Lower A-Arm Ball Joint Repair; Stripping Down; Assembly; Upper A-Arm Ball Joint - PREVOST H3-41 Maintenance Manual

FIGURE 28: UPPER A-ARM BALL PIN BUSHING
4.13

LOWER A-ARM BALL JOINT REPAIR

Take off the load from the ball joint by lifting the
front of the vehicle. Apply a load on the joint in all
six degrees of freedom (axial, radial, etc) with a
suitable lever bar. After the load is taken off, the
joint has to spring back into its starting position.
Free play is not acceptable.
Separation of rubber from ball pin or external
joint bushing shell is in accordance with "normal
wear characteristics".
When the following characteristics are noted, the
joint is to be changed:
• Free play;
• Radial cracking of the external bushing shell.

4.13.1 Stripping Down

Strip down the defective joint through removal of
retaining ring, annular
pin/bushing, assembly and thereafter clean out
housing bore and locking circlips groove

4.13.2 Assembly

Assemble the new component parts of the joint
in the following sequence:
1. Complete moistening of the contact surface
between housing bore and ball pin through
application of the grease.
2. Place joint in receiving fixture and mount
annular assembly tool on the housing.
Position annular spacer and retaining ring in
the housing using axial load of the assembly
matrix. If the ends of the annular spacer are
not in contact with each other, the opening
must be located 180° from the opening of
spacer and ball
PA1621 Maintenance Manual All Series | Section revised October 2018
SECTION 16 : SUSPENSION
the retaining ring. Pay attention during
assembly to ensure that the retaining ring
eyelets are located on both sides of the
housing shaft axis (retaining ring eyelet lug
points to tube), and that retaining ring is
properly engaged in the groove of the
housing.
3. Properly apply grease by mechanical means
to the complete bracket-outer core and
entire ball-inner cone. Insert bracket outer
cone in fixture with distance ring and then
use press tool to apply pressure to press
mount with ball-inner cone.
FIGURE 29: LOWER A-ARM BALL JOINT
4.14

UPPER A-ARM BALL JOINT

4.14.1 Visual Inspection

Check the condition of the sealing boot, in
particular:
Check if the retainer ring, which secures the
sealing boot at the conical section of the ball
stud, is still present.
Check if grease is present on the external
surface of the sealing boots. Escaped fluid and
accumulations of grease on the sealing boot
may be the result of the sealing boot's rupturing.
In this case, the ball joint must be systematically
replaced.

4.14.2 Play Measurement

1. Raise the vehicle and support through axle
jacking points.
37