Marina top ball joints

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Marina top ball joints

Ben to the rescue again! Wish I was in my forties again then I might remember stuff. Actually I do but it's the stuff that's not required!!!!!!

[b_caswell]

Re: Marina top ball joints

[QUOTE=dogoncrazy;28666]Ben to the rescue again! Wish I was in my forties again then I might remember stuff. Actually I do but it's the stuff that's not required!!!!!![/ ......................... I wish!!! that was 20 years ago. But being armed with the correct workshop manual helps.

[Mike]

Re: Marina top ball joints

Hi Adrian,

..........I have modified it, 2.8 Capri LSD back axle, track and body widened by 8 inches, coilover and wishbone front suspension and Cortina uprights, EFi 2.0ltr engine, type 9 gearbox with concentric hydraulic clutch, wire wheels with hub adaptors, aluminium tank with intank pump, and on and on and on.

Phil

This sounds really interesting Phil....any chance of some photos - particularly of the widening by 8"!!

I agree the IVA is a life saver - alythough I thought I had been fairly meticulous my examiner found a brake pedal/servo connecting pin not secured by its cir-clip - who knows what that may have lead to.......!

Mike

[philcoyle]

Re: Marina top ball joints

Hi Mike

A soft brake pedal comes to mind as in no feel at all eventually!
When you think of all the hours of work you have put in, and then the interruptions " teas ready, we have to see mother, need to go shopping" throw spanners and sulk off, missing those kind of things are inevitable. At the end of the day we are really asking the IVA chaps, is my work good enough to be on the road with multi-million pound designed euroboxes that were built by dozens of workers, and he gives you the answer YES but you left off a circlip, and how many new car owners have a list of defects when the car goes for its first service.
At the very least we attempt to achieve a higher standard and a very individual one compared to tintops who think that fitting a baffle free backbox is the ultimate in technology.
My apologies for the ravings of a cynic.
Phil

[listerjp2]

Re: Marina top ball joints

Hi Peter

I have been doing some digging around and I think I have found the answer to the difference question.

Prior to 1975 (MK1) the top ball joint was made for the large hole in the lever arm suspension, known as 'large hole type. See the first excerpt below:

Post 1975 (MK2) they updated the lever arm to eliminate the Upper Bush and housing. This is known as the 'small hole type. See Second Excerpt below:

Hence the Mini top hat will only fit on the MK2.

Oops forgot to say the ball pin is tapered.

I Hope this helps.

Adria

MoT failure on one, excessive play. Having dismantled it, there seems no wear, so can I just tighten it up? The rubber gaiter is slightly split so that may be a failure anyway. The build manual says that a Mk II ball joint must be used. What is the difference between that and the Mk I version? Earlparts only list a Mk I balljoint.

[listerjp2]

Re: Marina top ball joints

Bump!

[petermarlin1798]

Re: Marina top ball joints

Many thanks to all. The Mk II Marina repair kit was £6 and seems to have solved the problem. I have the build manual with drawings as shown by listerjp2, and will revisit the joint to make sure I haven't tightened it too much after reading Ben Caswell's post.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marina top ball joints

There is a quite comprehensive guide on rebuilding Marina front suspension at http://homepages.vodafone.co.nz/~fou...suspension.htm written by a New Zealander who owns several Marinas.
Certainly worth a read.