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| Go Kart General Discussion Forum for general go kart discussion. |
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#1
03-03-2012, 07:26 PM
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ball joint/tie-rod boots
Any of you buy that used go kart/buggy with these? Or you can't find replacements? I spent hours looking for the right size boots. I've needed replacements for our buggies in the past because we spend so much time in the mud and they rot so quickly.
  Thanx to Harbor Freight and their wide assortment of product at LOW prices, I found a suitable solution for about 20 cents a piece depending on length. Here's what's needed:  $.99 for a pack of 1-1/6" x 3" heat shrink tube (makes 6 per pk. 3-red & 3- black) Heat gun (new from HF for less than $20. if you don't have one)The other items are what I found that worked well after some experimentation: a wooden (metal retains heat too long) knob the size of the large hole in the boot & and a whittled dowel to fit into the knob screw hole with the diameter of the small hole in the boot. Cut your length- mine ended up 1" each. The shrink tube has adhesive on the inside, I turned my 1" pieces inside out- if you choose to just apply the shrink tube over your existing boot then leave the adhesive on the inside.I used a pair of pliers to expand/stretch the shrink tube a little as it was pretty tight.  Apply heat:  Let it cool- and peel it off the jig Before & After:   Grease the ball joint up and slip the new boot on-didn't need the retainer ring with the new ones (the grease helped mine slide on easier too!!) 
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#4
03-03-2012, 08:38 PM
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Lyonperf-What size are the ones you sell? I have about 7 different types of tie-rod/ball joints here and they all need about- 1.00"/25mm (big hole/base) x .43"/11mm (small hole/shaft) x .065"/16.5mm (tall)
I tried many of the ones from the auto supply stores and online,they're all too big!! also the ridgid ones don't stay/seal on the ball joint/tie-rod ends. Are yours 20cents each?!!! x-bird- I've made battery terminal covers & coil boots from the same type of shrink tube for years- just didn't dawn on me to use it for ball joint boots till now!
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#5
03-03-2012, 08:50 PM
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heres the link to the measurements
http://www.energysuspension.com/univ...ust-boots.html
__________________
If the only tool you have is a hammer, Then all your problems look like nails.
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#7
03-03-2012, 10:08 PM
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Lyonperf-That's the brand that the guy & I at the parts store opened MANY packages of.
If anyone had success with them (energy suspension) I'd like to know which ones they used. I did find a distributor from the UK that had what I thought was the right ones (based off his measurements) but they were too big at the big hole/base and to tall (couldn't squish down without popping it loose from the base). Cost me $18.48 for 4 to find out they wouldn't work 
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#8
03-04-2012, 07:35 AM
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My main concern with the cracked boots is that these are sealed units with no grease fittings. Once the boot is broken contaminants work their way into the joint causing excessive wear. It is impractical to clean these completely. And without a way to lubricate them and flush them out they simply should be replaced.
__________________
If the only tool you have is a hammer, Then all your problems look like nails.
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#9
03-04-2012, 01:51 PM
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I agree with the contaminants getting in their but strongly disagree about "impractical to clean these completely". The way to lubricate them is to remove the boot and grease them the same way we do bearings on these go karts/buggies.These particular ball joints/tie-rod ends were setting in a "new" un-used buggy/go kart for 6-7 yrs. in the weather I'm restoring. I was only trying to make replacement affordable and available when the market place doesn't provide a correct fit. I don't know about the rest of the crowd but replacing the whole unit at $20-$30 each isn't in my budget when popping the boot and adding grease will let me go play for an extended length of time. Very few buggies have a grease zerk at the bearings and the way to maintain them is to clean & re-lubricate them.
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#10
03-04-2012, 03:05 PM
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I agree with you about the prices. Have you looked at the tie rods at Speedwaymotors.com? They offer several different styles and are very affordable. The only thing I think you would need to do is tap the tie rod tubes 1/2"-20. These are greaseable.
__________________
If the only tool you have is a hammer, Then all your problems look like nails.
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#11
03-04-2012, 04:25 PM
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Bottom line is that buying new ball joints/tie-rod ends wasn't even a factor since these were new with rotten boots. I figured I'd share a viable, inexpensive and alternative solution to an issue. Many of the go karts/buggies I & many of us buy are in good shape, the elements destroys things without any wear & tear- paint,fuel lines,tires,seats,ect.. this was just a fix for ball joints/tie-rods end boots the same as a seat cover would be on a torn seat!!!! If these were wore out then replacement would've been the solution.
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#13
03-05-2012, 09:42 AM
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Quote:
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#14
07-12-2013, 05:46 PM
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lyonsperf...how can I order some of those tie rod boots that you said you sold ? I don't want to buy new a-arms for my buggie, I was able too clean out my old ball joints good enough that they move freely, now I just need dust boot covers to keep the crud out. PM me or e-mail me ccm6662001@yahoo.com
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#15
07-12-2013, 06:39 PM
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Quote:
__________________
ASE Master and Toyota Master Diagnostic Certified Buggy Building Trainee '04 Dazon Raider 150 'modded'
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#17
07-13-2013, 07:14 AM
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not too worried about contacting him, I used his thread from energy suspension and think that they will have something for me. its up on the page just incase he ever logs back on he'll see it and maybe he'll get back to me
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