Ball joint

[Mike Scib]

Yep, today it's lower ball joint time!!

So do I go for a Elise parts one or order a genuine one from them?

Mike.

[woody]

Yep, today it's lower ball joint time!!

So do I go for a Elise parts one or order a genuine one from them?

Mike.

Mine are all EP to EP spec.

I did try the pikey Partco route for 2 a long time ago but didn't even get as far as fitting them. The EP ones seem to be pretty good.

[Mike Scib]

So the £20 one woody?

Anyone got the tool I can borrow?

Cheers

[woody]

So the £20 one woody?

Anyone got the tool I can borrow?

Cheers

Yes and yes.

[Mike Scib]

Doh! Ordered the tool plus a spare ball joint! Went for the £20 ones.

Plan on doing all the bushes, ball joints over the winter so sure I will get my money's worth out of the tool!

[robin]

You might need to source some better threaded rods and/or lube well before use - the threads can look pretty tired pretty quickly!

Also I would avoid the ball joints from motor factors for the Elise (in general I am sure they are OK) - there seems to be some confusion about the correct diameter and so you get ones that just won't fit.

Cheers,
Robin

[woody]

You might need to source some better threaded rods and/or lube well before use - the threads can look pretty tired pretty quickly!

Also I would avoid the ball joints from motor factors for the Elise (in general I am sure they are OK) - there seems to be some confusion about the correct diameter and so you get ones that just won't fit.

Cheers,
Robin

The ones I had had the wrong thread too.

As for the tool, the one I have had had another set of holes drilled & tapped and is on the third set of bolts.

For the bushes, I found a threaded bar, 2 sockets and 2 nuts on the threaded bar to be ideal. Much better than the sockets & G clamp I initially used. Will be doing the rest bushes soon having done the fronts a few k ago.

[Mike Scib]

Did you use genuine bushes Woody, not sure I am keen on the Power Flex ones or the Ertacetal bushes Elise Parts sell.

[Mikie711]

I use the original rubber bushes from Lotus now and won't use anything else. Having tried at one point or other about every kind including nitron spherical bushes I think the originals have the best feel and durability compared to everything else.

[Mike Scib]

£350 just for the bushes! Soon adds up once you add ball joints plus refurbing the wishbones!

[woody]

I used, and will use, these:

http://www.seriouslylotus.com/suspensio ... e-bush-kit

They are supposed to be equivalent to and certainly look the same as, the lotus OEM bushes. Read somewhere a while ago it's the supplier but to a slightly stiffer spec as they can't supply the exact lotus spec.

ETA, I'd never used nylatron or poly type bushes. The spherical bearing type is a bit of overkill for me too.

[Mike Scib]

Looks like the kit I will be wanting!

http://www.seriouslylotus.com/suspensio ... efresh-kit

Thoughts?

[Mikie711]

£350 just for the bushes! Soon adds up once you add ball joints plus refurbing the wishbones!

Yep, not cheap to do but then you don't do it very often so worth buying the best IMHO.

[Stephen]

I use QH ball joints. Delphi should also be fine. There was a batch of QH ball joints that were wrongly boxed a while ago which took a while to be flushed out of the system.

[roadboy]

Delphi have a part number specifically for the Elise now. Pretty sure this is what all the Elise specific suppliers sell as their own. I always use delphi ones and have never had an issue.

I just ordered two of those Seriously Lotus refresh kits. Great value for money!

Dan