Mk3 Cavalier Owners Club | Vauxhall Cavalier Dot Com

Tired of split ball joint boots from using fork type separator tools

There's not enough room between the threaded end of the ball joint and the CV joint to get a scissor type tool in there without grinding it down - tried that but had to grind loads off, so wasn't surprised that it only last a few times before the end snapped off! It worked great before it failed!!

Just wondering what tool do you use?

try scissor type on full lock

Scissor type, greased so it slides in and as Troy says on the lock to give a bit more room.

Leaver the wishbone down and use a hammer to shock the balljoint loose.

Envoy CDX wrote:Leaver the wishbone down and use a hammer to shock the balljoint loose.

^This is a good alternative, but you need to be accurate with the hammer to avoid splitting boots.
I did find that the fork type aren't so bad if you grease them too, they tend to split the boots less if there is less friction.

planetc wrote:

Envoy CDX wrote:Leaver the wishbone down and use a hammer to shock the balljoint loose.

^This is a good alternative, but you need to be accurate with the hammer to avoid splitting boots.
I did find that the fork type aren't so bad if you grease them too, they tend to split the boots less if there is less friction.

I'll try greasing the splitter up for the next one I do, but I got sick of replacing ball joints and boots due to the splitters not working right.

Wind the splitter up Gary, then it needs one tap with the hammer rather than several beatings. Greasing stops it catching the rubber bits.

planetc wrote:Wind the splitter up Gary, then it needs one tap with the hammer rather than several beatings. Greasing stops it catching the rubber bits.

Cheers

btcctroy wrote:try scissor type on full lock

Scissor type I've got had to have about 2/3 of the thickness ground off to fit in the gap - pretty sure that was on full lock, for ease of access more than anything.

Will try a well greased fork type - got to change front shocks soon. When I get time, I'll get the mig out and reinforce the edges of a scissor type tool so it fits around the ball joint nut. Should work OK!

Spectralcav wrote: Scissor type I've got had to have about 2/3 of the thickness ground off to fit in the gap - pretty sure that was on full lock, for ease of access more than anything.

I guess it depends on the design, the ones I have are donkeys years old....I think my Dad gave them to me, they are really tough and have survived all I ever threw at them but they are a very tight fit on the Vauxhall joints.

planetc wrote:

Spectralcav wrote: Scissor type I've got had to have about 2/3 of the thickness ground off to fit in the gap - pretty sure that was on full lock, for ease of access more than anything.

I guess it depends on the design, the ones I have are donkeys years old....I think my Dad gave them to me, they are really tough and have survived all I ever threw at them but they are a very tight fit on the Vauxhall joints.

Old tools are the best! Modern ones seem to be made of cheap cast alloy that needs the thickness to give it strength - at least the ones from Machine Mart and Halfords are...

I use fork type,and replace rubber boot if needed with these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130656804945? ... 1497.l2649

sharkysam wrote:I use fork type,and replace rubber boot if needed with these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130656804945? ... 1497.l2649

Cheers, he's a good seller too. Bought stuff off him before.