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Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:57 pm

Is there a source for just the "ring"? Or is there a standard size i could use? I was just installing the bump stops on weld busler, and When i grabbed ahold of the ball joint to get back on my feet, the boot slipped off. When i put ti back on, i noticed the ring was kind of loose compared to the other 3, and i can get it back on, but as soon as you manipulate the joint, the boot pops back off.

Sun Jul 26, 2015 3:03 pm

You should measure them out, as I need that measurement too :D

Sun Jul 26, 2015 3:12 pm

which ring?
there are two per...

safety wire works great :wink:

Sun Jul 26, 2015 3:28 pm

This is the part number.
http://vagpart.com/vw/type-2-t2-us-1969-35-torsion-arm-steering-knuckle/#p-vw-211405383

Can you please list the vendor if you find them?
Thank You
Tcash

Sun Jul 26, 2015 4:40 pm

top one. If I find it, ill post it in this thread. If not, ill use safety wire.

Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:36 pm

Can you not bend it back?

This is the closest thing I could find:
http://www.coolairvw.co.uk/Item/Shop_by_Vehicle~Ba...Clips.html

Sun Jul 26, 2015 9:35 pm

I have just used thin soft SS wire. I made two wraps and tied the ends off. Worked just fine.

Mon Jul 27, 2015 4:21 am

bending back: No, it seems to have lost too much tension....you can easily manipulate it and its super easy to put it on and off. If i cant find it, ill go with the safety wire

Mon Aug 24, 2015 4:27 pm

Well, after bringing a NOS one pioneer1 sent me, noone has them, not NAPA, O'Reilly's, Federated, VIP, Autozone, the other one that sounds like Autozone or fastenal.

All of the online guys I contacted , Wolfsburg West, busdepot, etc, said they dont carry them.

So, SAVE your old ones if they arent too knackered, or go with the safety wire

BUT: I did find these guys:

https://www.rotorclip.com/rings.php

apparently, they are called: external spiral retaining rings

Mon Aug 24, 2015 6:06 pm

This is one of the reasons I save old ball joint and tie rod boots and clips when replacing ball joints and tie rods.

Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:03 pm

A thin stainless zip tie will work well. Do not over tighten it.

Mon Aug 24, 2015 8:56 pm

I found a company last year that makes these and zillions of other types of wire and clamp products. Give me a day to check which favorite lists its in. Ray

Tue Aug 25, 2015 3:15 am

Ray,

Cool, thanks!

Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:36 am

This is the problem with my favorites lists. I have files of them I am still reorganizing ....but I did find some good resources for these types of clips a year or so ago. I have not called any personally...but from what I have learned about how these are wound by CNC machines on demand...with no tooling charge...virtually any pf these companies (and there are more) should be able to get you what you want for cheap.

All of these companies make spiral locking rings…both internal and external. You will note…that there are literally hundreds of specific kinds…and they are a very high state of engineering for shaft locking and all types of uses in Auto, transportation and Aerospace. Our usage for simple boot retaining is the crudest and very common and needs nothing special. You can get these rings in anything from painted and unpainted steel, stainless, beryllium copper…the list is endless.

The trick is going to be getting “crappy” cheap ones like we need…from some of the engineering based companies…or maybe not. Just call and ask.

The nice thing with spiral retainers…is that there is no cost for tooling and set up. They just feed in the metal of the right cross section and type…and program the winding machine for the diameter…and done!

And…yes…they make removal/installation tools depending on side and end treatment of the ring. And on the Huyett site they list for some external and internal rings…mandrels for installation that may or may not work with a boot.

This first site….is just plain F*cking awesome! 240 pages of every conceivable type of retaining ring, clip, spring…clips, wire retainers, C-rings….usage and orientation tips, installation tips…and TOOLS….ALL in SAE, Metric, German Standard, Asian metric…the list is insane! The SAE spiral retainers start around page 40….the metric goods start on page 150….and run almost 100 pages. You can learrn loads about srpings, rings and retainers just from browsing.

Spiral retainers start
G.L. Huyett
https://www.huyett.com/getmedia/7967f14f-8da0-445f...g.pdf.aspx

Spirolox is the most common high engineering brand

Spiral retaining rings
Spirolox rings /Smalley company

http://www.smalley.com/retaining-rings/spirolox

Lots of stuff. This would probably be a great place to get what you need as they wind all of their own as well.

American Ring mfg
http://www.americanring.net/products/material_spiral.aspx

Arcon Ring
http://www.arconring.com/spiral-rings/

Removal tool
http://www.smalley.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/Removal%20Tool.PDF
http://www.smalley.com/retaining-rings/removal

Ray

Tue Aug 25, 2015 12:28 pm

This is the problem with my favorites lists. I have files of them I am still reorganizing ....
Ctrl>F for the page
Or if you have Chrome. bookmarks>bookmarks manager, search top right hand corner.

Tue Aug 25, 2015 1:07 pm

Tcash wrote: This is the problem with my favorites lists. I have files of them I am still reorganizing ....
Ctrl>F for the page
Or if you have Chrome. bookmarks>bookmarks manager, search top right hand corner.

Yes...I have Chrome.....but.....I have literally thousands of favorites pages in a wide variety of categories......and some have migrated from one computer to another, some were loaded onto sticks from work computers, some from XP systems.....etc.

The real key for me is making a directory/table of contents .....so I know WHAT I have.

Its like searching for an obscure part on Grainger or McMaster carr.....and no one really knows what its called or what the formal name is. If I dont know what I have I wont know how to look for it easily. :lol:
Ray

Tue Aug 25, 2015 4:34 pm

measuring the circumference of where the top joint groove is, gives me abotu 6 inches, and then where the rubber part goes around is @ 6.25, which gives a diameter of @1.98

convert to MM is @50mm diameter..id say it should grip from 48mm to 52?

but i dont know what the techno babble means on the linked sites

would this work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/External-Spiral-Ring-2-MD-PH-5-Pieces-/171509033394?hash=item27eebc29b2

Tue Aug 25, 2015 4:46 pm

You will get errors with too much conversion.

Simply take a ring off.
1. Measure its total thickness with a micrometer

2. Spread the coil and measure one leaf 2ith a caliper or micrometer. ... now you know tue steel strip thickness.

3. Measure the ID and OD of the ring.

Call one of these companies. Tell them what ypu have...and that its a rubber boot retakner. Since the ring expands when spread. ...it will fit a range.

They really just need ro know the at rest dimension of what you have. Ray

Tue Aug 25, 2015 8:23 pm

Yarkle wrote: measuring the circumference of where the top joint groove is, gives me abotu 6 inches, and then where the rubber part goes around is @ 6.25, which gives a diameter of @1.98

convert to MM is @50mm diameter..id say it should grip from 48mm to 52?

but i dont know what the techno babble means on the linked sites

would this work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/External-Spiral-Ring-2-MD-PH-5-Pieces-/171509033394?hash=item27eebc29b2

Note that ring is flat. The ones on my ball joints are round wire spiral rings. Which I cannot find and example of.

Tcash

Tue Aug 25, 2015 8:29 pm

Tcash wrote: Yarkle wrote: measuring the circumference of where the top joint groove is, gives me abotu 6 inches, and then where the rubber part goes around is @ 6.25, which gives a diameter of @1.98

convert to MM is @50mm diameter..id say it should grip from 48mm to 52?

but i dont know what the techno babble means on the linked sites

would this work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/External-Spiral-Ring-2-MD-PH-5-Pieces-/171509033394?hash=item27eebc29b2

Note that ring is flat. The ones on my ball joints are round wire spiral rings. Which I cannot find and example of.

Tcash

Yes....at least one of those companies have examples of double wound, round wire rings. If they are the right size....either will work. Ray