So I ordered two new ball joints from rock auto. They are mevo-tech joints, and they were supposed to be the best ones that were available. However, when I received them, one bearing, ( The one on the left) came in what looks like perfect shape with a sealed boot and seems to move very easily. The one on the right however came with the boot detached. Is this normal? why is one different than the other? I thought it was defective so I ordered a new one. Well, the new one came today and it looks just like The one on the right. Boot detached and everything. So do I just have bad luck with Ball joints I need to order a new another one? Or my supposed to put the boot on myself? Am I missing something here or are these just defective joints? I would appreciate any insight guys, thanks a lot!

When you put the ball joint on the boot will be compressed to the control arm. Many ball joints are made like this. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/search.oap?keyword=ball+joint&year=1983&make=Subaru&model=GL&vi=1268311

The one on the left doesn't look right; not sure how else to explain. Maybe for a different vehicle?

 

I fell for that one too, in when buying a ball joint, expecting it to come assembled like every other time !

 

Can't say I have tried for how stiff the buggers were compared to each other or any others

 

Mine did not come with grease pack at all - so to make a saving we buy a component that needs some basic assembly and correct grease

 

might explain why I am yet to fit up, my grease in gun has started to fall out of suspension - or rather the oil has started to fall out the soap or clay base stuff we call grease. Reminds me, I have a split BJ boot needs attention.

Just look, the dimensions seem different to me:

 

Edited August 3, 201510 yr by thornleyjacob

Rockauto does this to me all the time. They fill orders with whats compatible. You paid for a good one and got what ever they had. I agree with both posters above me. But, I think that they will both work, the right one looks high quality, the left... Well no matter they'll last the life of your axles. Use em and move on with you projects. I will add that new BJ's shouldnt "move easily". They should be stiff and tight. If its floppy and easy to move or wobble around, like the one your about to pull out, its not right.

Good iuck with the install.

I just wonder if the left one will even work; the cutout for the bolt is larger, but also placed at a different distance from the lip. He may not be able to get the bolt through.

The sealed one looks like a oriley's master pro. I put 2 of those on my moms hatch and they work fine. I had a problem with the drivers side tie rod there though. It wouldn't press into the spindle bracket to be able to tighten it because for 1 it had a lock nut and 2 it had a under size taper.

Thanks for all your posts! I appreciate it guys! One more small and probably dumb question, do I pack that boot with grease before installation?

From my understanding, the boot is there to keep spoob like sand out of the grease... not really a container to hold that much grease.

From my understanding, the boot is there to keep spoob like sand out of the grease... not really a container to hold that much grease.

Okay thanks thornely. and I will investigate to make sure both ball joints fit too. 

let us know if they fit, i need to do balljoints on mine too...

BALL JOINT UPDATE

 

Both ball joints fit. My original ones where layered with rust and their boots where blown, so its a good thing i replaced them! I put the ball joint with the detached boot on and when I put the control arm back on (that is what it is called right?) There was still not enough pressure to force the boot lip around the bottom of the ball joint. In other words, the boot didn't seal. So i ended up covering the gap with some RTV silicone. But the sealed boot ball joint worked like a charm

Edited August 12, 201510 yr by Sapper 157

Yeah I put new ball joints on my coupe and they both looked like the one on the left. I think the boot on the right was maybe messed up with shipping..?

How bad were the old ball joints? I've had them so worn out that you can use them as a rattle. The ball could move side to side and up and down.  Did you impact the castle nuts on? Did the ones on my lifted hatch about a week ago with the ones from oriley's they worked great with a lifetime warranty. Had to swapped spindles since somebody broke the ball joint bolts head off along time ago before i got it.