I reached out to Sealsit to see if they have a product suited to our rod ends.

wickededge wrote:


Is there a shelf part number for the joint Clay, or is it made for you?

I'm not sure of the current sourcing by our factory but it's most similar to this one from McMaster-Carr: 6072K31

Billabong wrote:

So for a non-machinest type like me, is this really a problem or is the boot just for the truly OC perfectionist types? What will happen if I just use it as is? Is the diamond and metal shavings going to bind up the ball joints, or cause the rods to fall off the balls? It seems to work just fine the way it is, but am I looking at having to replace them or repair them in time and if so what might be the life of an unprotected ball joint?

I didn't notice any instructions to lubricate or clean them periodically. Should some maintenance be done and if so what is the maintenance?

I'm expecting Clay to also fit a grease nipple to them soon.

ScottSherman wrote:


Good news is, you'll have those "extra" arms in your kit to fall back on....
(Sorry I couldn't resist)....

For the short time I've been using mine, I looked at them under magnification this a.m. I don't see any evidence of wear, scratching or even debris buildup. I wiped them with a Q-tip, and it looks clean. My theory is, (and hopefully it will pan out) that not enough debris gets on them to matter. Add to that, if you're taking any other debris catching measures... wetting the stones, magnets, etc. (none of which I'm doing), it should be even safer.

Time will tell!

I would think that the joints would be fine for many, many blades. Most likely they will be a lifetime part. For this application I think that they could be listed as maintenance free. Of course, we would only know if we sharpened a several hundred knives and pulled the joints aapart and measured them to see whether there is any noticeable wear (or wear that would be detrimental in the projected lifetime for the part) going on.

Having said that, I do something similar to what I did with the previous arm joints. There is a little flat spot on the ball for the joints accross from the adjustment stud. I have fittted some small super magnets there and on the outside of the collar where the arms screw in. After 50 or so knives there is a small amount of metal filings adhering to the magnets. I just wipe them off and put them back where they were. I also keep a light coat of synthetic lube on the balls, then wipe them down and replace the lube between sessions.

I am not sure that this really accomplishes anything significant, but it makes me feel better.


To answer your question directly, installing boots or other "maintenance" is probably more for the super OCD folks to worry about rather than a requirement for the machine to give a lifetime of use. IMHO. (BTW, I tend to belong to that group...).

One thing in regards to any kind of boot, unless it fits very tightly around the parts where they exit the boot, we stand a good chance of trapping contaminants inside the boot causing more wear than if they are left exposed and merely wiped down regularly.

Billabong,
I checked the gland covers that you mentioned. First I could not figure out the correct size from what I found. Second there are several materials that they are made from... I have no idea what would be the best for this application (stretchability, stiffness, resistance to fatigue from continuous flexing, etc.). Third, I could not find anyone either online nor locally that sells them nor where I might get some samples to test. If you can offer any insights on any of this, please post it.

Phil

EDIT: BTW it also occured to me, these would have to be cut to fit. All that I saw were designed to seal a straight through cable to a connector or bulkhead. I wonder if they could be cut to fit, then stretched to actually perform a sealing action rather than just being a sort of shield...like the cut funnels that were mentioned a while back.

From the link Clay posted for me above.

"Heavy Duty Ball Joint Linkages"

Able to stand up to frequent use, these linkages offer superior wear resistance.
All are ball joint rod ends with the studs attached to simplify mounting.
They have a chrome-plated, bearing-steel ball stud that’s machined to fit perfectly inside its housing, which is zinc-plated steel.
Linkages are great for clutches, throttles, shift control rods and WEPS.
Periodic lubrication may be required to keep them operating smoothly.
Maximum ball swivel is approximately 50°.
They are not load rated. (don't climb up the rods)

The balls may fall off the rods if you are not careful! (joking)

For me it's about putting a glove on my babies, wrapping them in cotton wool.
I wouldn't worry too much at this stage Scott, a little love with a rag should do.

edit - Having said that, I have a few connections in the automotive, electrical and mining fields that may help me here.
Where is that Mercedes parts book?

Thanks, guys. Boy when I started reading this thread, I thought my balls and rods were going to fall apart if I didm't put them in booties. I'm so glad that all I need to worry about now is scratch patterns and diamond paste buildup, which is about all I can handle at this time.

PhilipPasteur wrote:


I don't have my arms yet (no hurry ), but when I get them I will visit a mate (friend) who works as an electrician in mining, he uses them.
I have held many sizes in my hands in years past, different materials are for different environments.

edit - I'm going to get this thing (WEPS) up to a $2,500 investment like you mentioned in another thread Phil.

edit- To update my solution, I started another thread here.
wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=com_k...d=6824&Itemid=63