No steering joint boot available.

   / No steering joint boot available.
  • Thread Starter
#11  
Would `self amalgamating` tape over the bad boot hold, until new ones are available.

I've got a feeling that this will turn into a long term fix. It sounds like a boot by itself will never be available. At least from Kubota. Maybe the aftermarket will address it some day. I'm not really losing sleep over it. The tractor has mainly residential yard work duty on my 2 acres and doesn't see any extreme service. I mow one acre with it. My wife knows how to operate it and she moves her own mulch when I buy it in bulk with the dump trailer.
Maybe some type of butyl tape like the kind sealing the hatch on my enclosed trailers would work too. Lot of options to check out before replacing a perfectly good ball joint with only 70 some hours on it.
 
   / No steering joint boot available. #12  
I`ve seen cut off concertina boots made for steering rack and pinions used on occasions when replacement boots were not available.
 
   / No steering joint boot available. #13  
The front axle on my 4 x 4 GMC now has a a boot that is glue back together and it has not leaked in several thousands of miles. I told the shop to replace it but the guy said the glue would hold it.

The only problem is I do not know what product he used but I provide the info as knowledge that there is a way to repair it.
 
   / No steering joint boot available. #14  
I`ve just looked on Ebay on this side of the pond, and there quite a few `universal track rod end rubber boots``..
 
   / No steering joint boot available.
  • Thread Starter
#16  
Wrapped with seam tape that I use over the nailing flanges when installing windows or doors. We'll see how long it holds.

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   / No steering joint boot available. #17  
I have a boot cracked wide open on one of the inner ball joints on my BX2380. I can find the part in Kubota's diagrams but guess what? Instead of being able to replace a $10 boot, the best that can be done is a complete ball joint replacement. Other than that it's replace the entire tie rod.
Not a very practical solution in my opinion but there's really no other choice. Either buy the $34 part now or just use the tractor until the joint goes bad from dirt, water, etc. intrusion and then replace it. Kind of leaning toward that. The tractor doesn't get any severe duty use.
I contacted Messick via their website today thinking that I'd hear back from them in a day or two because of the holiday. A half hour later I had a reply from Jared in Parts. They didn't have one in stock but he gave me the part number and a pretty lengthy list of dealers that showed the part in stock on the computer. Very class act.

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Go to Ebay, and in the search box, punch in Kubota BX inner tie rod boots. They're far better than the garbage that Kubota puts on as OEM. I just changed mine on my BX25D. The Ebay boots are way tougher and thicker, and easy to install. Good Luck.
 
   / No steering joint boot available. #18  
There was a post put on here to a link that sold many different sizes of the boots, with a real good price. I thought I bookmarked it but can not find it. I don't remember the poster, so maybe someone well remember the post or who put it up. I have my old computer at the shop and I'll see if it's on it.
 
   / No steering joint boot available. #19  
There was a post put on here to a link that sold many different sizes of the boots, with a real good price. I thought I bookmarked it but can not find it. I don't remember the poster, so maybe someone well remember the post or who put it up. I have my old computer at the shop and I'll see if it's on it.

Don't know if this was the exact product you were looking for, but I seem to remember another relatively recent discussion about bx tie rod boots and the replacements from Bota Products came up in the discussion:

 
   / No steering joint boot available.
  • Thread Starter
#20  
eBay does indeed show several options. Some look exactly like those in the link provided previously by Panik. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
I don't know how long this link will last, but here's what I went with:
 
 
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