Ball Joint Questions

[Ooooner]

I have a couple of "beginners" questions about the upper ball joints and the caps that come with them when you buy them new.
First, when I disassembled the suspension for a rebuild, I did not notice the orientation of the offset holes in the upper ball joints. I have attached a simple CAD drawing of what it looks like. I was needing to know which way they go in the upper A arm for a stock setup. I know I have read where you turn these 180 degrees when you go to the "sport" leaf spring. Now I know what everybody was talking about!
Secondly, I have attached a picture of these plastic caps that came with the upper and lower ball joints. I thought that maybe they were to just protect the ball joint until they were installed but the more I thought about them, I was wondering if they are to be left on for protection of the rubber boots.
These may be stupid questions but unless I ask, I won't know. I appreciate your input... Thanks...

[markandson]

Have to look at FSM to remember how the ball joints go, but I can tell you for sure that the plastic cap is only for protection of the part during storage, so you can just send it to the round file. I do believe with enough searching you would find the answer to the rotation question.

[Ooooner]

Jeff,
That is about what I thought with those caps. Harold Collins had told me something about some poly covering you can put on the ball joints to help protect them. Knowing Harold, he may have been "pulling my leg".
It was nice meeting you at Carlisle and eating dinner Friday night!

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by Ooooner I was needing to know which way they go in the upper A arm for a stock setup. I know I have read where you turn these 180 degrees when you go to the "sport" leaf spring.

For stock applications, they get installed with the most negative camber, so this will be with the attaching bolt centerline outboard of the ball joint fulcrum.

Since lowering the car increases negative camber even more, reversing the ball joints more or less brings it back to stock specs (not quite, but better than if you left it 'as is').

HTH,
Bob

[neuropel]

Harold wasn't pulling your left (at least about that!). You can buy polyurethane boots for tie rod ends and ball joints. One place I've seen them is in the "Help!" rack at places like Advance or Autozone.

Todd

[RallyBob]

Yuo can also buy them from Energy Suspension. I've been using these things on Opels for almost 15 years, since the boots often fail before the ball joint does. Of course, if exposed to water/dirt/sand, they don't last long after that!

Bob

[DennisGardiner]

Most general retailers don't know which size caps will fit Opel
applications and they won't let you open the package to
try them on, but a knowledgeable Opel retailer would know
which will fit.

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by DennisGardiner ... but a knowledgeable Opel retailer would know which will fit.

Hmmm Roy, reckon who he might be referring to? Same people I suggested?

I'll probably see you in a few weeks, be prepared! I'll try looking today for a second upper A arm if you haven't already located one.

Harold

[Ooooner]

Harold,
I guess you were not pulling my leg after all! I have found a couple of a-arms so I appreciate you helping out. Thanks to everyone else for help as well!
I hope to have the suspension finished by this weekend. I bet I have 30 hours in this thing already! Of course, if I had to do it again, it would take 10 hours. Live and learn!
Here is a pic of what I have done so far.