Re: Radius rod ball cap

Posted by David Dewey on July 25, 1998 at 20:00:09

In Reply to: Radius rod ball cap
posted by Jack Metcalf on July 25, 1998 at 15:27:52

Jack,
The rubber ball set up presently sold uses a cast cap. I have seen these broken. Cast is too brittle for this area, and it is critical to safe steering. I would not go on a high speed drive with 1/4" play in the ball joint.
The original design of the A had some oil leakage past the rear main, this flows down to the felt in the bottom of the housing, which then feeds it to the ball, to lubricate it.
Even with a slightly worn ball, I'd use the original, steel cap w/ springs unit. A friend of mine replaces the T wishbone balls, maybe he should look into the A. His new balls are of ball bearing steel, bored to fit a machined post on the wishbone (he has a jig to mill off the old ball to a shaft. The ball is then silver brazed onto the wishbone. As T wishbones were originally brazed together, the repair is as hard (harder, actually), strong, and safe as the original assembly.
Safe driving!
A's always,
David D.

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