Cotter (split) pins on balljoints - are they necessary ?

uberNoobZA · Post by **uberNoobZA** » Fri May 04, 2018 1:23 pm

I've been replacing boots on all the ball joints on my Prelude and some of the castle nuts had to be cut / forced off, leaving the remnants of the old cotter pins in place inside the ball joint bolt. Do I REALLY need to drill them out to make space for the new cotter pins, or are the pins not that critical ?

Scott560 · Post by **Scott560** » Fri May 04, 2018 1:44 pm

Yes, and you'll need them if you want to pass an MOT i think.

I've always found i can remove them with needle nose pliers (not by pulling directly, but by twisting and wrapping them around the nose will pull them free). If there isn't enough protruding, i've always found i can tease them out with a small flat bladed screwdriver first.

i bought a selection box from ebay for under a tenner, will last for ever.

uberNoobZA · Post by **uberNoobZA** » Fri May 04, 2018 1:54 pm

I know how to remove them, but sometimes that's not possible, and you are left with the remainder of the cotter pin stuck in the bolt.

Post by **NafemanNathan** » Fri May 04, 2018 2:13 pm

If not for the MOT, I'd replace them for piece of mind anyway!

Although not in the easiest position, the material the split pin is made of is a lot softer than the ball joint material, so it should be easy enough to drill out. Do you possibly know someone with one of these?...

Or maybe a Dremel with a 90 degree attachment...

uberNoobZA · Post by **uberNoobZA** » Fri May 04, 2018 3:41 pm

Thanks guys. I do have a dremel, but not hte 90 degree attachment. That said, it's 'easy' to take the hub off, so I'll just pop it off and use a proper drill to drill out the stuck cotter pins.

Just read too many horror stories of the nut backing off on cars that didn't have the cotter pins in place.

If anything, taking my suspension apart AGAIN is good practice for a noob like me

laner84 · Post by **laner84** » Fri May 04, 2018 6:51 pm

Yes is the simple question buddy! Because they only run castle nuts not nylock they will creep loose without the pins

Post by **indigolemon** » Fri May 04, 2018 8:42 pm

I think you can leave them off if you use nylock nuts instead.

uberNoobZA · Post by **uberNoobZA** » Fri May 04, 2018 9:05 pm

indigolemon wrote:I think you can leave them off if you use nylock nuts instead.

Gonna go with OEM castle nuts and cotter pins, now that I have the torque specs for the nuts

Post by **Vtecmec** » Fri May 04, 2018 9:39 pm

Just drift the remnants of the pin out of the joint, you won't have to drill. A thin screwdriver and a hammer should do the job nicely.

laner84 · Post by **laner84** » Fri May 04, 2018 10:31 pm

Vtecmec wrote:Just drift the remnants of the pin out of the joint, you won't have to drill. A thin screwdriver and a hammer should do the job nicely.

Or a small wood pin nail!