Ball joints

[MrJTP2001]

'While I'm in there' I thought I would replace the bellows on my front ball joints. One of them has a small cut in it so I just ordered enough for all four. Now, I get an email back that they are NLA.

Are the bellows standard sizes? Can any decent shop supply these parts?

Any ideas?

[andyjboy]

Bellows ??

If you mean the rubber 'gaiter' & it's split (allowing dirt/grit in) I'd replace the complete ball joint.

[MrJTP2001]

That's probably what I'll end up doing but I am pretty sure there isn't any dirt in the grease. The ball joints are 41 years old, like the rest of the car, and I had pulled them off during some other work. While on the bench it was stressing the glands to see if they leaked since they were obviously weathered. In doing so I caused a crack about a 1/4 inch long in one of them. I turned the air blue for a couple of minutes, put them in a zip-lock baggie and got on with the project at hand. Only one of the four is cracked but I would really like to find a source so I can replace all of them.

[Mr9146]

The ball joints are 41 years old

Why wouldn't you just replace them?

And what do you mean "4"? There's only two ball joints on the car.

I think you might mean tie rod ends, but there's only two of those, too.

[MrJTP2001]

The car is 41 years old but only has about 50K miles. The ball joints are tight with no slop at all. They're still quite good. And, my car, a 68 sporto has 4 ball joints in the front. Two tie rod ends and two on the suspension.

[Mr9146]

The car is 41 years old but only has about 50K miles. The ball joints are tight with no slop at all. They're still quite good. And, my car, a 68 sporto has 4 ball joints in the front. Two tie rod ends and two on the suspension.

Right. Your 911 has two ball joints and two tie rod ends.

So which boots do you need?

[MrJTP2001]

All four of them are badly weathered so I will be replacing all four of them. And, I have found a source for them, total cost about $20. And, my parts book refers to all of them as ball joints.

[Neil '67 911S]

Hi Tony,

Please post the contact info. for this place. I have a new ball joint with a torn boot that I'd like to replace.

Thanks!

[MrJTP2001]

I can't guarentee this place since I haven't recieved anything from them yet. When Pelican told me they were NLA I checked AutoAtlanta.com and they said they had them. They accepted my order and my credit card but I haven't seen the product yet.

[MrJTP2001]

Well, it took them a week but now Auto Atlanta says they don't have the bellows either. Replacing the assembly is beginning to look more like the way to go, if they are available.