Track control arms or ball joints

[jasonh131]

Am i right in saying the early ones you just change the ball joint and the later series 3 type
 are  all in one built in ?

[mirafioriman]

I have never changed just a ball joint but have seen ball joints on ebay so it must be doable on some.

From memory the lower arms I have looked at didn't seem to have replaceable ball joints. I would think it is better to change the whole arm as you also get new bushes.

[daverwd]

never have i seen a way of changing the ball joint only on a 131.. its a complete unit..

[jasonh131]

well just changed mine tca ,new one hazs a massive end which the ball joint is replaceable..  , the anti roll bar had no new metal sleave or bushes , and the plastic bush which the metal sleave (tube) which the rubber ring bushes fit on
 was wrong diameter so had to use old plastc bush and metal sleave and rubber ring buhes  
 deliph one off ebay which i thought was a  good make    
  just looked on ebay and none off them come with anti rollbar bits
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=fiat+131+track+control+arm&_sacat=0&_odkw=131+tca+arm&_osacat=0#item2ebddf64ef

[miro-1980]

Gents,

In Poland all ball joints can be rebuilt. 

I have recently rebuild a gr 4 ball joint  ( for 150- GBP a pair ).

Now its is better than new, though for a civilian car the material used would be different and thus the cost would be half. 

I guess in countries where the parts were simply not available for decades the mechanics learned how to rebuild old parts, and now with all qualities of steel easily available the quality of a rebuild one is better than the new one.

I am afraid , that once we get as rich as you guys in UK the generation of master experts will die off  .

In Poland relatively large number of cars are "10 year old plus private  imports" mostly from Germany, France and Belgium.   Young people want "brand name" cars for peanuts with replacement parts half free. 

BMW until recently was on the top of the demand list. I am not sure why it is appealing to young guys but until recently all they wanted a black BMW. ( Note until recently all Polish mafiosos drove black BMW's, now they drive Bentleys). Nowadays you can but a BMW series 3 for 1500 Euro.  If you pay 1500 Euro for a car you will not go the BMW dealer for spare parts. Most replacement parts can be found on a local junk yard. Usable ball joints cannot be found on a junk yard so to fix a problem the driver goes to a garage that specializes in rebuilding ball joints...

Incidentally, these garages are increasingly involved in rebuilding old cars as well as producing special parts for performance sports cars. Maybe they will survive this way.   

Miro

 

[jasonh131]

orginal fiat one's are penned in or cast in  , pattern replace one are seperate .so if they've been replaced before
  you can just replace the ball joint ,mine where 30 year old orginal ones