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TR6 TR6 Ball Joints

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SkinnedKnuckles

SkinnedKnuckles

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Anyone else have the problem of ball joint "gaiters" coming apart? I just found one while lubing. :cryin: When I rebuilt the front end 15 years ago I thought I'd be smart and use a synthetic grease. That caused both ball joints to lose the gaiters in 6 months! With regular grease there didn't seem to be any problem. The funny thing is with this new failure the rubber is not cracked overall or showing signs of deterioration - it's just kinda split all the way around and then some. Dang! I was hoping not to get too greasy this Winter.
 
You got 15 years out of yours and ,is the question if that is a problem?
 
I had one crack nearly in half while the car sat during the restoration. A light coating of black RTV has allowed 8 years of use.
 
DNK said:
You got 15 years out of yours and ,is the question if that is a problem?
Click to expand...

Well, yeah! The joint itself is fine, until sand & such get in there now and work their magic. It's the "rubber" again, or TPE that doesn't hold up. The 50¢ component determines the life of the ball joint.
 
That has been a very common problem in the past, although it does seem to be getting better. My guess would be that you just got some of the bad "rubber", rather than it having anything to do with the synthetic grease.

My FLAPS even sells a universal replacement for the ball joint gaiter, so I guess it is a common problem with other cars as well.

Both Moss & TRF have replacement gaiters listed. So, just like CV joints on more modern cars, you can either replace the rubber when it splits, or wait until the joint is ruined and replace the whole thing.
 
Brent, didn't you say 15 years ago you changed them and they lasted 6 months and you changed them again. So this set has lasted 14 years 6 months?

Really I think that ain't half bad
 
DNK said:
Brent, didn't you say 15 years ago you changed them and they lasted 6 months and you changed them again. So this set has lasted 14 years 6 months?

Really I think that ain't half bad
Click to expand...

It's not. But going by mileage it's about 35k, maybe 40k miles - kinda young for a failure. Maybe the TPE used is better now, so after they are redone they'll never have to touched by me again.
 
vettedog72 said:
I have a deal with my original 1974 gaiters, I don't touch them and they don't crumble.
Click to expand...

That's the virtue of rubber, even if synthetic, over TPE's.
 
I don't think the miles have as much to do as the age in conjunction with the miles.

JMHO
 
Some plastics have a test - ESCR. Environmental Stress Crack Resistance. It's mainly used to determine if the stuff added to plastic bottles will cause a failure in a stressed portion of the molding, like at the curve along the base. Kinda important. TPE's are more "plastic" than "elastomer" or rubber- and I doubt any such tests are given. I guess what I'm saying is we're kinda stuck with these cheaper boots & diaphragms that may last 6 months or 15 years - but they still fail first. Maybe here's a business opportunity - boutique real rubber parts that last! Now if I only had an extruder....
 
it might be the type of rubber used, natural rubber will swell and crack when exposed to petroleum products, butyl and neoprene are suppose to be used if oil is present

Hondo
 
Thanks for all the ideas. Since I don't know how long the gaiter has been split I'll just replace the joints, and get the tie rod ends and steering rack dust seals (which are showing some cracks) as well.
 
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