Nissan Primera P12 Front Balljoint
Printed From: Nissan Primera Owners Club
Category: General Open Forums - NO TRADING!
Forum Name: Nissan Primera Help & Queries
Forum Discription: NON Paying Members Q&A Section
URL: http://www.npoc.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35460
Printed Date: 27 Mar 2026 at 4:45am
Topic: Nissan Primera P12 Front Balljoint
Posted By: JOHNR
Subject: Nissan Primera P12 Front Balljoint
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2010 at 3:30pm
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hi
right my n/s/f lower balljoint needs replacing on my primera p12 1.8s 52 plate.is this a straight forward job to do?
i have been quoted £15 for the ball joint or £100 for the full wishbone
 i know i will need to get the joint pressed out and in but is there any other problems i might come up against if i just replace the joint?
is there a step by step so i can take the wishbone off?what tools will i need etc
thanks in advance
johnr
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Replies:
Posted By: timeshock!
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2010 at 4:51pm
Never done one on a Nissan, you may want to have a look in our 'How to' Section someone has changed the bottom link which many of the operations will be similar. If and when you do yours, you may want to record it and write a how to and become one of the Immortal
The advice I can give is that you may need some assistance in removing the hub nut as if this is not simply secured by a split pin it will be on very tight and you will need someone on the brake pedal, a good socket and wrench and perhapd a length of bar to give you some purchase, ignore bar if you are built like hercules.
You will need a ball joint splitter as this will be tight, there are two types screw and prong. The prong type is simple but tends to split rubber gators, not a problem if you are replacing the joint but a bugger if you are say just removing the drive shaft. Apart from that ought to be a doddle just make sure the car is well unsupported and chocked don't just work of the jack.
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Posted By: JOHNR
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2010 at 8:52pm
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hi thanks for the info. i found this but i dont think its for the p12 http://www.npoc.co.uk/forum/lower-arm-replacment_topic8414.html - http://www.npoc.co.uk/forum/lower-arm-replacment_topic8414.html i'll asssume its similiar |
Posted By: timeshock!
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2010 at 9:02pm
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I don't think it will be too far away.
I take it you have downloaded the service manual from this site
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Posted By: JOHNR
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2010 at 2:35pm
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yip ive downloaded the manual but it doesnt tell you anything about wishbone removal i.e spanner sizes etc
i assume nobody has replaced one on a p12 here yet?
if its the same as the topic above i will probably have to put it into a garage as the biggest spanner and socket i have is a 19mm
dont want to go out and buy a 21mm.22mm spanners and 27mm socket incase its different on the p12
does anyone know what tools i need for the p12?
thanks
john r
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Posted By: Baz007
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2010 at 7:03pm
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By the time you've bought all the stuff you need, you could have paid somebody to do it. . . I'd strongly advise a new arm, there is a reason Nissan don't supply a ball joint seperately! |
Posted By: JOHNR
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2010 at 8:18am
thanks for the advise. ive now got a family member to do it who is a mechanic.  he advised to go down the route of just replacing balljoint. £15 for balljoint or £100 for full arm?
said he has done 100s of them with no problems. steelership only trying to get more money again!
thanks again
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Posted By: renrut
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2010 at 2:27pm
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Personally I would have done the whole arm. As you can't exactly keep the joint you've pressed in when you find out the bushes are knackered. Fair play though if you're gonna go get the bushes pressed out and new ones fitted in but otherwise I'd imagine the bushes will need doing soon anyway if the ball joint has gone...
------------- Now enjoying wafty effortless power. |
Posted By: Baz007
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2010 at 8:04pm
The reason they don't do a seperate ball joint is that the force needed to press the old one out will cause the arm to distort... If it was a good idea , don't you think Nissan would have done it to save themselves shed loads of cash in warranty claims?  Once again, somebody saying 'stealership'! if you knew just how little money is made on parts, you'd be glad you don't do it for a living!! Semi-rant over, for now. |
JOHNR wrote:Posted By: JOHNR
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2010 at 11:47am
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garage replaced joint today with no problems.total cost £60 including part
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Posted By: JOHNR
Date Posted: 28 Apr 2010 at 7:43pm
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looks like the balljoint has gone on my o/s/f now going to strip wishbone off myself this time and take to garage for them to press out.cost of joint is still only £15. to buy new arm i'm looking at £70+ anyway i have all the tools except spanner to remove balljoint from hub.does anyone know what size i need to remove it? also the manual also says you have to remove the suspension crossbar.looking at car it looks like you only have to remove the 2 bolts that hold the wishbone bracket to crossbar(17mm bolts)then slacken the 24mm nut at bush then remove the 3 bolts that hold the bush rod to car. is this the way to do it or does the full crossmember/crossbar have to come off? the crossmember is no16 in pic below  |
Posted By: Baz007
Date Posted: 28 Apr 2010 at 7:59pm
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I'm failry sure the crossmember has to come of, its easy and has no weight on it so don't worry. I haven't done any for a few weeks though! |
Posted By: renrut
Date Posted: 29 Apr 2010 at 9:37am
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Do you have a balljoint splitter? I've not done them on the P12 but I know a lot of cars really need a proper splitter to get them off if they've been on for any length of time. I've got my MOT due in a few weeks and I'm suspecting I'll have some suspension woes to deal with too. Let us know how you get on. |
Posted By: JOHNR
Date Posted: 29 Apr 2010 at 10:38am
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yes ive got a splitter. thinking of now just replacing the full arm.i can get an arm off an auction site for £60. i just need to know what size the nut is that hold the balljoint to hub so i can buy a spanner for it.and do you have to remove the cossmember (no16 in pic). looking at car,it looks like to me i only need to remove the 2 bolts that hold brkt (no28 in pic) to crossmember,slacken big nut on end of brkt no18 then remove the 3 bolts that hold brkt no18 to car,then remove bolt bolts on rear bush brkt |
Posted By: renrut
Date Posted: 29 Apr 2010 at 12:56pm
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I'd be tempted just to replace the whole arm if you can get one for £60, as you'll only end up having to replace the wishbone bushes anyway at some point. sorry can't help with the size of the balljoint nut. As for the cross member it does look like you can do what you suggest but I'd have a good look and see if something gets in the way first as Baz007 is very rarely wrong. |
Posted By: JOHNR
Date Posted: 29 Apr 2010 at 1:05pm
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OK THANKS
wont be doing the job for a few weeks.when i do i will take some pics and post themup on this site!
as for the balljoint nut,on reading on how to remove a p11 wishbone it says its a 21mm nut.
i know this might be a big ask but can someone please see if a 21mm spanner fits on their p12 balljoint nut for me so i know what size to buy! the biggest spanner i have in my set is only 19mm
 ive got sockets for all the other nut and bolts that need to be removedthanks
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