Ball Joint Seating Question

[Kushneap]

I have installed new upper and lower ball joints to my 2000 TJ.

As you can see the ball joint shoulders are seated firmly against the C.

You can also see that the knuckle is NOT firmly against the rubber of the ball joint.

Why won’t this seat firmly against the ball joint?

Help me understand why and how to fix if you can.

Thanks guys!

 

[Link]

What brand of ball joint?

 

[JustDandee]

When you tighten the castle nut does the tapered shaft spin? Assuming it’s the right ball joint you need more umpf on that to get it to seat. I am sure someone here has got a trick or two to share.

 

[billyp]

You can't really tell the gap based on the dust boot. That will move down once filled with grease. For me, I would torque the castle nut down. If it's torqued, and you can line up the cotter pin hole then you're seated.

 

[mrblaine]

What brand of ball joint?

Doesn't matter, floating dust boots do just that.

 

[Kushneap]

When you tighten the castle nut does the tapered shaft spin? Assuming it’s the right ball joint you need more umpf on that to get it to seat. I am sure someone here has got a trick or two to share.

Spicer and I haven’t tightened them yet

 

[Kushneap]

Doesn't matter, floating dust boots do just that.

So that gap is

Doesn't matter, floating dust boots do just that.

Meaning that gap is okay?
I know they are tapered studs but I thought I’d get it a lot closer than that.

 

[Kushneap]

You can't really tell the gap based on the dust boot. That will move down once filled with grease. For me, I would torque the castle nut down. If it's torqued, and you can line up the cotter pin hole then you're seated.

Sounds good! I’ll torque them down and see where I stand. Appreciate the feedback.

 

[machoheadgames]

Doesn't matter. Torque down and move on.

 

[KennethS]

need more umpf on that to get it to seat.

Spicer and I haven’t tightened them yet

Well there's the issue.

 

[jjvw]

The rubber boot exists to contain and protect the grease that lives above it inside the moveable portion of the ball joint. Whatever happens on the other end is of no concern to the rubber boot.

 

[Link]

Spicer and I haven’t tightened them yet

Tighten them and let us know what happens.

 

[James9100]

Mine are like that too, pretty sure it’s normal.
I wasn’t on this forum at the time and was dumb enough at the time to put Moog joints in.

 

[chili_pepper]

Don't mean to pee in anyone's cornflakes here but..is it just me or is that boot split?

 

[mrblaine]

Don't mean to pee in anyone's cornflakes here but..is it just me or is that boot split?

That happens when you don't remove the dust boot when you press it in.