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cheap ball joints...

O

odl21

ball joints from victoriabritish are only $40 a pair (top or bottom).

anyone used these or have an opinion on them? they're a lot cheaper than other suppliers...
 
P

pdq67

Donation Time
If there is any part on the car that demands the best quality you can find, this would be it. That $20 part could cost you a $40K car (and your life) if it fails at the wrong time.
 
alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
There was some chatter amoungst Tioger folk about the QH balljoints failing, not sure if thats under racing conditions, fast road, or just driving round. It's hard to know which parts are being made to spec, but with balljoints, or other braking/steering components i think you want to use parts you trust. Also consider how you are going to drive the car, if you enjoy your corners, then you reallt dont want to be chancing it.
 
RootesRooter

RootesRooter

Donation Time
If you buy them, make sure they're fully greased and moveable by hand. I believe lack of grease may have been the problem with QH's at one time in the distant past.
 
G

George Farrell

Donation Time
I used the cheap VB ball joints in my Series V, thinking that if they were okay for a Tiger, the should last forever in an Alpine. They started showing some wobble around 20,000 miles. I've replaced them with ones from Sunbeam Specialties. Too early to tell how long they will last.

George
 
skywords

skywords

Donation Time
I have a set on the shelf for my Q-4 from SS. I don't think they have a grease zirt in them but sure wish they did. It would be my guess SS and VB soarce from the same vender? I just try to do my biz with SS because they are so helpful and never sugar coat anything if they can't soarce. I bought a carpet set from them, have not opened the box yet, it is supposed to be made from a new material that they procured from England. Maybe I'll venture to the garage and open the box.
 
Green67Alpine

Green67Alpine

Former SAOCA Membership Director
Platinum Level Sponsor
Rick, Let us know about the carpet kit.. When are you putting it in ?

Tom j
 
65beam

65beam

Donation Time
carpet kit

the kits that sunbeam specialties sell are quite nice.i recently bought a set of black carpet for one of my harringtons and had a set made up in the red material that he bought for use in my other harrington later. i also bought an extra 15 yards of the red for one of my 69's.the carpet kits fit great and the material is close to the original.the padding is not excessive and lays well.the floor sections have the padding applied so that it lays well over the trans tunnel section. the trans tunnel section fits great also which is usually a problem with some other suppliers.
 
Jim E

Jim E

Donation Time
I used the VB ball joints when I did the front end on my SV. The boots are bad and fell apart in no time.
 
O

odl21

yes a few people got back to me with horror stories.
good, well the SS joints arrived yesterday and visually (if that counts for anything) they appear to be very well made.

the lowers have castle nuts and split pins and a grease nipple on the bottom. the upper have nyloc nuts and also a grease nipple. the boots appear well fitting and good quality.

i'll fit the lowers tonight. it seems to be a pain to change the uppers....
 
RootesRooter

RootesRooter

Donation Time
Occasionally people forget when installing the uppers to aim the notch in the top of the ball joint directly outwards, otherwise it binds up.


odl21 said:
yes a few people got back to me with horror stories.
good, well the SS joints arrived yesterday and visually (if that counts for anything) they appear to be very well made.

the lowers have castle nuts and split pins and a grease nipple on the bottom. the upper have nyloc nuts and also a grease nipple. the boots appear well fitting and good quality.

i'll fit the lowers tonight. it seems to be a pain to change the uppers....
Click to expand...
 
O

odl21

you'd have to be pretty sloppy to do that - its written all over the workshop manual and reprinted on a slip of paper in the box from SS :)

however, i did have a question about greasing them ... i guess i should squirt a load of grease into the hole where the grease nipple goes first. is normal wheel bearing grease ok?

also, what is the correct method of measuring the end-float of the hub using a dial indicator? what exactly should i be measuring? if it didn't mention it in the workshop manual i would just put about a 1/4 turn after finger tight on the nut...
 
T

TomKidd

Donation Time
Upper Ball Joints

Hey guys,
I just received a set of ball joints from SS (upper and lower). My machine shop didn't want to install the uppers (press fit) because they found there was an interference of 0.030 in. I know that normal press fits are about 0.0015 per 1 inch of diameter. These ball joints have a spline on them, so when measured there, there is the large difference between the ball joint and the diameter of the hole. Has anyone had this problem?:confused:
 
M

mikephillips

Donation Time
Before having the upper ball joints pressed in you should take the arms and have the retaining ring welded all the way around. It's normally only tacked on in 2 or 3 places and they have been known to tear loose.
 
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