caught with ebay ball joints

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:05 pm

Just come in for a rest after attempting to fit a ball joint I got off ebay.

Bought them from someone selling them as $40 pair delivered from Sydney, some name like xx xxxxx australia was on invoice from Alexandria with a phone number I may try tomorrow.

Sorry I gave good feedback way back when I bought them.

I mean caught - by the simple fact to return product to seller means by postage and not simply a short drive to return it to a local retailer, not involving a postal system and obviuos time delays and added expense/grief.

Find new listing for same thing - history is sold 1, wonder if that was me or new stats for new listing.

It does state on the ebay listing quite clearly they are a press fit ball joint. I have contacted them and suggested they try to fit these ball joints themselves, indicating factory manuals do not state any press fit required, nor do they give any spec other than 0.3mm freeplay is the limit allowable.

Box says made in Taiwan and to OE standards, well the bastards won't go in due to a spec being out at the ball joint end that goes into the stub axle mount.

Shame my caliper battery has gone flat but looks like 0.75mm too big in diameter. When I do these ball joints I shove a flat blade screwdriver into the expansion slot so the ball joint goes straight in with no hitch - these bastards still won't with that head start, so have been filing the surface down until it does. Lucky I bought two and not four, I mean two, so I have one to compare with another brand of aftermarket BJ sitting in me mates shop. Only went online coz some tosser quoted me full retail at $40 each - they used to be $20 trade. Further find they still are about 20 to 23 trade, silly me more pissed with retail veggies (behind the counter this time) thought I'd make a step towards puttin' them out of a job, turns out both have quit anyway. Will likely keep my second one to also compare with ones coming in from the US later , and get a battery for my calipers....back out to the filing task....MUTTER, MUTTER, MUTTER

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:46 pm

How did you pay?

Please not bank deposit...

If PayPal, open a dispute (after contacting the buyer in the first instance) as 'Item not as described' or whatever it is.

Your costs will be recovered in all likelihood.

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:47 pm

...but not your frustration!

spambo · Post by **spambo** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:26 pm

hmmm... makes you wonder if they cannot machine the part correctly then what is the rest of it like? like is the metal grade the correct hardness etc...

dfoyl · Post by **dfoyl** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:27 pm

>> PayPal, open a dispute (after contacting the buyer in the first instance) as 'Item not as described' or whatever it is.

Your costs will be recovered in all likelihood.

Not likely based on my experience with Paypal. As long as the seller sent you something they don't care about "not as described"...

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:35 pm

dfoyl wrote:>> PayPal, open a dispute (after contacting the buyer in the first instance) as 'Item not as described' or whatever it is.

Your costs will be recovered in all likelihood.

Not likely based on my experience with Paypal. As long as the seller sent you something they don't care about "not as described"...

PP is heavily weighted towards buyers - the fees go towards protection, but like any insurance, sometimes goes pear shaped as per your experience(s).

Nothing to lose here...worth a shot

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:09 pm

Hmmm, my concerns exactly as to the rest of the specification of the joint.

Mitsaru , I think, was the brand name. Boxed as BJ257 and also stamped BJ257 on the ball joints base. BJ257 is what I have been fitting to MY/ Brumby stuff over the years.Same part for the L Series.

The base of the joint where it fits into the stub axle - last as it goes in - with the wider square cut shoulder is correct size, and fitted very snugly - in the end. It was the upper section that is rolled in on the ball joint that was too big when compared to the older worn out ball joint I was replacing. I will have a few other ball joints in some weeks at least to compare.

Simply comparing the joint itself is enough to find it makes no sense to have a wider upper OD if the lower OD is to fit tight but not interference tight due to clamping nature of the car component. The upper OD has to pass through the lower parts resting place - if it is too big it is not gonna fit - SIMPLE.

I'll take some measurements and take it up with the supplier first when time permits. I used Paypal so have some form of buyer protection.
What may bugger any claim up is that I have used the ball joint in the car - had no freakin' choice - with dissembled car blocking others egress point and not so well balanced like some cars in that it could balance on three wheels, and the old ball joint lost some condition in the thread department when whackin' it out.

Still have his brother to measure and launch an assault on possibly an unsuspecting retailer - they did not make it, I realise that

Not sure what it is with fitting new suspension and steering components - car always feels marginally better - yet was not able to detect play in ball joint as I drove before! Bit like car always sounds better after an oil change

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:28 pm

Sounds like you've got a set of liberty ball joints - has happened to me from my local parts joint when they got new part number reference books in. The new books listed Liberty and L series ball joints as the same unit, same went for the tie rod ends!

Its all fun and games with parts for the L series now - the new parts books are not reliable at all!

Best of luck with it - I know what its like having your car off the road waiting on parts!

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 10:39 am

Allow for tolerance of calipers too eh !

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

BJ257 always been a ball joint part number for MY and L Series, boxed and part is stamped as such and the filing task completed the job.

Got a new battery for my digital calipers and compared measures with another brand of BJ257. The other brand that escapes me at the moment was much same as this 34.97 by my calipers at the shoulder inside measure but the upper when fitted position end that goes in first was 34.47mm - a definite half mm less possibly on purpose to assist fitment. It did not help things that my ball joints purchased measure up as 35.20mm at the end to go in first. The old buggered ball joint displayed no wear reducing its dimensions, went straight in and out with screwdriver jammed in expansion slot.

There was no apparent damage to the receiving hole of the stub axle.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 10:40 am

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

All looks quality packaging, name even on plastic bag. The seller was not hiding behind some dodgy name, they gave name and address and phone number on invoice etc. Reckon they have not been made aware of my problem...yet !

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 10:54 am

Reading back on this post, how's that for a caliper eye ? I said looks about 0.75mm difference, was about 0.72mm !!

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:52 pm

That's odd - I always thought the upper and lower seating faces were the same diametre...

I'll check those new ones tomorrow - hopefully they fit otherwise I'm @#$&'d

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:18 pm

Bennie, what brand packaging do you have on your balljoints and waddidya pay forem?

Probably were same diameter or thereabouts until they changed the rules !!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:29 pm

Bennie ....

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=TD2081

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:31 pm

or here, might get meself a sparey, not much more than a bloody replacement battery !! Looks same as mine !

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:32 pm

uh oh, here it is

http://shop.ebay.com.au/i.html?_nkw=dig ... r+calipers

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:48 pm

there you are...a short cut to one that'll set you back $11 or less, posted. Just got one for the other side of my work bench

clutter

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/150-mm-6-Digital ... 3a5abd183b

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:21 am

I bought a pair of these ball joints from you, must be more than 60 days ago as do not show on my ebay list anymore.
The item and packaging looks first class on inspection.

Went to fit on Wednesday arvo and found they do not go straight in as any BJ257 has in the past for me on L Series or Brumby.
I use a flat blade screwdriver in expansion slot to assist.

The shoulder end that fits last snug up against the housing hole measures as 34.97mm on my digital calipers, whereas the end that must go in first measures up as 35.20mm on your Mitsamaru branded BJ257

Another brand that happened to be sitting in the workshop has a 0.5 mm lesser measure on the top end that goes in first, than the 34.97mm it also has at the shoulder end. Yet another brand of BJ257 was fitted to another Subaru - a Brumby the other day - no troubles.The ball joint that was replacedby your BJ257 , possibly original fitment, also shares similar half millimetre reduction on first end to go in hole, yet shows no sign of wear.

I notice your text states it is a press fit ball joint. Never had to, nor heard of this for installation or removal of this era of Subaru.
The L Series factory manuals simply state remove from, and fit to, housing and transverse link (lower control arm)

The factory manuals do not state any measurements for these dimensions, only the play at being greater than 0.3mm replace ball joint. Packaging states OEM spec.

I challenge you to try and fit one of these ball joints you sell and remove it on car without too much force.

I had to reduce material from this ball joint to fit, an estimated 0.5 to 0.75mm carefully by hand file at the first to go in end, the final shoulder fit was fine.

I know what I am up for to fit the next one.

I tried ebay due to local parts supply staff upsetting me, but at least I can go back in a flash and return non fitment components and buy elsewhwere, even if it is an overnight supply issue. Your price is competitive but very hard to compare due to all the brands available. Others were 20 and 23 bucks each trade.

Dunno what it is but this is my own vehicle, could not feel a worn ball joint in the drive yet a new one feels just a tad better.

reckon you guys need to check these out before you upset anyone else

Hi there, Thanks for your email, We have sold hundreds of BJ-257 without any complaints. We had installed BJ-257 into a subaru brumby just before Easter without any problems. It is impossible that you could not fit the ball Joint. It is even more so that you grinded the surface of the Ball Joint to fit it in. Your vehicle control arm may have some wear and tear and warped the shape this occurs. The correct method would be to file around the Control arm to fit the ball Joint in. Not file the Ball Joint itself. Cheers Jxxx

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:46 am

I can only say I owe it to them to try fitting the other ball joint to the other side or another hub and see how I go.
It may be possible the clamp bolt or someone fitting it in the past has caused some damage to the inside diameter

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:10 pm

Nah, same story this side too and on the pair of 84 MY sedan hubs, pair of 87 L Series hubs also. The ball joints for each pair also measure up same as the ones I pulled out Cheap Grief. Nothin' shows up greater than 34.97mm, they all look to be same as in genuine ball joints if not originals.

I took his tip of grinding (note the scarcasm: his reply reads as if he did not take in my no grind policy here) ball joint to suit - much faster than hand file - made it fit a housing close to the grinder wheel and turned the pleasurable under 20 minute job back into what it should have been --until the wrestle with the split pin and castellated nut supplied in the plastic bag. They have an interference fit that resisted even my standard hammer so reused the nut with 19mm width instead of the supplied 17mm