Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

I can't seem to get rid of the gap at the wishbone to bell housing area.
Is this gap normal or should I be concerned?

If so, how do I fix it?

I dont remember seeing this gap in the past.

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

Look just like mine, not a problem.

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

That means your ball is not worn out-a good thing

John

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

The gap means that the bottom clamp is under spring pressure to hold the wishbone ball in place, which is normal.
If you didn't have any gap remaining... that's when you start having a problem.

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

Actually there are two gaps.

One between the bell housing and the inside, upper cup.

Then one between the upper cup and the lower cup.
Are you sure that is normal?

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

The ball retainer assembly is "spring loaded." The ball seat (part directly on the bell housing) should be "close" as in touching. The ball retainer (part on the lower side of the ball) is "free floating" and held against the wishbone ball by retaining springs.

The ball retainer has larger holes than the bolt by a considerable amount. There are actually annular "sleeves" which the ball retainer slides over: the springs are outside of these and on the lower side of the ball retainer.

The nuts are held from compressing the springs "solid" by these sleeves. The proper setup has the nuts as tight as they can be, the compressed spring with small gap between the turns, and a small gap between ball seat and ball retainer.

It is possible if there is considerable downward force on your wishbone that it could compress the springs, cause the ball retainer to drop, loosen the contact between the ball and its ball seat, and a gap to form between the ball seat and the bell housing. This I would consider unusual. And possibly a reason to replace at least the springs which in time may lose their compression.

This quite a bit different from the aftermarket ball caps which when assembled are "solid" - and the make-up made in the rubber ball.

Joe K

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

From your picture it looks to me that the bottom retainer is cast iron not pressed steel . This is the aftermarket rubber ball setup which I myself am not a fan of . With the all steel setup you can see what is going on with the hidden rubber ball you cannot . The reason that the rubber ball setup is used is because of excess wear on the radius ball (gone oval) If the ball is oval the parts houses sell a shaped washer to take up the slack . If it were my car i would ditch that setup and go back to standard .

John still in thanks to Covid 19 Suffolk County England .

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

John,
I have the original set up.
The upper cup is cad plated.

See picture from Brattons online catalog.

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

Looking again I can see OOOOPS !!!

John in same place same weather .

Re: Gap at wishbone to bell housing
 

The sleeves are supposed to hold the upper cap firmly against the bottom of the bell housing. I would look for some interference between the upper cap and bellhousing that is preventing the cap from seating tightly at the bellhousing.