Balljoint dust boots have come loose

[Kurgan]

I have the Steeda X2 balljoints on my car. When I dropped the K-member today and reinstalled it, as I was putting everything back together, I noticed that I was getting grease from around the balljoint area. After I put it all together and I was bolting up the steering linkage and the struts, I noticed that the dust boot had slid up from around the base of the balljoint, exposing the joint itself and squeezing the grease out from around the joint. I can't seem to get the dust boot to go down and stay down. It looks like it's supposed to tuck inside the joint, but I just can't get it to do so. I know if I could, I could attach my grease gun to the fitting on the bottom and grease it right back up.

Tips? Suggestions? Do I need new joints? (I hope not)

[Kurgan]

Bumpity bump

[Kurgan]

Anyone?

[96GTS]

Damn, this is the first question on here that I've seen unanswered after TWO bumps....:eek:

Sorry bro, I don't know either:(

Darren

[Starkie]

Is there room to put some tie wraps on the boot to keep it there? That would be my try.

Starkie

[Kurgan]

Originally posted by Starkie
Is there room to put some tie wraps on the boot to keep it there? That would be my try.

Starkie

I don't see that working. The base of the boot appears to have a lip. I think it's supposed to be tucked into the base of the balljoint. I can't seem to coax it back into place. It's a pretty flexible rubber boot and as soon as I slide it back down over the joint and then move the spindle, it easily slides back up off of the joint..

[96GTS]

What's involved in "unpressing" the ball joint out of the arm?:confused:

Darren

[Kurgan]

Originally posted by 96GTS
What's involved in "unpressing" the ball joint out of the arm?:confused:

Darren

Buying or loaning out a balljoint press :-p

Last time I looked for one (when I bought the joints originally), I couldn't find one. I had Steeda go ahead and do the install for me.

[StangGuy]

autozone rents balljoint press'.

[white_2kgt]

Yea you need a new joint. Sorry man.

--chad

[Kurgan]

I don't think I need a new one. I've talked to Steeda and it seems the boot simply came out of the spiral ring which holds it in place over a lip on the boot. I haven't driven on the car with the exposed joints, so there's no debris in there. Just grease. I lost some grease to the boots coming off, but there's a grease fitting on the bottom of the joint..

Also, the joints don't have any looseness to them at all. I've felt a broken balljoint before, and I know these aren't broken. :D

[AutomaticWeapon]

if you wanna be crafty, go to AutoZone and buy two cheapo $20 LBJs for a mid-80s GM full-size (Caprice for example)... pirate the grease boots from the parts pack, and return the BJs to AutoZone with the Steeda boots in the box... those knuckle heads wont know the difference.

the Caprice boots slide over the outside of the LBJs, not the inside. im sure they will work for you.

-Mike

[Kurgan]

I found the solution yesterday. There is a spiral ring around the lip of the joint where the rubber boot is supposed to attach and stay put. The boot came out of that spiral ring. I had to clean up a lot of the grease around the balljoint and boot, but I found the spiral ring and managed to turn and twist the ring back over the rubber boot in the position it's supposed to be in. So it's all sealed back up. :cool:

[AutomaticWeapon]

good deal, Dave. problem solved.

-Mike