Front control arm ball joint boot

[Regan Burba]

Hi, does anyone know where I can find a dust boot for later style front control arm (87) that has the wire ring securing it?
The ones I have seen available are apparently for a different earlier style.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Regan, I believe they are the same fitment, only a little different attachment style. The ones I believe you are referring to ("earlier style") have a crimped ring on the bottom that is pushed/pressed over the joint. While the "later" ones with the wire ring uses that ring like a little clamp. I'm not sure that either one is any better than the other, just different types. The rear joints used the wire ring instead of the crimped band. There are also aftermarket boots that use no clamps or rings, they just stretch over the joint. And I also believe some boots have a second wire ring at the top while others have none there (also just stretch fit). Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong about the "early" and "late" styles you refer to. But as far as I know you can use any of them with no problems.

As for where to get them. Depending if you have a preference for the type, the crimp band type are available from a few vendors and several online sources. The wire ring clamp type and the stretch-on types are available online (e.g. eBay) as aftermarket items. I've never seen the wire ring type from Fiat for the front joints so not sure where they come from.

 

[Regan Burba]

I had contacted a vendor that had the metal ring press on type and was told that it wouldn’t work with my later control arm.
I started searching on-line and saw some after market ones but was at a loss as to what might work. I don’t want to but I may have to wait until I remove it so I can measure it and hope to find one. I just hate taking things apart before I know that I have replacement parts.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

was told that it wouldn’t work with my later control arm

That is really interesting, I'd never heard there are two different front ball joints on X's. I would love to learn more if you find anything out; what the differences are, what years had which, etc.. Now I'm wondering if the boots I bought will fit?

 

[myronx19]

Hey Jeff,

I think it's more of a production design/improvement. The old ones used a wire to hold the boot, but the later ones did indeed use a crimp ring.

I did a quick google search and found some boots: I just googled Universal Rubber Balljoint Boots. Finding the right one is the fun part!

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I think it's more of a production design/improvement. The old ones used a wire to hold the boot, but the later ones did indeed use a crimp ring.

Thanks Myron. So are they interchangeable? Both types will fit all front ball joints? I'd never heard there was more than one size/type ball joint on the X, but I can understand there being more than one type boot. So I imagine they are the same fitment?

The aftermarket universal ones are offered by dimension; measure the diameter of the ball joint where the boot seals over the body, and where it fits over the shaft.

 

[Mark]

These are the two types I’ve seen :

AFAIK, the first picture is from earlier cars and second from later. They’re not interchangeable in my experience.

Thanks Myron. So are they interchangeable? Both types will fit all front ball joints? I'd never heard there was more than one size/type ball joint on the X, but I can understand there being more than one type boot. So I imagine they are the same fitment?

The aftermarket universal ones are offered by dimension; measure the diameter of the ball joint where the boot seals over the body, and where it fits over the shaft.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

They’re not interchangeable in my experience.

Very interesting, first I'd heard that...good to know, thanks.