Inside A Ball Joint
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,795
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From: Pflugerville, TX
Vehicle: 2000 Elantra
You ever been inside a ball joint?
I hadn't either, till yesterday. I had a rear sway bar endlink with a little tear on the ball joint's grease boot, so I decided to take it apart & show the whole class.
The boot is secured by a spring clip that's pretty tough to put back on.
This is why you need boots in good condition: The threaded stud coming out of this thing is the same material as the ball in the ball joint. If water and crud get up in the ball joint, it will get at least as rusty as the threads on the stud. Not so good for smooth operation.
FYI: The boots should be free of tears, and should not be leaking grease. Ideally the boot should be a little swollen with all the grease the manufacturer spooged in there, but at the least, the rubber should be supple (not brittle & cracking).
Rock Auto has a pretty spiffy online catalog, they have some upgraded greasable endlinks from Moog, and some bottom of the line units for
I hadn't either, till yesterday. I had a rear sway bar endlink with a little tear on the ball joint's grease boot, so I decided to take it apart & show the whole class.
The boot is secured by a spring clip that's pretty tough to put back on.
This is why you need boots in good condition: The threaded stud coming out of this thing is the same material as the ball in the ball joint. If water and crud get up in the ball joint, it will get at least as rusty as the threads on the stud. Not so good for smooth operation.
FYI: The boots should be free of tears, and should not be leaking grease. Ideally the boot should be a little swollen with all the grease the manufacturer spooged in there, but at the least, the rubber should be supple (not brittle & cracking).
Rock Auto has a pretty spiffy online catalog, they have some upgraded greasable endlinks from Moog, and some bottom of the line units for
