TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Apr 02, 2016 9:18 pm

Does anyone know of a source of ball joint boots made of rubber that will last like the originals? I grow weary of replaceing boots every 2 years. The "New" ones look worse in 2 years than 40 year old originals.
Perhaps there is other make of newer vehicle using same diameter boots that would fit and last longer than the cracking fake vw boots?

Sun Apr 03, 2016 5:30 am

My 47 year old ball joints (with about 160,000 miles & still no play) have severely cracked & deteriorated rubber boots, I use a needle injector to fill them with grease on a regular basis.......Didn't even know there were boot only replacements available.

Sun Apr 03, 2016 6:50 am

I buy most rubber parts from Wolfsburg West or West Coast Metric.

Sun Apr 03, 2016 7:46 am

If you find them and replace them after getting enough of the front end apart, good luck getting that wire spring back on the boot flange and the groove in the ball joint. Use thin Ty-Wraps (not a cheap zip tie) Works great. You can tell a Ty-Wrap by the metal 'gripper' in the square head. Cheap Zip ties have a plastic 'gripper' that fits notches along the length.

Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:07 am

i swear wcm discontinued them years ago

Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:10 am

i wrapped a ripped one with an old bicycle inner tube, I remove clean and replace the wrap on the annual..

Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:50 am

I've used Energy Suspension Tie Rod End Dust Boots in the past. I think they replace the stock/original boot. They're available in different sizes (and colors!). Since they are made of polyurethane, they are much more robust and should last a long time.

Hope this helps,
Jason

Sun Apr 03, 2016 1:33 pm

jderianSF wrote: I've used Energy Suspension Tie Rod End Dust Boots in the past. I think they replace the stock/original boot. They're available in different sizes (and colors!). Since they are made of polyurethane, they are much more robust and should last a long time.

Hope this helps,
Jason

Do you have part numbers# for the boots you used?

Sun Apr 03, 2016 5:14 pm

Airhead, CIP1, and Bugcity sell them for 1966-up standard Beetles, but I don't know who makes them.

See also:

http://www.paruzzi.com/uk/zoek.php?klantauto=kever...+joint+cap

Sun Apr 03, 2016 6:20 pm

I just bought four upper kits and four lower kits on eBay. The part number on the bag for the upper boot kit is 113 498 361. Part number for lower boot kit is 113 498 371. Casey

Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:47 pm

I haven't had very good luck with aftermarket boots either. I've run cracked ball-joint and tie rod end boots for years. The most important thing is to be able to pump new grease regularly into the joint or end and push out any accumulated water and grit. Todays new joints and ends that I've seen have no provision for grease fittings.

Luckily, I find that most of the joints and ends still have grooves manufactured into the ball to accommodate grease. (If the ball doesn't have any grooves, you won't be able to pump much, if any, grease into the joint.) I tap a 1/4-28 or 6mm thread in the back tin of the joint or end and put in an appropriate grease fitting. (Use grease while carefully drilling and tapping and clean the shavings from the thread/hole with Q-tips.)

If you put a fresh boot on, burn a small hole with a heated nail in the base of the boot to allow pumped grease to escape. This will take pressure off the rubber and still let practically nothing enter the boot. The boot will last longer. I believe it was at Harbor Freight I picked up some small stainless steel tie-wire. I use that to twist-tie the new boot rubber to the joint or end if nothing else works.