Halfords staff, not the sharpest tools in the box ...
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Soldato
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The staff in these places know more than your average joe which is why they shop there, they don't need to know about overclocking or watercooling and the like. I've worked in a purple shirt shop many years ago and the staff are generally upto scratch on what products meet a customers needs.
Soldato
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I went in for a ball joint splitter the other day. After he asked his colleague I found they didn't sell them, 'but could order them in'. What use is that? I can order them in myself, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered going to a shop in person. Honestly a few years ago halfords used to sell the tools that one would need. Now they sell spanner and socket sets. And bikes.
What alternatives is there - I do have a small local motor factors that is good, but sometimes he doesn't have exactly what i need.
What alternatives is there - I do have a small local motor factors that is good, but sometimes he doesn't have exactly what i need.
Soldato
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Too late.
I don't see how a ball joint can be removed wihtout damaging the rubber... especially a lower one where there's no room to get a scissor type in.
Soldato
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people that need to split ball joints? Dunno, just a guess.
Obviously a DIY type!
Ball joints are freed by one or two decent 'taps' of a hammer to the housing.
No damage to the housing, rubber gaiter or thread of said joint.
I'm a time-served techinican 20yrs+ and don't own one.
Soldato
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Tried that. Wan't gonna budge. Also just tried to lever it out with a bar. Anyway. I'll just get some rubbers for a fiver and replace. Job done.
And the trackrod end the nut is siezed and just rotating the joint. Gonna have to get a nut splitter I think..(reckon halfords will have one of them?) unless you have an idea? Haven;t been able to get purchase in the bolt with pliers/grips..
Tried that. Wan't gonna budge. Also just tried to lever it out with a bar. Anyway. I'll just get some rubbers for a fiver and replace. Job done.
Bigger hammer and arm muscles required
And the trackrod end the nut is siezed and just rotating the joint. Gonna have to get a nut splitter I think..(reckon halfords will have one of them?) unless you have an idea? Haven;t been able to get purchase in the bolt with pliers/grips..
Nut splitters? Never used one. Is the bottom of said spinning joint facing downwards? Simply exert some careful upward pressure from a jack to stop the joint spinning in it's taper and undo nut.
Bigger hammer and arm muscles required
And the trackrod end the nut is siezed and just rotating the joint. Gonna have to get a nut splitter I think..(reckon halfords will have one of them?) unless you have an idea? Haven;t been able to get purchase in the bolt with pliers/grips..
Nut splitters? Never used one. Is the bottom of said spinning joint facing downwards? Simply exert some careful upward pressure from a jack to stop the joint spinning in it's taper and undo nut.
Soldato
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The nut came down right until the end of the shaft.. and then it started to turn the whole joint.. Will experiment with a jack tommorrow, not sure how I can apply a jack underneath and still have room to remove bolt though.
Halfords, the home of the air burglar and school caretaker made good. I rarely go in there, when I do I usually end up annoyed at someone and having a re profiling of understanding discussion. Never in the filed of human customer service has so much been unknown by so few....well since I last went to PC World or Currys of course. Most of the Managers in these stores were McDonalds cast offs, it's not surprise the underlings are inept and lacking in basic human interaction skills.
Woh, you wanna woh, we doe du em I don't fink, have you tried turtle wax instead, it's the same as Castrol we learned it on a trainin course.
Woh, you wanna woh, we doe du em I don't fink, have you tried turtle wax instead, it's the same as Castrol we learned it on a trainin course.
Is the nut on top of the steering arm on the hub or below, facing down?
Facing up makes it easy as a jack can be placed underneath the joint, forcing it up into the taper, making nut removal easier. Would be good to lubricate the threads and perhaps wind said nut back down before attempting to undo it again.
Soldato
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The nut is facing down. It's where the steering arm connects to the (now otherwise removed) hub.
As for hitting with a big hamer, I know for next time, but I did search the internet and found no mention of this technique... And tbh I thought 'splitting a ball joint' was removing the ball from the socket until this morning when I found out it means just removing the 'post' from the mount... (after i shagged all the rubbers
) Learn something every day. And i did wonder how it could hold it's integrity when doing what I expected it to do ..
Soldato
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Yes. Anyway If i get the nut off, the next obvious question is how to put it (or a new one) back on, given its likely to just turn the ball in the socket when i torque it. I'll worry about that nearer the time I guess.
Associate
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Yep poor wages seems to be a major factor .
Never buy a bike from them or take it in for repair it just sits out the back for 3 weeks with a next day return promise every day, on return it is either worse or has not been touched .
Never buy a bike from them or take it in for repair it just sits out the back for 3 weeks with a next day return promise every day, on return it is either worse or has not been touched .
As a former employee, I'd say standards vary widely based around who it is that serves you in the store. Staff training is minimal to non-existent, people are expected to 'get on with it' and thus you get some staff who are knowledgable and helpful because they made the effort to actually be good at their job (or already knew a lot because it interested them - there are a few decent audio specialists and cycle mechanics around but their skills/knowledge comes from their previous work or personal interests rather than much training provided by the employer).
Then you get the part time staff hired cheaply who aren't at all interested in providing a good service or gaining knowledge about their products - for them the customer is largely an inconvenience who actually makes them work for their wages.
I know I was good at my job (and have letters from customers to prove it) but what I learned to enable me to do it well came from my own research and being shown by other staff who decided it was their job to impart knowledge on an informal basis, rather than anything halfords put on for me. If someone isn't motivated by themselves to gain product knowledge...then they won't have any. Customer service skills aren't taught either.
Then you get the part time staff hired cheaply who aren't at all interested in providing a good service or gaining knowledge about their products - for them the customer is largely an inconvenience who actually makes them work for their wages.
I know I was good at my job (and have letters from customers to prove it) but what I learned to enable me to do it well came from my own research and being shown by other staff who decided it was their job to impart knowledge on an informal basis, rather than anything halfords put on for me. If someone isn't motivated by themselves to gain product knowledge...then they won't have any. Customer service skills aren't taught either.
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