I just destroyed my ball joint rubber boots

I've ripped a front end of a Galaxie many times, never had a problem with it, today though, . . . . . .

I used the ball joint fork to split the spindle and it destroyed the rubber B.J boots.

I've looked online to see if anyone sells em and i couldn't find anywhere.

Does anyone know of a company ?

A friend mentioned Advance has some in the hlpe section so im gonna head over and check em out, i figured i'd ask on here to see if anyone else has any ideas

L

Do a search for "ball joint dust cover" or bj boot.

Summit might have them, energy suspension and others. Probably Autozone and napa probably does too.

Originally Posted by lgh1157

A friend mentioned Advance has some in the hlpe section so im gonna head over and check em out

YES. I remember buying one before, I dont recall if Advance or Autozone had them in stock. Both carry the exact same line of Dorman "HELP!" products easily spotted in their obnoxious fire-engine red packaging...

Was something like 3.99 a piece for them too, wasnt bad!

Uhhhh think again. This is not something that you can just "get by" with. It has to fit right, or it will bind when you turn the wheel or let a bunch of grease ooze out, and let debris in. I have been down this road, I ended up getting new ball joints. It just was NOT worth the touch and go guessing game, especailly for universal boots that promised nothing but to cover the joint at best, no seal. I have a thread on this not far back. The toasted boots from that darn fork tool is what go me started on a whole front suspension rebuild that I never aticipated. I have so much frustration tied up in that whole boot search....it is making my heart race just thinking about it.

It would probably be worthwhile to build the ball joint separator tool Daze posted in the Tech Article under the suspension sub-section. That is the tool made from bolts and a threaded coupler. That will save using the pickle fork and damaging the dust boots. I've got to take mine apart again to modify me front springs and change the CA bushings, so I don't want to ruin the boots on the brand new ball joints. I think I'll make one of those separators instead of using the fork.

I remember him showing pics of that tool but can't find it in the tech section. Probably staring me in the face!

One day I'll replace the springs and the aframe bushings so it would be handy to have.

Can you help an old lady out and point me in a more direct direction?

Deb

yea that tool would be very helpful to all us new guys too.

Two BFH's and you Never need another BJ Fork...

I haven't used one in 12 years...

Well I'm not beating on my new ball joints. Beat the tar out of the old ones to get them out as it was! Moved the car outside to get even a bigger swing and finally it popped loose.

http://www.fordmuscle.com/forums/sus...oval-tool.html