Upper Ball Joint Boot ? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

7T1BURB · 01-10-2003, 03:58 PM

Need your help....installing new ball joints (MOOG) in the Burb and have a question about installation of the upper ball joint rubber boot...does the boot install from the top of the A Arm first, then the ball joint OR does the ball joint go into the upper A Arm first and the boot installed from the bottom of the arm??? Logic might dictate that the boot goes into the upper A Arm first, but it seems to be a really tight fit!! Thanks for your help !!!!!

**1971Stepside** · 01-10-2003, 04:06 PM

Ball joint goes in (from top) and then slip the boot on from the bottom. I put a little grease on the boot to get it to slip up on the joint all the way and help seal it off.

7T1BURB · 01-10-2003, 04:40 PM

THANKS 71Stepside !!....I'm off to garage to install the boot and ball joint.............

**1971Stepside** · 01-10-2003, 04:47 PM

Your welcome. I torqued the nuts on the bottom side before I slipped the boot on because it gets in the way of the socket. I also had to tap around the lip of the boot with a flat edge to get it all the way on there.

The bottom ball joints and boots and me are still having disagreements!! Good luck!

7T1BURB · 01-10-2003, 10:54 PM

Uppers are in .............However, I'm now experiencing the same problem with the lower ball joint boot you are having. I've pressed in the lower from the bottom, but lo and behold the boot (even when correctly seated on the ball joint) rises up off the ball joint after being flush when I let it go....rises about 1/8 " above the lower A arm.......oh well, tomorrows another day. If I figure out how to make the lower ball joint boot remain in place I'll give you a shout.......Again, thanks for your help!!

SWINGSAX68 · 01-11-2003, 12:55 AM

Lower ball joint boots...seemed to slip right in when I helped my dads freind with all the front end stuff...I can't really seem to understand the difficulty. The hardest part for us was installing the lower ball joints!! Oh well....is there a difference between the front end parts on a 68 from a 71??? Aside from disc brakes.

01-10-2003, 03:58 PM	#1
7T1BURB Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Newport News, VA Posts: 190	Upper Ball Joint Boot ? Need your help....installing new ball joints (MOOG) in the Burb and have a question about installation of the upper ball joint rubber boot...does the boot install from the top of the A Arm first, then the ball joint OR does the ball joint go into the upper A Arm first and the boot installed from the bottom of the arm??? Logic might dictate that the boot goes into the upper A Arm first, but it seems to be a really tight fit!! Thanks for your help !!!!!

01-10-2003, 04:06 PM	#2
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,932	Ball joint goes in (from top) and then slip the boot on from the bottom. I put a little grease on the boot to get it to slip up on the joint all the way and help seal it off. __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

01-10-2003, 04:47 PM	#4
1971Stepside Almost Satisfied Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,932	Your welcome. I torqued the nuts on the bottom side before I slipped the boot on because it gets in the way of the socket. I also had to tap around the lip of the boot with a flat edge to get it all the way on there. The bottom ball joints and boots and me are still having disagreements!! Good luck! __________________ 1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."

01-11-2003, 12:55 AM	#6
SWINGSAX68 Now the others dig........ Join Date: May 2002 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 1,520	hmmm Lower ball joint boots...seemed to slip right in when I helped my dads freind with all the front end stuff...I can't really seem to understand the difficulty. The hardest part for us was installing the lower ball joints!! Oh well....is there a difference between the front end parts on a 68 from a 71??? Aside from disc brakes. __________________ 68 Chevy C10 Stepside Black Primer 78 GMC Longbed White 09 Chevy Silverado Shortbed Granite Blue *LOOKING FOR A 67 4 DOOR IMPALA!!!Just like Sam and Dean Winchester!! 'Cause Mustangs are for p^#$ and you can fit a body in the trunk of a 67 Impala* MEMBER OF THE DRUM BRAKE CLUB Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies Texas State University-San Marcos, TX Certified Music Educator I hope Mom is up there watching and being my Guardian Angel "I've got a fever.....and the only prescription.....IS MORE COW BELL" -The Legendary: Bruce Dickenson "F#$@ 'em up!!!!!!" -The Legendary: Rogelio Escobar TRUCKY LINKS** http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=457750 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=461184 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=472848 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=417541 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=477788

01-10-2003, 04:40 PM	#3
7T1BURB Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Newport News, VA Posts: 190	THANKS 71Stepside !!....I'm off to garage to install the boot and ball joint.............

01-10-2003, 10:54 PM	#5
7T1BURB Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Newport News, VA Posts: 190	Uppers are in .............However, I'm now experiencing the same problem with the lower ball joint boot you are having. I've pressed in the lower from the bottom, but lo and behold the boot (even when correctly seated on the ball joint) rises up off the ball joint after being flush when I let it go....rises about 1/8 " above the lower A arm.......oh well, tomorrows another day. If I figure out how to make the lower ball joint boot remain in place I'll give you a shout.......Again, thanks for your help!!



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