[bg]

I am not sure who made this A arm, but i am having a tuff time getting a boot to fit this ball joint. I can get a boot to fit over the stud but with an air bag system on this truck it will not stay in place when the truck is dropped down.

You can see in the picture that around the ball joint there is a small groove at the base. There is no way a boot will stay in this groove. The groove is approx 1/8 inch wide and about 1/4 inch deep

The ball joint is a GM federated #5103 part number and the boot that comes with this ball joint is designed to fit snug around the base of the joint, but with my A arm the base is "FLUSH" with the A arm.

Has anybody come across a work around for this??

The boot will not stay in the groove if pushed down into it so that is not an option!

The boot must be flexible to withstand a major drop in the frame for the airbags.

Would it be possible to press the ball joint in with the boot on the stud and "pinch" the boot in the groove.????


Thanks
Bg

[Rob Keller]

wont the spindle hold it in place when assembled?

sr66

[broncoII88]

You don't want to pinch the boot because it will eventually tear. Then the joint will get contaminated. Where did you get this from?

[bg]

Originally Posted by Rob Keller

wont the spindle hold it in place when assembled?

sr66

The boots i have will not hold in place when the air bags is are deflated.


???????????????


Bg

[Rob Keller]

maybe im not getting it bit when the lower connects to the spindle the grease cup goes inbetween and it should stay in place ...unless ...(ive never worked on slammed air ride so bare w/ me) when deflated you will have a serious angle creationg a gap in the grease cup?

[willys36@aol.com]

I think this shows clearly what to do!

[bg]

Originally Posted by willys36@aol.com

I think this shows clearly what to do!

Hey Willys

Not a very good picture... got a better one???

Bg

[bg]

Originally Posted by Rob Keller

maybe im not getting it bit when the lower connects to the spindle the grease cup goes inbetween and it should stay in place ...unless ...(ive never worked on slammed air ride so bare w/ me) when deflated you will have a serious angle creationg a gap in the grease cup?

Yes you have got the idea about the serious angle. When the frame drops down the stud will be kicked out and the boot will not stay in the groove.

My idea is to make a small "ring plate" that would fit over the boot lip and then fasten this to the A arm... Just an idea... but i cant believe nobody makes a ball joint that would fix this problem??


THANKS
bg

[willys36@aol.com]

Originally Posted by bg

Hey Willys

Not a very good picture... got a better one???

Bg

Just funnin' with ya. Saw your first out-of-focus pic and had to do this. Actually I have no clue what to do about your boot problem. First thought that come to mind is that if you are stroking the suspension enough to break contact of the boot with the ball, it is out of range. Don't have a mind's eye view of what your problem is and the pics don't help.

[bg]

Just funnin' with ya. Saw your first out-of-focus pic and had to do this....



OK OK i never said i was a photographer so my pictures could be better!!!

But if you look at the 3rd picture you should be able to tell that the ball joint has NO SHOULDER that protrudes out of the A arm for the boot to come down on and make a seal.(It is flush with the arm).. The boot would have to fit down in the small groove around the base or just set on-top of the ball-joint....... Maybe i need a taller ball joint so part of the shoulder would stick up and the boot could be fastened to the joint????


Scratching my head here!!!

[willys36@aol.com]

Who made that A-arm? They surely have faced this problem, what do they say?

[bg]

Originally Posted by willys36@aol.com

Who made that A-arm? They surely have faced this problem, what do they say?

I have tried about five different vendors and they don't make this type of ARM... so they say!!


No markings on the tubular Arm for manufacture...........


Thanks..
bg

[adtkart]

It looks to me like you have the wrong ball joint. It should protrude out of the control arm enough to put on the boot. It is hard to tell, but the control arm looks similar to the ones used on many stock cars. You might try one of the stock car parts suppliers. Maybe "Stock Car Products", or Speedway, if they carry that type of control arms.

[Rob Keller]

how about a pic of the grease cup and the extreme angle you are dealing with and way be i can come up with something mcquiver aint got jack on me
so ...done this before?
have this problem before?

[bg]

Originally Posted by adtkart

It looks to me like you have the wrong ball joint. It should protrude out of the control arm enough to put on the boot. It is hard to tell, but the control arm looks similar to the ones used on many stock cars. You might try one of the stock car parts suppliers. Maybe "Stock Car Products", or Speedway, if they carry that type of control arms.

I have a Speedway book and will check it out and will also post a new BETTER picture... just for the Willys guy

Thanks for all the help guys... i am at a brick wall here!!!


Bg