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vincentvangoh
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2012
Posts: 19
Location: Hells Canyon Country, OR
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 Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 5:12 pm Post subject: advice on replacing ball joint boots |
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All,
Was under my 73 the other day replacing the center steering king pin and noticed that the ball joint boots on both sides (top and bottom) are cracked. Bus has 110K on it and the ball joints seem to be fine, there is even some grease in them when I peel back and peer inside the boot. Is it possible to replace these boots without disasebling the steering assembly- full bore? Just wondering if anyone has done this before.
Thanks |
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kreemoweet
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2008
Posts: 3899
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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I am sure THOUSANDS have done it before, and I am one of them. You must separate the BJ from the steering knuckle in order
to replace the boot, no getting around it. There are numerous threads on thesamba about doing this job, you should be able to
find scads of them by using the SEARCH. The hardest thing about doing this job is finding a source for decent-quality replacement boots!
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SGKent 
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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what the last post said.
if the bus has a legitimate 110,000 miles which is low for a 42 year old car, (110,000 / 42 = 2619 miles a year) then the ball joints should be good for at least another 100,000 miles unless they have gotten rust and dirt inside from a torn boot. There are several threads on how different brand boots last. It changes with time so it is worth doing a search on it here.
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ZENVWDRIVER
Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2008
Posts: 3340
Location: N.E. Oklahoma
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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We bought our 1968 Westy in 1998 and the right front BJ boot was only partially there. I removed the rest and did not want to take it apart to replace the boot. So, tied a nylon panty hose on all around the BJ and greased as usual...
...has been like that for almost 17 years with no problems.
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20278
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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Bus Boys boots seem to be good right now.
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vincentvangoh
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2012
Posts: 19
Location: Hells Canyon Country, OR
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 7:28 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks all. I will track down boots from Bus Boys and also look for boot replacement threads. And yes this bus only has 110k on it. It sat in a barn in Montana for almost 20 years and was apparently used sparingly before then. Im just about done with the resto. |
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20278
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 9:35 am Post subject: |
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| vincentvangoh wrote: |
| Thanks all. I will track down boots from Bus Boys and also look for boot replacement threads. And yes this bus only has 110k on it. It sat in a barn in Montana for almost 20 years and was apparently used sparingly before then. Im just about done with the resto. |
We would love to see some pics if you would share.
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21520
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 9:53 am Post subject: |
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| cdennisg wrote: |
| vincentvangoh wrote: |
| Thanks all. I will track down boots from Bus Boys and also look for boot replacement threads. And yes this bus only has 110k on it. It sat in a barn in Montana for almost 20 years and was apparently used sparingly before then. Im just about done with the resto. |
We would love to see some pics if you would share. |
Check out the thread in the type 3 forum.
I am, working to source replacement ball joints for type 4....since they are no longer made.
In the process I, found a company that makes superb offroad and racing ball joints and tie rod end. Fully user rebuildable. They sell top notch Neoprene boots for all of their joints. Really nice stuff.
Measure you boot sizes and give them a call. Ray |
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strfish7
Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2014
Posts: 60
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:16 am Post subject: |
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Hey Ray,
Would this vendor's ball joints be suitable for our buses? I like the idea of high quality, rebuildable ball joints. |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21520
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:47 am Post subject: |
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| strfish7 wrote: |
Hey Ray,
Would this vendor's ball joints be suitable for our buses? I like the idea of high quality, rebuildable ball joints. |
I doubt that they have something exact enough for type 1, 2 or 3 because of the unique nature of how they press into the arms.
If you look at Howe Racing's site....you will see that they make ball joints for a large range of US heavy detroit iron chassis that are popular with drag, bracket racing, circle track etc......as well as a range of straight up tie rods and joints used for fully built racing chassis.....and they sell welded tube chassis.
The reason I can find something to fit the type 4 chassis is that its mcpherson strut. It uses a single ball joint at the base of the strut.....bolted to the strut housing with three bolts. The stud goes into my, control arm with a normal taper pin.
In my case I can use a three bolt ball joint from a 1967-82 corvette with a simple 1" block of steel for an adapter between the steering knuckle and the ball joint...then have my taper bore reamed to slightly oversized at a machine shop.....and I would be done. It would look and act largely like factory only stronger.
That being, said.....they have a really unique range or products that MIGHT be able to be easily adapted to the bus because the bus has so much meat in its arms.
A lot of the ball joints they make for standard A-arms come in threaded and press in. Some have a, flange at the back side opposite the stud end...which is what you would want......and some have the flange at the stud end.
They make these in "threaded" versions.....meaning they have a, tool steel barrel that presses into your arm....with a HEAVY press. ....and then the joint, screws into that, thread from the stud side.....and is locked with either a snap ring or threaded nut.
If they have some like that where the threaded press in collar and the ball joint are the right, size to allow installation with only very minimal clearance machine work to the bore in your arms.....and if that joint is available in a taper that is alightly oversized to the one s in your steering knuckle.....you are in business.
They list most of the critical dimensions of all of their parts...and have options for each joint. You, can, get different ball, stud lengths, diameter and taper.....and all of their ball studs are oversized. ..like big....like VW bus big. All are fully rebuildable and have unique anti, corrosion platings on the internal parts. Ray |
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vincentvangoh
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2012
Posts: 19
Location: Hells Canyon Country, OR
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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| cdennisg wrote: |
| vincentvangoh wrote: |
| Thanks all. I will track down boots from Bus Boys and also look for boot replacement threads. And yes this bus only has 110k on it. It sat in a barn in Montana for almost 20 years and was apparently used sparingly before then. Im just about done with the resto. |
We would love to see some pics if you would share. |
Will try to find some pics but noticed the request a little late today. Was out in the shop reinstalling the DuoTherm heater that still works! It sits under the jump seat behind the driver and was a bit tricky to maneuver back in place. should have known that I needed to take the seat out of the bus to accomplish this but could remember back two years ago when I did the original strip down. 
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