Itinerant Air-Cooled

Hey Colin, are you able to do ball joints / boots on your mobile visits? Maybe with an impact wrench and a borrowed FLAPS tool?

I remember lots of discussion about crappy tight replacement ball joints, and biodegradeable boots; did any good sources emerge? My ball joints seem fine, but the boots are shredded and letting dirt in. Can we just buy something that clamps on without having to remove the whole joint?

hippiewannabe wrote:Hey Colin, are you able to do ball joints / boots on your mobile visits? Maybe with an impact wrench and a borrowed FLAPS tool?

I remember lots of discussion about crappy tight replacement ball joints, and biodegradeable boots; did any good sources emerge? My ball joints seem fine, but the boots are shredded and letting dirt in. Can we just buy something that clamps on without having to remove the whole joint?

We did boots last year. (Well we got far enough to do them, until we found my joints were actually garbage.) It was the kind of thing where you can do one side with him, then another side on your own the next day. I'd say the only really special tools were a puller from FLAPS and a large-ish socket for the bottom nuts.

When you get to the point where you can install new boots though, you can take an accurate reading of the actual play in the joints. I had five boots from Bus Boys and they seemed MUCH tougher than some of the crap I've felt and seen on other cars.

If you're going for actual joints, the reconditioned arms are significantly easier, though the boots they come with are not as flexible. (Strange world, no?)

Robbie

The upper ball joint eccentric is the sticking point, it needs a healthy three jawed puller and a prayer to pull off.

Amskeptic wrote:The upper ball joint eccentric is the sticking point, it needs a healthy three jawed puller and a prayer to pull off.

Shhh don't tell anyone, but an AutoZone brand pitman arm puller works well for this. It grabs the eccentric at a diagonal, but is half as large of a tool for easy access.

Also, I REALLY hate movable jaw pullers.
Robbie

asiab3 wrote: Also, I REALLY hate movable jaw pullers.
Robbie

Fit three-armed puller to item that needs to be pulled.
Now tighten all the 11/10 mm bolts/nuts that hold the arms on until they lock up everything.
Be amazed.
Colin

OK, cool. Where should I order boots from? Do you have the necessary tools, or should I borrow anything from Autozone?

hippiewannabe wrote:OK, cool. Where should I order boots from? Do you have the necessary tools, or should I borrow anything from Autozone?

This is all supposed to be in our PM correspondence, the stories and pictures part of the Itinerary Forums seems to be drowning in specific visit requests.

Try to get a decent three-arm puller rental from AutoZone. It is free if you return it.

Boots, Wolfsburg West? Bus Depot? 50/50 chance that they will be good, we want pliable but strong, some have ripped in the installation with fingers only. I think it is in the Suspension Forum. Since our search has always sucked, you will find that Google does a better job.
Colin

The Reins I got from Bus Depot seem pretty sustantial. I also helped a friend install them on his Vanagon, and liked the quality. So far, so good on his. Mine have no milage yet, but they don't appear to be cheesy.

Amskeptic wrote:This is all supposed to be in our PM correspondence, the stories and pictures part of the Itinerary Forums seems to be drowning in specific visit requests.

So sorry, boss. I thought this might be of general interest to this circuit's customers.

It won't happen again.

I do appreciate asiab3's and Jivermo's input. Thanks for being anti-establishment rebels. ;-)

Amskeptic wrote: Jun 13/14 Done! llarosa16 ........................ Farmington MN
Jun 16 Done! Belle Plaine .......................... Belle Plaine MN
Jun 17 Done! grifftenstein .......................... Saint Peter MN
Jun 18 D the miz .............................................. Eagan MN
Jun 19 llarosa16 ii ........................................ Farmington MN
Jun 20 D lilpig88 ....................................... Orange City IA

Jeepers, Colin. It's hard enough working 7 days out of 8 when the office doesn't change location every day. My back aches just thinking about it.

hippiewannabe wrote:

Amskeptic wrote: Jun 13/14 Done! llarosa16 ........................ Farmington MN
Jun 16 Done! Belle Plaine .......................... Belle Plaine MN
Jun 17 Done! grifftenstein .......................... Saint Peter MN
Jun 18 D the miz .............................................. Eagan MN
Jun 19 llarosa16 ii ........................................ Farmington MN
Jun 20 D lilpig88 ....................................... Orange City IA

Jeepers, Colin. It's hard enough working 7 days out of 8 when the office doesn't change location every day. My back aches just thinking about it.

That's a lot of Vikings.

airkooledchris wrote:

hippiewannabe wrote:

Amskeptic wrote: Jun 13/14 Done! llarosa16 ........................ Farmington MN
Jun 16 Done! Belle Plaine .......................... Belle Plaine MN
Jun 17 Done! grifftenstein .......................... Saint Peter MN
Jun 18 D the miz .............................................. Eagan MN
Jun 19 llarosa16 ii ........................................ Farmington MN
Jun 20 D lilpig88 ....................................... Orange City IA

Jeepers, Colin. It's hard enough working 7 days out of 8 when the office doesn't change location every day. My back aches just thinking about it.

That's a lot of Vikings.

Hang in there. Write-ups coming. Today, Eagan, a return to St. Peter, then Iowa tonight. Good news is the tornado watch is only a "3" but what the hail, hail ain't half so bad.
Colin!

Kirk on July 5 half day before Lab type 4 valve train/rocker set up?

That's Monday the 6th my blond

vistacruzer wrote:That's Monday the 6th my blond

Fixed it for ya, don't worry your pretty little head any further.
Colin