replacment ball joints

Just for 411 and 412 stuff.
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plumcrazee
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replacment ball joints

Post by plumcrazee » 22nd May 2010 - 11:46pm

any of you guys used these????


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-Ball-J ... ories#shId


need some asap so unless you have some for sale let me know ;)

matt
1973 412 le
http://www.volkstorque.co.uk/vt/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=282

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shawn71
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by shawn71 » 23rd May 2010 - 12:47pm

Yep. Think it was that company a couple of years ago I got mine from.

The fitted well and came quite quick considering
'70VW 411LE 2 Door Saloon, '71 Beetle and '78 Late bay

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plumcrazee
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by plumcrazee » 25th May 2010 - 9:55pm

cool just ordered a pair and got a used pair coming from volksfarmers tomorrow hopefully so got a second set th have kicking about :lol:
1973 412 le
http://www.volkstorque.co.uk/vt/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=282

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kembiff
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kembiff » 23rd October 2010 - 8:44pm

I know it was a while ago, but how did your ball joint replacement go? Got any pics? I'm hoping to do miune soon to sort out the annoying wheel wobble at 40mph.
Can you send me a link for the parts you got?
Andy in Durham. Call round for a cuppa!

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kps70
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kps70 » 23rd October 2010 - 10:23pm

Replacing the ball joints is dead easy and believe me, I'm really not an expert - yet! I'll send you some pics tomorrow.
They do come up on the US sites fairly regularly but are expensive. When you remove your old ones, don't throw them away. When you're down there, pop off the outer tie rod and see if it is rusted or has too much play. See my reply to your other wheel wobble thread.
K
Kieron

49barndoor
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by 49barndoor » 24th October 2010 - 5:04pm

plumcrazee wrote:any of you guys used these????


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-Ball-J ... ories#shId


need some asap so unless you have some for sale let me know ;)

matt
Can someone please put up a more recent link to the supplier of these parts? ;)

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kembiff
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kembiff » 24th October 2010 - 7:28pm

I found this site in the states - I'm waiting for them to tell me how much delivery will cost.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/ ... store=2250

Let me know if you come across another source mate.
Andy in Durham. Call round for a cuppa!

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kembiff
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kembiff » 24th October 2010 - 7:32pm

Can anyone tell us how different this one is? Its for a super beetle and is $20.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/ ... r=6411_0_0_
How hard do you reckon it would be to MAKE it fit?
Andy in Durham. Call round for a cuppa!

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kps70
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kps70 » 25th October 2010 - 6:55pm

Here are some pictures.
Jack up the car, support it and remove the wheel
Now you need to remove the anti-roll bar from the suspension arm.
Image
The hole shows where it was attached.
Then you can undo the nut holding the bottom of the ball joint to the suspension. Mine just popped loose then
Image
Then to remove it, you need to undo the 3 bolts holding it in place. you can see 2 of the bolts in this picture.
Image
As I said, it is worth popping off the tie rod end at the same time - it's gives you more space and the chance to test it out. You'll need one of these tools to pop it off the steering knuckle.
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9 ... 3V4ULqNXs=
Kieron

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kembiff
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kembiff » 25th October 2010 - 10:16pm

Its very useful to see it like that. Did you bite the bullet and buy some US ones or have you fabricated your own?
Andy in Durham. Call round for a cuppa!

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kps70
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kps70 » 25th October 2010 - 10:55pm

I found two on UK ebay about 2 years ago and SNAPPED them up.
I have bought some grease nipples so that I can attach them and pack the joint with grease to make them last longer. I need to find out how to do this first though!
Kieron

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kembiff
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kembiff » 25th October 2010 - 11:16pm

You lucky man!
Last edited by kembiff on 26th October 2010 - 10:15am, edited 1 time in total.
Andy in Durham. Call round for a cuppa!

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shawn71
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by shawn71 » 26th October 2010 - 9:29am

kps70 wrote:I found two on UK ebay about 2 years ago and SNAPPED them up.
I have bought some grease nipples so that I can attach them and pack the joint with grease to make them last longer. I need to find out how to do this first though!
I found a useful thread expalining this I'll see if I can find it again...
'70VW 411LE 2 Door Saloon, '71 Beetle and '78 Late bay

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shawn71
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by shawn71 » 26th October 2010 - 9:39am

'Yes and no. With a little assistance, you can do it without actually removing the joint from the arm.
1st, take an old ball joint and make a gasket pattern on very thin gasket paper <1mm thick works best. You will need gaskets to keep the grease from leaking out of the steering knuckle. You will need two gaskets per side.
First take the front sway bar outer links loose from both control arms, the nswing the sway bar forward, out of the way . You will need to have both sides off of the ground on jackstands...with about 3" clearance under the wheels...pretty high.
You will need to remove the wheel, caliper and rotor.
Remove the 3 bolts that hold the strut to the ball joint.
By putting your foot on the control arm, carefully separate the ball joint from the bottom of the strut and steering knuckle. Check its rotation for looseness, then tilt it out toward you so you can look inside the "cup" shaped space.
Clean it thoyuroughly..as well as the bootom of the steering knuckle.
There should either be a raised area about 19mm in the ceneter of the cup...or a swaged in cap...like a regular ball joint. Either way, make a punch mark in the center, Then carefully drill a small hole...about 2-3mm in diameter. Clean out the metal shavings. This is the grease access hole.
In the side of all 411/412 ball joints you will see a small hole 3-4mm, that is a drain hole for any water leaking into the cup space. That will be the grease fitting hole. Tap it for a standard grease fitting...as small of a fitting as you can buy. Do not use a right angle fitting. Itwill strike the control arm.
Clean everything up and apply a gasket, use sealer, line up the holes. Make sure the gasket does not lap into the internal space...or else it will not fit. Once a gasket is installed on both top and bottom of the steering knuckle, there will be no way for water to get in or out...so putting a grease fitting into the hole...is no problem.
Separate the steering knuckle from the bottom of the strut. Clean it, apply one of your gaskets, with sealer. Put the whole assembly back together and bolt it up. Let the sealer dry overnight.
In the morning, pump grease into the joint. It will fill the cup, pressurize in through the hole you drilled and cause the boot to expand as it comes through the joint. If you drilled the hole in the center of the joint...it is actually accessing the space behind the spring...which is behind the plastic ball cup...so no damage to the joint is done. That is all! Reassemble the fronty suspension. Ray '


Copied from shoptalkforum http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic ... nt#p115020
'70VW 411LE 2 Door Saloon, '71 Beetle and '78 Late bay

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kps70
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kps70 » 26th October 2010 - 9:31pm

Aha - so that's the bit I missed, a small hole drilled in the back of the joint. Cool - this is an easy job and well worth doing, thanks Shawn
K
Kieron

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kps70
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kps70 » 3rd November 2010 - 5:59pm

Now done and back on the car. The back of the ball joint is well thick - 3 drill bits bust doing the 2 sides. It's over 1cm thick!!
Kieron

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Paul Hayward
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by Paul Hayward » 3rd November 2010 - 7:12pm

kps70 wrote:Now done and back on the car. The back of the ball joint is well thick - 3 drill bits bust doing the 2 sides. It's over 1cm thick!!

well done 8)

so 64000 $ question is.........are you going to offer club discounts to rebuild type 4 front ends? :D ..........most of this is going over my head :shock: .never reallt had a good look at type 4 front end...YET :lol: .Hope Goldmember doesnt need all this doing anytime soon :ninja:
Paul and Kat

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kps70
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kps70 » 4th November 2010 - 8:06pm

I've enjoyed it so much!!!!! I've learnt a lot about the front steering doing mine. It's not there yet - the acid test is how it drives plus I still haven't tackled the suspension yet.
If I wasn't spending my life marking, planning, attending meetings, giving kids detentions etc then it would be a nice sideline ;-)
Kieron

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kembiff
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kembiff » 4th November 2010 - 8:21pm

Stop moaning, remember how easy us teachers have it? You can do it when you finish at 3.30 or perhaps in the holidays along with mine too! ;)

You'd have a lovely time up here in Durham - you can stay in my bay for free whilst you get the work done mate!
Andy in Durham. Call round for a cuppa!

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Paul Hayward
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by Paul Hayward » 4th November 2010 - 9:31pm

:lol: .Yes Good idea Andy 8) ..Yes Kieron can i book mine in for the August school Holidays 2011 :D
Paul and Kat

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kembiff
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Re: replacment ball joints

Post by kembiff » 11th November 2010 - 11:31pm

I have managed to secure a NOS lower ball joint (yes I know, amazing eh!) and a 'good condition' 2nd hand one for my beloved (?) Fudge the 412 squareback. With push rod seals and rocker gaskets for £60 delivered. Having done a lot of research into new parts for front suspension - this seems well -cheap!

Anyhow, I am posting it on here because I found them when I decided to ring megabug on a whim to see if they could help...They have a few other 412 parts as well and sent me some pics of back & front lights, a door and front struts. So, if you live near London - then know that this source of spares exists.

They have been really helpful.

If I put this in the wrong forum then please move it guys, I did multiple posts to make sure it was seen, if only for the door.
Andy in Durham. Call round for a cuppa!

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