Street (Regular) vs Racing Ball Joints

[Hotwire]

Hey Jeff,

Thanks for your review.

To be clear, no brand affiliation from me as well, although that would help my build progress lol. I looked at the dust covers but it seems people have issue with the polyurethane offerings not staying attached when installed. The QA1 instructions actually had dust boot covers in their instruction pictures but none of the ones I ordered had them (upper or lower) and I got them from two different vendors at the time. Again I don’t have any negative opinion on either but these two ball joints serve completely a different purpose respectively. Now it’s time to sell 2nd-hand new “changing build direction” QA1 ball joints since it’s been so long and I’m way outside return time.



Jon

Not a problem. The only thing I would like to note is if you're running tall ball joints you'll have to figure a way to keep the dust boot sealed to the stud. I haven't done anything and have grease coming down the stud. I was thinking zip tie or safety wire around the end of the boot, but saw a great idea and am going to copy it. Saw somewhere someone took rubber hose and cut it to length so that it was tall enough to keep tension on the rubber boot when installed w/ the joint against the spindle. Keeping the boot pushed up towards the joint stretches it against the stud sealing it. Another thing is if grease escapes out of the boot it'll be captured by the hose..

As anguilla poetically dispelled, it's a very tough balance. I was just running an banked oval/slalom on Sunday. Was getting kinda pissy as a stockish Mazda was pulling away from me on the onset to the banked oval because I couldn't get any power down at all, BUT I was catching back up to him on the straight and in the slalom. I've got my car set up as a budget swiss army knife. Great cruiser/long distance hauler, and can also drag race, autocross, etc. There's times I have regrets, but for the couple hours of fame from beating strangers to needing a kidney belt to drive this thing isn't appealing. I'm happy with an all around ok deal vs tuned towards one certain aspect.

Video from Sunday, complete stranger took them and shared them with me, kinda wish he'd gotten some slalom too, but beggars can't be choosers. Caddy v wagon waved me by on the straight, I was pushing him pretty good through the slalom, that's my boy scout badge for the month. :D

https://youtu.be/7fEnTr4lUyY