I have a ripped ball joint boot, my buddy suggested just getting Energy Suspension ball joint boots, he said I would just leave the stock boot on even if ripped, then use the ES boot over top. My question is reading online it almost sounds like these replace the factory boots, anyone have any idea? Replacement for ripped boot or cover for ripped boots? Thanks

 

you can't fit them together, the ES one is thicker and it would probably deform when you try to get it in. Plus wtf is the use of leaving a ripped oem boot underneath it? use one or the other > NOT both

 

So you do remove the old boot, I guess you grease the new ones, its not totally sealed like oem though

 

The ES balljoint boot replacements are absolute GARBAGE!. I used them after I found a tear in my upper controll arm boot and the balljoint went south shortly after. The factory balljoint has adequate room for grease where the ES doesn't. In the end the balljoint failed from lack of lubrication.

 

i dont have too much of an issue with the ES poly boots. and no, they dont go over the stock boots. just remove the stock boot completely.

the only real advantage to them is that they are more durable than the thin rubber stock boots. its useful to me when i worked on my suspension more often, it eliminated the chance of ripping when popping a balljoint.

i found that it captured the grease very well actually. fill it up with grease and install and let all the excess grease squeeze out. nothing was going to get in there, even without the retaining spring.

the biggest fault that i could make of the poly boots is that they cant hold up to extreme brake heat from track use. they can literally melt away. but you wont even get close to the amount of heat needed while driving on the street, or on autox in my experience.

having said all that, OEM boots are cheap. if you know you JUST ripped the boot, you can replace it and not have to worry about replacing the balljoint any time sooner than you normally would.

however, if the boot has been torn for a while, and is dry or there is ANY bit of crap in there, then the balljoint is toast and should just be replaced all together. but buy an extra balljoint boot along with the balljoint when you order together for the future. its cheap enough.

 

Thanks for the info! Any specific Grease you guys using on the balljoints?

The boot was just ripped while replacing a axel so I think the ball joint should be ok, just took it around the block with the torn boot

 

generic grease. whatever. i olny have a can of valvoline synthetic in my garage i use for mostly everything that needs grease.