Grecian White/Apache Red 225

[EK283]

The rubber boots on ball joints and tie rod end are the ones that frustrate me these days,

Put them in and 3 months later split and leaking grease, simple fix removing all the ball joints for replacement boots NOT !

Greg

[Harv]

With all the fancy stuff on the market, it still surprises me that you can't buy a CV/balljoint boot with a closeable seam to allow it to be installed (wrapped around and sealed) with the joint intact.

Cheers,
Harv

[Errol62]

More likely to end up with non serviceable ball joints than something sensible like that Harv. I think Elles FB has no grease nipples in the uppers.

[Craig Allardyce]

With all the fancy stuff on the market, it still surprises me that you can't buy a CV/balljoint boot with a closeable seam to allow it to be installed (wrapped around and sealed) with the joint intact.

Cheers,
Harv

You mean these Andrew?

Screenshot 2026-04-21 165106.jpg (63 KiB) Viewed 66 times

[Craig Allardyce]

More knackered rubber bits. I'm wondering if detergent is doing the damage??????

DSC_0005.JPG (3.46 MiB) Viewed 54 times

[Harv]

You mean these Andrew?

Ooooh.... I like those . I learn something new every day.

Cheers,
Harv

[funkyscooter]

More knackered rubber bits. I'm wondering if detergent is doing the damage??????


DSC_0005.JPG

I know AI isn't everyones cup of tea and that a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing etc. but I asked Gemini what causes rubber to degrade in a sunless environment.

1 - Ozone. - Causes chemical chain scission, the result is surface "crazing" or small, deep cracks perpendicular to stress.
2 - Heat - Causes thermal oxidation, the result is hardening, cracking, loss of flexibility.
3 - Fuels and oil - Causes solvent swelling/Ozone inhibitor extraction from rubber, the result is swelling, becoming "gummy," or excessive hardening after evaporation.

Didn't delve deeper but the cracking looks like ozone ( lack of ozone inhibitor ), so either #3 (if not actual chemical oil, maybe oil from skin?) is allowing ozone to break it down, or its cheap rubber with a lack of the ozone inhibitor.

Pure speculation but it would be leaning towards cheap rubber if it is happening in a range of situations where #2 of #3 might not be a factor.