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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Where to find mystery ball and socket joint?

Nov. 9, 2011 4:49 p.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

What I'm looking for is a ball and socket joint with a metal socket. Like the older style lift strut sockets, the metal ones with the little pin/clips that hold them on. OK, so I found a pic of exactly what I'm looking for, put the site it's from is in Europe.

Any ideas?
Nov. 9, 2011 4:53 p.m. fasted58 SuperDork

google the gas lift cylinders, they sell 'em, even SS, I bought 'em up to prolly 5/16" thread

lawn tractors use something similar in larger sizes for steering rod ends
Nov. 9, 2011 5:07 p.m. turboswede SuperDork

http://www.midwestcontrol.com/part_family.php?id=1
Nov. 9, 2011 8:27 p.m. 44Dwarf Dork

mcmaster.com has them too
Nov. 9, 2011 9:06 p.m. TRoglodyte HalfDork

I have to rely on a similar setup in an industrial application. After many failures I now run a hardened bolt thru a heim joint, more robust and allows a visual inspection. I hate those things.
Nov. 10, 2011 5:13 a.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

Are you specifically looking for that quick release? If not, I kinda agree with TRoglodyte about their failure rate when compared to a through bolt and heim ball.
Nov. 10, 2011 8:21 a.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

It doesn't really have to be that exact style, but I'm trying to find a steel socket that will fit an existing ball. Even if that style isn't the most robust, it's got to better than the crap plastic it will be replacing. I've used heim joints for this exact application, and while they work well there's a lot of fab work involved.
Nov. 10, 2011 8:36 a.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

Also, which are stronger, the internal clip or the external clip?
Nov. 10, 2011 8:38 a.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

44Dwarf wrote:

mcmaster.com has them too

Are you sure? I searched their site up and down and couldn't find them.
Nov. 10, 2011 8:39 a.m. Quasimo1 New Reader

You can buy that part from Napa. Have the counter guys look up the word "throttle". These ball and socket linkages were on Mercedes 300D

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?A=ATM0009918922_025767262... Hotlinked for your reference

Edit: Taking a second look at this I'm not sure this will work for your purposes. The socket part does not have a retaining metal clip...
Nov. 10, 2011 8:49 a.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork

old peoples hips?

I really have got nothing constructive to add...sorry
Nov. 10, 2011 9:00 a.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

Quasimo1 wrote:

You can buy that part from Napa. Have the counter guys look up the word "throttle". These ball and socket linkages were on Mercedes 300D

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?A=ATM0009918922_025767262... Hotlinked for your reference

Edit: Taking a second look at this I'm not sure this will work for your purposes. The socket part does not have a retaining metal clip...

The link doesn't work. This one? That appears to be the internal clip style, and that would work fine if it's the right size. Hmmm... I'll have to look into this.
Nov. 10, 2011 9:12 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

mcmaster-carr has a good selection
Nov. 10, 2011 1:52 p.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

mcmaster-carr has a good selection

Someone else mentioned that above, but I'll be damned if I can find them in the catalog.
Nov. 10, 2011 2:09 p.m. MG_Bryan Reader

16vCorey wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

mcmaster-carr has a good selection

Someone else mentioned that above, but I'll be damned if I can find them in the catalog.

Edit because I posted the wrong link http://www.mcmaster.com/#ball-joint-rod-ends/=evknem
Nov. 10, 2011 4:20 p.m. 44Dwarf Dork

search rod ends then Ball Joint Linkages Type

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