65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

[David K.]

Hello to all; Was looking over the chassis on my 65 L76 car this evening and noticed that the lower ball joint on the passenger side is missing the rubber boot. What's involved in getting this back on if I buy one...? I'm pretty sure it's not going to be an easy one.......Is the boot a separate part which is added on ? or do I simply buy a lower ball joint and simply swap out ?
Thanks in advance

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

Not knowing how long it was in this condition, if it were my car I’d replace the ball joint. In fact I’d do both sides.

Do you grease the fittings often?

[Joe L.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

Hello to all; Was looking over the chassis on my 65 L76 car this evening and noticed that the lower ball joint on the passenger side is missing the rubber boot. What's involved in getting this back on if I buy one...? I'm pretty sure it's not going to be an easy one.......Is the boot a separate part which is added on ? or do I simply buy a lower ball joint and simply swap out ?
Thanks in advance

David-------


If the car has original ball joints, the boots are not replaceable as they are retained to the body of the joint with a steel band-type retainer. Even if they could be replaced, I know of no source for replacement boots.

[Richard G.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

Check if the ball joint is riveted in. If it is it likely stock and you will have to replace the complete joint. If its a replacement most the time the boot lifts off the top after the joint is separated from the spindle. One could purchase a replacement and just transfer the new boot to the old joint.
Likely not much of a point to doing this as one could just remove the last three bolts and replace the joint. Getting the taper apart and supporting the lower A arm without hurting anyone is the tough part, so your 90% through the job at that point. (Assuming bolts not rivets)
So we come full circle back to Gene's advice, replace them both.
Rick

[David K.]

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

Sounds like a lot of work to get the joint off guys.....the car was a total body off a few years ago & I see the rubber boot in place on the restoration photos. I find it very odd that it’s now missing. Hence, if I leave things “as is”, and drive without the boot, will it be ok to do so. The car gets only 100 miles approx, of excercise each summer.

The rubber boot on the ball joint is NOT the type of thing that just falls off. Some type of damage to the boot/joint must have occurred. Perhaps you should look closer. I would be skeptical of driving with a possible damaged ball joint.

[David K.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

I agree; Thanks for the heads up.

[Leif A.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

The rubber boot on the ball joint is NOT the type of thing that just falls off. Some type of damage to the boot/joint must have occurred. Perhaps you should look closer. I would be skeptical of driving with a possible damaged ball joint.

Gene,
I think the boot just atrophied and wasted away from lack of use

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

Gene,
I think the boot just atrophied and wasted away from lack of use

“Atrophied”?.............the odds would be just as possible that the green aliens from the planet Uranus, snook under the car one night and ate it.*♂️

[David K.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

Seriously; How do we determine if the ball joint has an issue. The car only has about 100 miles since a complete body off restoration & Top Flight awards at two separate Chapter meets. As I mentioned earlier, the boot is present in the restoration photos from 2013.

[David M.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

Look for play in the joint. Many service manuals describe this procedure.
Its not a big job to replace the boot or the joint or the whole arm...if its similar to a 68-82? Several resto houses will take your whole A Arm and rebuild it with OEM style rivets, BJ and bushings if needed. Your in there makes zero sense to not do it. Always do both upper and lower(and both sides if miles is unknown). By running it without the boot grit will infiltrate the joint and prematurely wear it out. I consider a BJ a chassis safety item. Whats it worth to have a BJ repaired properly. Have you ever seen what happens when one comes apart? Can be fatal to you, others and the car.

[David K.]

Re: 65 lower ball joint missing rubber boot

Thank you gentlemen. I'll push forward accordingly.

DK