So what's the deal with these ball joint boots? Ball joints are Moog K6145T's. I'm trying like hell but can't get the bottom of the boot to touch the control arm. The balljoint is seated all the way in the LCA, and the ball joint boot is grabbing the shoulder of the balljoint, about an eighth of an inch right above the lca hole.

My mind says to just leave it, it's good enough, when I install the spindle, it'll compress the boot all the way down. Plus, the boot is making a damned good seal across the bottom of the balljoint.

My body says "you rotten piece of crap you WILL touch the lower control arm!!" That's when my mind said to put the BFH and screwdriver down becuase I might rip the boot.

Anyone else experience this problem? Is it a problem at all?

 

if the boot is on and making a good seal i wouldn't worry about it having to touch the control arm. it makes no differant if it does or not, the seal is between the boot and ball joint. you got to figure that ball joint fits a lot of other gm applications and most likely differant designs o nthe control arms as well.

 

i use a screwdriver and hammer to tap the seal the rest of the way down. also use a lubricant to help it slide down. unless you have a socket the same size as the diameter of the boot. but hey why listen to me. i'm the one that uses a hammer to put the ball joints in anyway.

 

You didn't put the tie rod boots on the ball joints did you? :lala: :lala:

 

Thanks guys! LOL!! No, I had the right boots. I'd have to be really drunk to mess that up!

I did a combination of the two ideas. I left the driver's side alone, because like ede said, it's sealed to the balljoint, that's what's important.

When I did the passenger side, I forgot to put the boot on immedately after the balljoint. I had to put it on while the control arm was installed. With tons of grease on my hands, that boot wasn't going anywhere. I seated the "back" (purge side) of the seal by hand. Then I used the hammer/screwdriver idea to tap the front (facing the rotor) side of the seal down... it didn't rip, so that' s cool. That's one tough friggin' boot!

Side note; I bought Energy Suspension polyurethane ball joint boots, in red. I thought it'd look cool. (A) The boot is only the "top half"- the rubber boot that came with the control arm covers the bottom of the joint, "seals" to the bottom of the joint, AND has the little indentation for grease to escape and not get on the rotor. The ES boot wouldn't keep the joint as happy. (B) I felt a twinge of "The fast and stupid" just by holding that red boot in my hand. I could just see some dork going "Oh wow you put red boots on. How'd you do it? Was it hard?" Uh, no buddy, I rebuilt the whole damned suspension. Stop looking at the friggin' red boots.

 

I don't know if you still need advice, but this is what I know. The bottom part of the boot which is shaped like a ring (annulus technically) has a metal ring embedded inside. The best way to get it on is to use a piece of tubing that just fits around the diameter of the boot on the outside, and a C-clamp to press it on.

I'm not speaking from experience yet, but I have tried to put the boot on the joint with the joint not in the arm and I know it's a b****. Plus I took the boot off one of the joints that's still on my car (yes I have been driving around for 6 months with no boot on the balljoint) and I discovered the embedded ring. If you're really energetic, then you'll find a way to get it on properly. Good luck.

 

A metal ring?? Damn! Hey man where were you a few hours before? No wonder the screwdriver didn't tear the boot. I thought I turned into a little weakling. Hey well thanks for the info!! Good to know that boot isn't coming off anytime soon.

 

The Moog boots do indeed have a metal ring in the bottom. I opted to use ES poly boots when I rebuilt mine and I actually preferred the design of the Moog boots but I did use the poly ones anyway.

My boots were black BTW


Ed