Steering: Ball joints

[bobthecabbage]

Does anyone have any experience fitting new ball joint covers? Can you recommend a supplier and does anyone know the size needed for an 04 diesel v40 bottom ball joints and track rod end ball joints?

[kieran40]

Yep I have done mine you have to cut into the metal then it will roll back it's very thin ,remove the old rubber,put new one on then roll the metal back to hold it into place.really easy to do.but I'm sorry I don't know the size,I bought a universal kit from a local motor factors.

[bobthecabbage]

So they are held on by rolled metal at the base? That is annoying!
If they have them in motor factors then maybe I'll just get them from there rather than online.
I haven't really looked at them closely just bandaged them up with silicone and ptfe tape (conforms easily).

[v40alex]

I think Kieran is talking about the track rod ends, the ball joint covers are held on by a sort of circlip spring. I couldn't find a ball joint cover to fit in any of the motorpart suppliers round here, I ended up trying my local indy mechanic who had a massive bag of them. Easy to change too, you might need a fork-type ball joint splitter to get the wishbones off though (press-out splitter wouldn't fit in).

The internal measurements for the ball joint covers are top 15mm, bottom 30mm.
The covers I got were 23mm outside at the top, 35.5mm outside at the bottom and 27mm high.
The original cover had the code "TAP CFW14 V4-21509", the replacements I got had "09-193-6" on them.

[TylerDurdenK]

Alex, my searches on here suggests you might be able to help.

I too have just failed my MoT on damaged Nearside Front Lower Ball Joint Dust Cover, and Anti Roll Bar Dust cover.

Can you say with any certainty which of these will fit my needs?

http://www.balljointboots.co.uk/

[magnuz]

Since perished/damaged ball joint boots have become an mot failure, most motor factors now stock ball joint boots. You normally need to take them off and they will measure & match them up for you !

[v40alex]

Anti Roll Bar dust cover - does that mean the droplink? If so, the cheapest and best non OEM solution is Meyle HD Droplinks, £26 for a pair from Direct Autoparts 020 8507 8448 direct-autoparts.com

Ball joint cover - Boot 4 looks the closest, but it is 1mm wider at the top than the one I used. However, the ball joint pin is tapered, so it might be ok, can't say 100% for sure though. Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be any standards in place (that would be too easy!), I saw loads of different sizes before finding them.

[dmiller]

There's a great thread on this forum on how to change your roll bars, I can't link as I'm on my phone but search should find it.

It's a fairly easy diy job but I would suggest don't start it unless you have your angle grinder handy. You might be lucky but I don't think many people are!

I bought mine from euro car parts and they are ok but they cost me £30 for the pair. The ones suggested above are probably a better bet! EBay bought ones were a total disaster, I wouldn't go there!

Cheers,
David.

[bobthecabbage]

v40alex, that top measurement of 15mm, did that need to stretch to fit? Reason being I am looking here

http://www.balljointboot.co.uk/ball-...-diy-packs.php

and they are offering a medium boot with a small top hole 12 - 16mm and also with a large top hole 15 - 19mm.

Obviously you need a snug fit without stretching too much and distorting. I tried GSF but they can only sell me a selection box for £30.

Thanks in advance.

[v40alex]

No not really, it squeezed on there nicely, sat just above half way down the pin. The pin is very slightly tapered but I don't remember any grease squishing out on the way down. I did take some pics, I'll put them up later.

Looked at your link, they do look very similar to the ones I got (those spring clips look exactly the same but they were a bit rubbish so I kept & reused my Volvo ones). Not sure why they seem to have such large ranges for the hole measurements. I guess the first measurement is snug-fit, the second is what you can stretch it to. On that basis, I think the medium w large top hole is the one I got, you could always give them a ring and double check that 15mm at the top is the normal size of the boot - the code on my replacement was 09-193-6.