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Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:59 am

I just did a search for Nakata ball joints and ran across these guys, whom I have never heard of before. They offer them at $20 ea.

http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1979/volkswagen/transporter/suspension/ball_joint.html

Too bad they only have 1. :roll:

Does anyone have experience with Parts Geek?

As for Wolfgang International, how can you tell these are Nakata?
https://www.wolfgangint.com/store/product/ball-joints-211405371a/

It also mentions a bug in the description, though these are listed as bus ball joints.

Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:12 am

here is a really good article to read before buying ball joints. It refers to Vanagons but it applies to buses too.

http://www.wagenswest.com/how_to/bus_vanagon_ball_comparison.php

Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:20 am

Oh, my, that is very revealing. I had no idea there were such differences, and that "trusted" brands like Febi and Meyle are shilling junk.

And it is another good example (like my bit on the axles in another thread) of cheaply-made parts in the market.

Well, I know I see four new ball joints in my near future. Now, it will be a matter of sourcing decent ones. :(

Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:04 am

The questions still remains do the joint that are recommended on their construction come with quality boots that will last more than a few months or years? :cry:

Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:08 pm

jtauxe wrote: I just did a search for Nakata ball joints and ran across these guys, whom I have never heard of before. They offer them at $20 ea.

http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1979/volkswagen/transporter/suspension/ball_joint.html

Too bad they only have 1. :roll:

Does anyone have experience with Parts Geek?

As for Wolfgang International, how can you tell these are Nakata?
https://www.wolfgangint.com/store/product/ball-joints-211405371a/

It also mentions a bug in the description, though these are listed as bus ball joints.

I emailed them and asked them, they said they only use Nakata.

Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:11 pm

SGKent wrote: ivwshane wrote: I'll test the joints on my next day off, if I need to replace them I think I'll go with the Wolfgang reconditioned set (they use Nakata ball joints).

not meaning any disrespect but I would never go that route again based on what I got when I bought them there.

Damn it:|

Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:13 pm

ivwshane wrote: jtauxe wrote: I just did a search for Nakata ball joints and ran across these guys, whom I have never heard of before. They offer them at $20 ea.

http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1979/volkswagen/transporter/suspension/ball_joint.html

Too bad they only have 1. :roll:

Does anyone have experience with Parts Geek?

As for Wolfgang International, how can you tell these are Nakata?
https://www.wolfgangint.com/store/product/ball-joints-211405371a/

It also mentions a bug in the description, though these are listed as bus ball joints.

I emailed them and asked them, they said they only use Nakata.

mine from WG are supposedly Nakata also. Other than the quality of the arm cores they used when I bought mine the only other issue is the dead feel that comes from some new ball joints. Colin (Amskeptic) said it has that "new ball joint dead feel" when he drove it to compare it with the originals on the Bob D. I opened 4 boxes there at WG to get one B grade set - most of the other ones were what I would consider C to C- grade on the cores. The cores of mine they kept and would not rebuild for me, which is why I took them up to them to have mine rebuilt, were A+ grade with very little wear and no rust. That is why I would never buy another set from them.

Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:57 pm

SGKent wrote: here is a really good article to read before buying ball joints. It refers to Vanagons but it applies to buses too.

http://www.wagenswest.com/how_to/bus_vanagon_ball_comparison.php

That article doesn't help but to make things more confusing. They said OE was the best which is lemforder but that its not available but then said you could get it under the moog label...are they available or not?

I found a site that carries lemforder, bmaparts.com and it rockauto carries moog.

Which one should I be looking at?

And we still don't know about the quality of boots for any of them.

Wed Nov 20, 2013 2:31 pm

If you get exactly whats in the pic it looks like CIP1 has Lemforder ball joints - you can see the Lemforder logo on the cap of the ball joint...

http://www.cip1.ca/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C24-211-405-371-AGR

Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:39 am

It doesn't look like any of them have zerk fittings. Do you have to install them no matter what brand you buy?

Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:09 am

It doesn't look like any of them have zerk fittings. Do you have to install them no matter what brand you buy?

Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:43 am

With all this talk, it sounds like we're still missing a definitive answer. I don't mind working on my bus more than necessary, so I'll put four different brand joints/boots on my bus and report back in a month, year, and two years. Doesn't help us now, but would that help us in the long run?

Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:02 am

Sure. Run the experiment!

Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:07 am

Lemforder are made in several different countries now so finding German made Lemforder is very hard. Now one would expect that even if they're not made in Germany they would be still made to the original spec. Hopefully. lol. I see changing the ball joints as a every 3 year maintenance procedure in the near future. lol.

Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:40 am

asiab3 wrote: With all this talk, it sounds like we're still missing a definitive answer. I don't mind working on my bus more than necessary, so I'll put four different brand joints/boots on my bus and report back in a month, year, and two years. Doesn't help us now, but would that help us in the long run?

Glad someone is willing to do so. 8)

Fri Nov 22, 2013 11:59 am

Sorry, not sure why the same message posted twice 30 minutes apart.

1975Kombi….you're replacing these things about every three years (~10k miles)? So what makes my originals last 130k miles? And no smart-ass answers from anybody either. I read the destructive test Nate did on ball joints. What kind of joints is he using? Are zerks a MUST? Seems like they would be to me?

Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:49 pm

DunedinSpeedster wrote: Sorry, not sure why the same message posted twice 30 minutes apart.

1975Kombi….you're replacing these things about every three years (~10k miles)? So what makes my originals last 130k miles? And no smart-ass answers from anybody either. I read the destructive test Nate did on ball joints. What kind of joints is he using? Are zerks a MUST? Seems like they would be to me?

He is saying that with the crappy third world parts we keep getting we might as well expect to be replacing parts like ball joints much more often. Your original joints made it 130K or maybe 230K without needing grease so no, if you have joints of original quality then a zerk isn't particularly necessary. Once a boot fails though a zerk can save a joint until you can get a new boot installed. A plastic bag and some electrical tape will protect a joint quite well if you have a way to grease it.

Fri Nov 22, 2013 1:21 pm

Wildthings wrote: asiab3 wrote: With all this talk, it sounds like we're still missing a definitive answer. I don't mind working on my bus more than necessary, so I'll put four different brand joints/boots on my bus and report back in a month, year, and two years. Doesn't help us now, but would that help us in the long run?

Glad someone is willing to do so. 8)

Alright- I have my original joints and boots on the bus now, the boots are cracking but not ripped. I have zerks installed in the factory drilled holes.

Suggestions to what four brands of BOOTS I should run? I will plan on using my OG joints as long as possible. I'll probably get the boots all in by the new year.

Fri Nov 22, 2013 2:22 pm

Wildthings wrote: DunedinSpeedster wrote: Sorry, not sure why the same message posted twice 30 minutes apart.

1975Kombi….you're replacing these things about every three years (~10k miles)? So what makes my originals last 130k miles? And no smart-ass answers from anybody either. I read the destructive test Nate did on ball joints. What kind of joints is he using? Are zerks a MUST? Seems like they would be to me?

He is saying that with the crappy third world parts we keep getting we might as well expect to be replacing parts like ball joints much more often. Your original joints made it 130K or maybe 230K without needing grease so no, if you have joints of original quality then a zerk isn't particularly necessary. Once a boot fails though a zerk can save a joint until you can get a new boot installed. A plastic bag and some electrical tape will protect a joint quite well if you have a way to grease it.

OK, fair enough. I'm putting Nate's slambay kit on a '78 bus and intend to replace the ball joints. I see Nate offers rebuilt torsion arms and I'm sure he's using a machined cap joint. There's also a set of rebuilt arms here on the samba with Lemforder joints installed. Neither have zerks, but if Nate is right, how can we install zerks in a joint with a stamped cap? Metal is too thin right?

And for the million dollar question….how do I tell a stamped cap versus a machined one? Can I do it going by brand?

Sat Nov 23, 2013 8:24 am

Fortunately, for me I am still using 3 original joints, but have replaced the boots several yrs ago when they first came out...within 8 months they started to crack ...hopefully to avoid another boot replacement, I brushed permatex silicone around the entire boot and seems to work as designed to..no grease leaking out anywhere..same goes for the tie rods and drag link boots...