TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:30 am

I don't have a baja, but figured this is the forum to ask the question. I have 4 new THING ball joints that I never installed on a THING I don't own anymore. I do have a 70 bug that needs ball joints soon. It is not used off-road. I've heard that THING joints will fit a bug, and can withstand higher angles so off-road guys run them. I'd like to know if that is true. I'd assume if the work off-road, they would be just fine on-road. I'd like to save the $ and use them. Thanks!

Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:26 am

i believe you must have thing arms and spindles to use those ball joints

Wed Jun 13, 2012 5:45 pm

There's a few topics on using Thing spindles to get the lift. I don't have them myself, but I'm sure a good few people on here do, and will chime in.

The uppers I think are directly interchangable.

The lowers on a Thing press in from the bottom, so idk how usable they would be. Some people flip and switch the lower type 1 trailing arms, and use the Thing bjs with a Thing spindle. They require some clearancing to fit, but that might just be because they press in "backwards".

Even if you decide not to use them, I'm sure you could put them on the classifieds and get a pair of Type 1s in trade to keep from losing money on them.

Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:12 pm

Quote: I'm sure you could put them on the classifieds and get a pair of Type 1s in trade to keep from losing money on them.

If you attach the name "thing" to them, you could probably make money.

Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:19 pm

If you attach "German" and "Thing" you can make twice as much!

Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:16 am

The 181 upper ball joint has a larger taper than a type 1 and will not fit in the type 1 camber adjuster. 181 ball joints work in bug arms just fine. There is a lip on the lower arm that needs to be ground off but no big deal.

Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:23 am

UncleDirty wrote: The 181 upper ball joint has a larger taper than a type 1 and will not fit in the type 1 camber adjuster. 181 ball joints work in bug arms just fine. There is a lip on the lower arm that needs to be ground off but no big deal.

So they work in the arms, but wouldn't fit the camber eccentric? So you would need the 181 spindles, right?

Unless you could use a 181 camber eccentric in a bug spindle. And I've heard those 181 camber nuts are about as easy to find as Osama Bin Laden.

I apologize then to the OP. I knew you could fit them in the arms, but I've only read about it in reference to lift spindles.

So maybe back to the trading idea. Unless you're pretty tight with Seal team 4.

Fri Jun 15, 2012 12:23 pm

Yes the eccentrics fit in the spindle. I have type 1 eccentrics on my thing, I had to ream them to fit the thing ball joint. Don't ask what happened to the 181 eccentrics :oops: .
So to VEGDRABBITS, I would try and trade the 181 ball joints for some type 1s.

Sat Jun 16, 2012 4:23 am

UncleDirty wrote: Don't ask what happened to the 181 eccentrics :oops: .

Seal team 4 kicked in your garage door and took them right? :D