fitting the rubber boots to btm link strut plus more

ButterFingers

Active Member
hi there,
Whilst working on the front brakes on my P6 3500, I noticed that 2 rubber boots are cracked /split and need replacing. I have good access to the area while the disc and caliper are off the car.

The area concerned are : bottom link strut , rubber boot number 32 in workshop manual, and the
Swivel pillar assembly, lower rubber boot, number 6 in workshop manual.

They are both attached via a castle nut and split pin.

If I undo the castle nuts will the suspension drop or stay where it is?
Secondly: can I obtain the rubber boots mentioned individually?
Peter
 
The boots are available from at least one of the P6 specialist suppliers, but the ones I fitted most recently, I can't remember which supplier it was.
The clips are awkward to fit though, especially doing them on the car.

With the suspension hanging, and the nut removed, you'll need to split the taper, which is also a bit of a problem without the tool to do it, but as your boots are no good anyway you can use hammers or a large taper splitter. That applies to both the pillar and the link strut. The suspension won't drop further than it does with the wheels off the ground, but you'll have to lever the lower arms downwards to part them from the pillar.
 
You can buy the boots separately / non genuine of course or I bought a selection box for about £20 from GSF motor parts suppliers which has fitted the ball joints on the p6s ive worked on.
Clive. 20171210_133816.jpg 20171210_133859.jpg
 
hi there Mike,
thanks for the tip,
I ordered the boots from Scott's in Victoria, and they should be here on Wednesday, how's that for service.
I tried to access the recommended GSF motor parts suppliers website, but unfortunately you can only view their goods by imputing your car make etc, you cant even look
at the general merchandise without a car name . Strangest site ever, selling stuff but no access .....
Peter
 
hi there,
Update: I fitted the new boots by applying pressure to the knuckle with a joint press,
(the long forked tool mentioned in this post before did not budge anything)
so, then when really tight and firm, I tapped both sides of the joint with 2 heavy type hammers , 2 blows and the joints fell off, the press ending up on the floor.
Replacing the boots was straight forward, the most fiddly bit fitting the clips. Clips only came with the larger boot for the pillar swivel , the other smaller boots I had to secure with cable ties. Job done....
Ohh , the boots from Scotts auto rubber took a week to arrive from Victoria, man with forked stick became lost at the border?
Peter
 
Australia Post, you pay your money and you take your chances!
Something I sent from Melb to a friend in Sydney took 4 weeks (and an enquiry), whereas I've had stuff from Qld and NSW in a couple of days.
 
Australia Post, you pay your money and you take your chances!
Something I sent from Melb to a friend in Sydney took 4 weeks (and an enquiry), whereas I've had stuff from Qld and NSW in a couple of days.

I agree Mike,
I have had parts sent from the UK and the USA arrive faster than from Melbourne via australia post , depends on the number of tea breaks per day X, cant find it scratches of ones head X, I'll do it tomorrow syndrome! but it looks like a pandemic infection worldwide?
 
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