheers, Paul.

Not that tight; are you drifting them upwards?

They come out the top.

Paul

Not sure whether the rings are still available.
I've put sealed lower joints in a number of E Types and in all cases, the rings is removed downward as you look at the up uprights. They can be difficult to get moving and it is all too easy to buckle the thin wall of the ring (around which the rubber gaiter fits), so you will need to go gently with a soft metal drift around the whole circumference.
Sealed ball joints are a much better arrangement that the original design!
Good luck,
Chris

Cgarside wrote:Not sure whether the rings are still available.
I've put sealed lower joints in a number of E Types and in all cases, the rings is removed downward as you look at the up uprights.

I was going the wrong way to start with d'oh!! I shall keep one of the rings for posterity in case the sealed ones become unavailable in the future and I have to revert back to the originals. If they're not available I can always get a couple turned up if I've still got the originals :)

Cheers, Paul.

Yes Chris is right; they are removed downwards.

Long time ago; bad memory etc.etc.

Paul

I think there may be some confusion here . The spigot for the ball pins is on the bottom side of the upright and goes out downwards . The ring which has the gaiter stretched over it is on the upper side of the horizontal surface of the upright . My recollection is that the lower surface of the upright has the ball joint cap secured to it by 4 setscrews . The upper surface contains the rings over which the gaiter fits, and these rings are removed UPwards. There should be no need at all to touch the thin lip : the drift should be applied to the inner surface of the rings FROM below and drifted UP wards

The steel ring around which the gaiter fits comes out downwards.
What you see as the thin walled ring on the upper surface is part of a machined fitting (refered to as a Spigot, pt no C15339 on early cars or pt no C22974). Plate 20 of the parts catalogue shows this (item no 42) and it is installed upward into the suspension upright. Once in place a nylon collar is fitted around the ring (pt no C22970) and the gaiter locates onto this.
Changing to a More modern sealed lower ball joint avoid the need for these items and makes maintenance much easier.
Chris