304 ball joint replacement

[powerponken]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your information and photos! I really appreciate it!

The design of the right hand socket was a bit surprising but I guess when you have use a lot of force using it, the lips will bend if the supporting ring is missing as it will be if I try to make my own tool. I'll give it a try anyway.
I bought a diesel filter holder from a guy six or seven years ago and a few weeks prior to my first contact with him he had sold a complete set of work shops manuals for the 404. As I remember his father was a Peugeot mechanic with his own work shop. Maybe I'm in luck and this guy still has got some of the tools in his possession and hopefully these sockets then so I might buy/rent/borrow them.

But I still want to be prepared for the second worst case scenario which is trying to make my own tools so I have a couple of questions regarding the dimensions of the sockets. The worst case scenario is probably that I have to use a hammer and a chisel to open the grease cap.
I guess that I have to fight years of rust trying to remove the suspension arm bolts too....

What is the outer diameter of these sockets?
How high is the thinner "supporting" ring for the lips on the right hand socket?


Regards,
Kalle

[oldpug]

Hi, I hope this will give you an idea?

As I`ve said before the outer cap (with grease nipple)is the tricky one even with the socket.
If you try with a hammer and punch be very careful as its very easy to damage the fine threads in the lower arm.

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[powerponken]

Hi,

Once again - Thank you for your answers! They are pure gold:-)!

Yes, the outer caps seem to be the hard ones to unscrew so I guess that a socket will more or less be necessary.

I'm happy to announce that my 404 passed the annual car inspection last week(in Sweden it is mandatory every other year for cars older than 30 years) without a single remark. The ball joint was not worn so I did not have to replace it - not even a comment from the inspector. I "supervised" the inspection and I could not see any signs of wear either. Sooo the creaking sound I've been hearing now and then must be coming from some other place - maybe some bushing that has become dry. I had a similar sound in my daily car last year, a SAAB 9000, and in that case I got remarks on the right hand side regarding the ball joint and steering joint which needed replacement. Soo I was a bit nervous now:-D.

Since the 404 passed the inspection the hurry to get the sockets is reduced but next year my 504 is up for inspection so I'll still be searching for the original sockets and trying to make my own meanwhile.


Regards,
Kalle

[oldpug]

Well that`s good news,panic over.There is a good saying "don't fix what isn't broken" all you need to do is give all the grease nipples (on both cars) plenty of pumps.

[chrismini]

Hi... I am wondering about the lower ball joints are the same across the range of 304's Im working on a 1974 cabriolet at the moment ...
The lower nut has 3 slots... not 4 as in your picture.. I have made a one of the tool out of an old socket....

But unlear of what type of ball joint i need.. I found one on ebay but it comes with a pin and shims... but my pin is built into the hub..

I didnt have any shims in mine.. but it had lots of play in it and looked like it wasnt tight....

Any help muchly appreciated..

Cheers

Chris

[oldpug]

Hi Chrismini, The socket to remove the outer cap with the grease nipple in DOES have three slots.The smaller socket to remove the inner metal ball has four slots.
The attached is a page from the Peugeot parts manual for your car,if you study it you can unerstand how it comes apart.As you can see what you want is kit 3640.07.Its very easy providing the outer cap will undo? if the thread gets damaged you may need a new suspension arm,so be carefull.The inner "nut/ball" is easy to remove.Mind I`m saying all this with using the correct Peugeot Special sockets.

I would try www.peugeotparts.co.uk/ for the kits,I`m sure Dean Hunter will have them.

Good luck.

[nick67]

By coincidence, this chap has some of the sockets for the inner nut for sale on ebay USA. I bought one and it turned up in about a week.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-304-404-504-BALL-JOINT-SOCKET-FENWICK-80903-/311709177602?hash=item4893509702:g:uOMAAOSwmfhX7ZXD