Ball Joint Dust Boot

Hello, everyone,

Today I just have my both CV axles replaced by a local shop (listed as
Axle Specialist on the phone book). A pickle fork was used to separate
the ball joints. Unfortunately, as a result, the right balljoint dust
boot is split and the left one is damaged. My questions to you are

1. Is it ok to leave it split?
2. If not, can I just replace the dust boot or the whole ball joint
needs to be repalced?

The shop rebuilt the axles by themseves. They reused spindle nuts on
my car, which were partially broken when unstaking them, but they
staked at another position.
3. Is this practice acceptable?

I am not sure if they reused the spring clips at the inner ends.

Your response is greatly appreciated, and my car is 92 accord DX auto.

Jingyuan

 

It certainly sounds like a backyard mechanic shop to me..

I am pretty sure the picklefork method of removing ball joints and such is
an antique one...the preferred method if I am not mistaken, is to use a
separate which is basically a gear puller.. I would hold the knuckle and
push up on the threaded end of the joint. This would separate them wihout
damage.

Those boots need to be fixed. I would not worry about what how to fix them
because that is the shop's responsibility. I wouldn't worry about the other
items.

CaptainKrunch

 

==================

Keep in mind that they may throw your wheel alignment out when they
(probably have to) change your ball joints.

'Curly'

 

Sounds like a real top notch place... (not)

NAPA has replacement boots in various sizes. They might have the size you
need. If the joints themselves are still good, you could try that route.
Otherwise, you'll have to replace the joints.

 

If you really want to replace just the boot and not the joint, I would
buy the new joints and just use the included boots on the old joints.
Then you all ready have the joints...

Carl

 

On 27 Aug 2004 16:59:13 -0700, (Jingyuan) wrote:

||Hello, everyone,
||
||Today I just have my both CV axles replaced by a local shop (listed as
||Axle Specialist on the phone book). A pickle fork was used to separate
||the ball joints. Unfortunately, as a result, the right balljoint dust
||boot is split and the left one is damaged. My questions to you are
||
||1. Is it ok to leave it split?
||2. If not, can I just replace the dust boot or the whole ball joint
||needs to be repalced?

Replacement boots are available, but may be hard to find.
It should be relatively easy to change thses, since the shop already popped them
loose. You should be able to back the nut off, pop the spindle with a BFH
where the tapered BJ shaft goes through. The momentary deformation will free the
taper. Take off nut, change the boot, reassemble.

||The shop rebuilt the axles by themseves. They reused spindle nuts on
||my car, which were partially broken when unstaking them, but they
||staked at another position.
||3. Is this practice acceptable?

Not recommended, but probably OK. I'd leave it alone.

||I am not sure if they reused the spring clips at the inner ends.

No big deal.


Texas Parts Guy

 

It's ok if you don't mind them failing early.

You can check with your local parts place to see if they sell the
boot alone. I somehow doubt it.

Hard to say if they did a good job rebuilding your axles. I wouldn't
worry too much about them re-using the nuts.

 

A mechanic friend taught me this method of ball joint separation a while
back and it has never failed me. I usually don't need a BFH. I medium
size ball peen hammer has done the job for me every time.

 

||In article <>, rex@@txol.net says...
||>You should be able to back the nut off, pop the spindle with a BFH
||>where the tapered BJ shaft goes through. The momentary deformation will free
||>the taper.
||
||A mechanic friend taught me this method of ball joint separation a while
||back and it has never failed me. I usually don't need a BFH. I medium
||size ball peen hammer has done the job for me every time.

Works on tie rod ends too, if you can find something to back up the work with.

Texas Parts Guy