Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Upper / lower ball joints
Page: Previous  1, 2
Forum Index -> Thing/Type 181 Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
oldschool5er
Samba Member


Joined: May 28, 2007
Posts: 804
Location: Ohio
oldschool5er is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just installed Thing ball joints from CIP1 into a friends Thing arms and I was NOT happy with the quality. He brought me the joints so I didn't say to much and installed them anyway. It is NOT the same quality as Meyle or other German ones that I have installed dozens of times. For one thing they were 360 degree directional meaning that it didn't matter on how you installed them as they would pivot in any direction and had not any extra metal covering over the ball. The German ones even though one direction only, have a much beefer cup that partially covers over the ball of the pivot joint which I like much better. On the lower arm it is not only the lower shock stud that is different they also have thicker walls in the spigot that goes into the beam. I think it is always better to use all Thing arms with thing joints, unless you have no choice.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Serpent7
Samba Member


Joined: May 26, 2008
Posts: 410
Location: Temple Hills, MD.
Serpent7 is offline 

PostPosted: Sat May 06, 2017 5:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

First off, this is the best Thing ball joint thread ever!!!

I still have a question though. I also bought the CB Performance dropped spindle and disk brake kit to lower my Thing... Do you have to install new beetle ball joints if your Thing's ball joints are in good shape? Will the beetle drop spindle mount on the Thing ball joints?
_________________
2019 Audi Q5
2014 Volkswagen Touareg X
1997 Honda Shadow
1979 Kawasaki KZ1000
1979 Volkswagen Transporter
1973 Volkswagen Thing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Ron Domeck
Samba Member


Joined: August 05, 2007
Posts: 1466
Location: louisville Ky
Ron Domeck is offline 

PostPosted: Sat May 06, 2017 5:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

I think the taper is bigger on the Thing joints.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Ron Domeck
Samba Member


Joined: August 05, 2007
Posts: 1466
Location: louisville Ky
Ron Domeck is offline 

PostPosted: Sat May 06, 2017 6:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

You do know the arms both install from the top and the beetle one up and one down?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Serpent7
Samba Member


Joined: May 26, 2008
Posts: 410
Location: Temple Hills, MD.
Serpent7 is offline 

PostPosted: Sat May 06, 2017 7:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

lol.... When you say bigger, do you mean longer, or wider?

I don't know anything... By the arms being upside down, that shouldn't affect the installation of the new spindles? or can you swap the left side with the right side arms? would that fix the issue?
_________________
2019 Audi Q5
2014 Volkswagen Touareg X
1997 Honda Shadow
1979 Kawasaki KZ1000
1979 Volkswagen Transporter
1973 Volkswagen Thing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Ron Domeck
Samba Member


Joined: August 05, 2007
Posts: 1466
Location: louisville Ky
Ron Domeck is offline 

PostPosted: Sat May 06, 2017 8:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

The taper is bigger dia. The lower ball joints would be upside down in the spindle. Maybe I am wrong. Go back and read this whole tread. Easy way is to get beetle arms and sell your Thing ones for 2 or 3 times what you will pay for beetle arms. Also if you flip the arms the angle of the ball joints will not be the same.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Serpent7
Samba Member


Joined: May 26, 2008
Posts: 410
Location: Temple Hills, MD.
Serpent7 is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 07, 2017 4:36 am    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

Ok, I just reread the post.... I can install my Beetle drop spindles on the Thing as long as I use beetle radius ball joints installed like a bug, and beetle camber adjusters?
_________________
2019 Audi Q5
2014 Volkswagen Touareg X
1997 Honda Shadow
1979 Kawasaki KZ1000
1979 Volkswagen Transporter
1973 Volkswagen Thing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
oldschool5er
Samba Member


Joined: May 28, 2007
Posts: 804
Location: Ohio
oldschool5er is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 07, 2017 8:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

Yes, bug upper and lower ball joints with bug camber adjusters. But as has been mentioned bug arms are a dime a dozen so just use those in your Thing beam and sell the Thing arms to someone that can use them in a Thing. I just paid $150 for a nice set with unrusted clean spigots.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Serpent7
Samba Member


Joined: May 26, 2008
Posts: 410
Location: Temple Hills, MD.
Serpent7 is offline 

PostPosted: Sat May 13, 2017 10:38 am    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

Took your advise and called BuggyMan! Of course he had a set of Beetle arms!!! Now its time to take out the old ball joints and put the new ones in! I'd like to post up a few pics in the coming weeks for others to see and learn from... Is that cool?

Also, question... You said I can sell my old Thing arms, and spindles. What do they usually go for, and how much do you think I can sell them for? I'd love to get a few dollars back!
_________________
2019 Audi Q5
2014 Volkswagen Touareg X
1997 Honda Shadow
1979 Kawasaki KZ1000
1979 Volkswagen Transporter
1973 Volkswagen Thing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
sam_w
Samba Member


Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 1479
Location: Petaluma, CA
sam_w is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2017 11:18 am    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

I had the ball joints replaced o n my 'new' 74 Thing. One of the ball joints was a beetle ball joint, so I had to get a new eccentric from The Thing Shop. Everything is fine now.
I guess I should have looked more carefully when I got my second Thing, the cost of a front end build was just a little bit less than a grand!

But now it runs a steers and brakes great.

I have to decide whether to take the 74 with a standard engine, hard top and VWoA roof-rack, or my off road Thing with the bug 2054 motor and bikini top, to Kubeltreffen West.
_________________
63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Junglebiker
Samba Member


Joined: August 05, 2016
Posts: 18
Location: USA/UK/Papua New Guinea
Junglebiker is offline 

PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2021 6:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

I have a problem with a friend's ex-German military Type 181--the left lower ball joint popped out of the lower trailing arm when his wife hit a big bump in the road recently. We put it back in and are looking to prevent it happening again. While investigating ball joints, I noticed that Vanagon lower ball joints have a circlip which would prevent them from being pulled out.

I am currently located in Papua New Guinea, there are no parts stores here that sell any kind of VW parts much less a parts store where I might be able to go to try to compare parts. Can anybody describe for me the differences between Vanagon lower ball joints and Type 181/Thing lower ball joints? I'd appreciate it very much and would say nice things about you to ALL my friends.
_________________
1969 Aussie market Type 1 sedan. Thanks to the 'Rona, new floors, new heater channels, MOFOCO big valve heads, baja body kit, wheel adapters w/UTV wheels/tires
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli


Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12815
Location: North Carolina
TDCTDI is offline 

PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2021 7:14 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

Press Thing balljoints back into the arms & tack weld them in place.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Junglebiker
Samba Member


Joined: August 05, 2016
Posts: 18
Location: USA/UK/Papua New Guinea
Junglebiker is offline 

PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2021 8:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

Believe me, I've considered it, but if they are like Meyles with a chunk of teflon inside, I won't be doing them any favors. I'd like to find a more positive solution, especially since a lot of the roads we drive on here are pretty crappy and big bumps more common than not.

Anyone? Difference between Vanagon and Thing lower ball joints?
_________________
1969 Aussie market Type 1 sedan. Thanks to the 'Rona, new floors, new heater channels, MOFOCO big valve heads, baja body kit, wheel adapters w/UTV wheels/tires
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli


Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12815
Location: North Carolina
TDCTDI is offline 

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2021 2:14 am    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

Just tack welds, you shouldn’t be transferring that much heat. You can also cool them with a quick dip in oil if you’re that concerned.

I have pounded the crap out of a set of Meyle balljoints for at least 50,000 miles so far & I guarantee you it’s been on worse terrain than your roads.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli


Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12815
Location: North Carolina
TDCTDI is offline 

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2021 7:24 am    Post subject: Re: Upper / lower ball joints Reply with quote

OK, how about no chance in hell.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Thing/Type 181 All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.