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Date:         Fri, 12 Nov 1999 23:01:53 EST
Reply-To:     Calwolfie@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kevin Dawson <Calwolfie@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Replacment Ball Joint and Tie Rod Boots
Comments: To: printstud@t-three.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi, While I haven't gotten around to doing the boots on my Vanagon yet, I have been susscessful in using polyeurathane boots made by Energy Suspension. If the boots are torn or gone it doesn't take long to have anice grinding paste of dirt and grease wearing away at your joints. They list them as only a tie rod dust boot but I have found that they can work on ball joints. They make four different dimensions so it is a point of measuring your ball joint and then picking the right size. Polyurethane is great because it is impervious to oil and ozone degradation. They are also cheap (about $4 per pair) and easy to install. You can find them at better seed and off road shops. Use a pickle fork (ball joint separator) to knock the joint apart, clean with brake cleaner, pack with grease, and then slip the new boot on. I go one step further by drilling and tapping a zerk (a grease nipple, the way they use to make em') fitting into the top of the joint in question. The top is just thin sheet metal. Use grease on the drill bit to pull up the drillings, go slow, wipe clean. Use grease on tap to capture shavings. Use red locktight on zerk fitting when threading in. Then use your grease gun to lube the joint real good. You can use this on tie rod joints too. In fact it is easy to get carried away and start installing grease nipples everywhere. There are even cute little yellow nipple caps you can get for 10/$1 that make the job look real clean and makes the zerks stand out when you want to do your lube job and not overlook any. Here are the boot size specs.

I I treaded end I I / \ / \ ___<--------Largest Dia. Taper =A I I __I I__ /<-------Dia. Top of socket = B / \____________ I ____________ \___________/

Dimension A Dimension B Part no. .472" or 12mm 1.200" or 30.5mm 9-13103 .590" or 15mm 1.375" or 35mm 9-13101 .550" or 14mm 1.437" or 36.5mm 9-13105 .650" or 16.6mm 1.625" or 41.3mm 9-13119

Use the min. dimension on the large end. The material is elastic. If needed, the small dimension can be drill larger.

Cheers, Kevin Dawson 87' Wolfie camper


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