My front left wheel bearing is shot,
Instead of trying to replace the bearings ive got a good hub assembly I need to just swap over,

Now technically the spring needs to be compressed I think, is it possible to just pop the ball joints off and leave it with a small bottle jack under the spring?
It'll sit for a few days with the hub off, if my thinking is correct it's the shock that limits the travel so I just need to take the weight off it?

I've always just used the 2 hammer trick on ball joints to do it without tearing a boot, enough space to do it on this?

(Come from only ever working on solid axles lol.)

 

Yes, you can remove the assembly without a spring compressor. I've never used a compressor for the front springs on mine when I've done the bearings. I've always had the car on stands, supported the lower arm with a jack, and slowly lowered it down to relieve pressure when needed. However, I also do use a regular separator for the joints which don't give the boots any trouble. For as inexpensive as they are, really handy:


They do sell them in the auto stores too, in case you'd rather not wait on shipping.

 

Here's a thread from a couple of us using homemade compressors... https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...4/#post1492833

 

The auto parts stores have a tool loan program for free with spring compressors

Look at the different compressor tool versions as they have more then one

 

The track rod end was really tight, snapped my ball joint tool ...
Managed to get the others easily off and put a jack under the spring.

Turns out my lower ball joint is shot too,
I'll have a look through the write ups on changing it, doesn't look like it's going to be fun.

More tools to buy,

Symptoms where a fairly strong pull to the left, brake pad disintegrated with plently of material left, quite a lot of side to side movement.
Hopefully the new bearing and ball joint fixes it, bushes all seem nice and tight.

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/macphe...set-63262.html

Harbor Freight has a standard 20% discount coupon, and a 25% coupon for Labor Day.

 

I hate these type, they are cumbersome, Jaguars setup for their compression system keeps the tool inside the spring and easier to do work in the wheel well and you only need one compression tool per side.

 

The lower ball joint came out very easy,

Which way am I supposed to press out the top one, it's probably obvious but I'm have abit of an idiot moment looking at it

 

Totally didn't try and press the top one the wrong way and only pushed out the ball,
Thankfully I managed to push the rest of it out with the clamp and a socket