Lower balljoints popped out

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Roelof
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Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:58 am
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Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Roelof »

When disassambling the front suspension of my 66 the lower balljoints popped out of the lower control arms. The balljoints and rubber boots are good, but don't seem to be a really tight fit in the control arms. Any ideas? What are my options?

Thanks,
Roelof
Scott V
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Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:31 am

Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Scott V »

sounds like someone put screw in ball joints before & opened up the holes. you can get other lower arms or get some screw in ball joints. or you can tack weld yours in the arms.

-Scott V.
Roelof
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Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Roelof »

Thanks. Tack welding would be ok I guess.

The holes do not look threaded to me. It is a good fit, but it is possible to push them in by hand. That seems a bit loose to me. I searched around and read about making the hole a bit smaller with a hammer. Would that do the trick? How tight should they be? Possible to push in with small tools? Or so tight you need a 10t press?

Roelof
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terribleted
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Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by terribleted »

They should be a tight press fit. I would bet someone pressed in some oversized in the past and now the holes are a little big.
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Corossa
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Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Corossa »

Roelof wrote:When disassambling the front suspension of my 66 the lower balljoints popped out of the lower control arms. The balljoints and rubber boots are good, but don't seem to be a really tight fit in the control arms. Any ideas? What are my options?

Thanks,
Roelof
Roefoff,
what do you mean "popped out of the lower control arms"? were they held in place with washers and castellated nuts and a cotter pin or modern locking nylock style nut on underside of tapered shaft? When you removed them were they were loose already, had the nuts backed off a couple or a few turns or had the tapered shafts actually popped out of their tapered holes or they popped when you separated the tapered shaft from the tapered hole. Did they really pop like a loud pop after you removed the locking nut? they can actually do that but usually under pressure of of a removal tool.
Have you separated ball joints before if so describe the different nature of these compared to what you know or what you have experienced before. Were they simply loose and came apart easily? Did you have to use a ball joint separator tool or a pickle fork. It makes all the difference in trying to diagnose this issue.
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Ross
Roelof
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Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:58 am
Location: Netherlands

Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Roelof »

This was not the first time to separate a balljoint ... :)

Removed the cotter pin, turned the nut a few turns, and then I used a small separator tool (clamp type).
The stud came off the steering knuckle with a bang. Just like it is supposed to. At that moment the ball joint fell out of the control arm. Happened on the other side also.

All came off pretty easy and the joints look pretty good. The surfaces are clean. What makes me think they were replaced at some point. On the other hand: the upper joints are still the original and feel pretty tight too. This car didn't do a large number of miles

The reason I ask is because up until now I only had cars with the joints screwed in. i don't know how tight the press fit should be and how easy they should come out. If I look at the tools in the fsm the fit cannot be too tight, so perhaps a hammer and some locktite could do the trick. If not I take out the welding stick, as I hate to replace two good units with 80 dollar new ones.

Roelof
Corossa
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Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:14 pm

Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Corossa »

Roelof.
I get it now you are talking about the ball side of the joint. You are right it shouldn't pop out easily. I would double check to make sure its the correct ball joint. They should be press fit depends on style some are nut and bolted(or riveted or screwed in as you say) in with plates on the ball side. assuming its a corvair its just good ole domestic press fit low tech. There are lots of styles and sizes that why I'd check proper part # or spec. probably difficult as there are few markings on the part?.

I also wouldnt bet against you being immune to counterfiet parts or poor Chinese parts that have infiltrated entire world supply. Even US companies use crap replacements from China for my BMW priced accordingly but beware. Sounds like you inherited part and probably don't know where it came from (dealer?)

Press fit 1-3 thousandths,1-1/2 thousandths-3 thousandths is common maybe even 5 thousandths depending on application. Sorry don't know metric equivalent offhand. Check with local machine shop for press fit spec. Measure hole on control arm, use a snap gauge and micrometer and check against spec. check for ovalness or elongation. I wouldn't use a hammer to reinstall in any case, hammers deform. I would use a press or a vise and sockets to fit over and slowly squeeze them together after heating the arm and freezing the ball joint. Don't heat red hot, just hot to the touch, its enough and just the control arm side, don't melt any plastic spacers or seals in the ball joint. I would use RED loctite stud and bearing....very permanent. Just use good shop practices most likely the arm has been compromised or wrong ball joint. Dont jury rig it, for safety reasons you don't want it coming apart when your driving it. You didn't say how old car, arm or ball joint is if you even know ( car and shop history can be a killer). I see you are in NED so maybe not easy to replace damaged control arm, here its easy, cheap, plentiful if they have been compromised. If hole is damaged there should be a shop practice to resize hole or machine larger for a larger ball joint dimension but all that is $$$$ . Sometimes loctite is your only friend.
Good luck let us know how you fare!
Ross
Roelof
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Location: Netherlands

Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Roelof »

Ross,
Thanks for the clear answer. All is clear: should be a tight fit, measure, use good shop practice and don't start banging on things. :) Will first start cleaning and painting, as the whole suspension is out, and assemble later.
Roelof
Corossa
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Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:14 pm

Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Corossa »

Roelof wrote:Ross,
Thanks for the clear answer. All is clear: should be a tight fit, measure, use good shop practice and don't start banging on things. :) Will first start cleaning and painting, as the whole suspension is out, and assemble later.

Roelof
Roelof
Don't waste any time cleaning(cursory cleaning is proper especially if you have to take to a shop) or painting control arms until repair has been made, make sure you don't need to replace them. You can always make coffee tables from ruined wheels but control arms not so much.
Ross
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Torch
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Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:48 pm

Re: Lower balljoints popped out

Post by Torch »

Roelof wrote:Thanks. Tack welding would be ok I guess.

The holes do not look threaded to me. It is a good fit, but it is possible to push them in by hand. That seems a bit loose to me. I searched around and read about making the hole a bit smaller with a hammer. Would that do the trick? How tight should they be? Possible to push in with small tools? Or so tight you need a 10t press?

Roelof

Any comments with regards to weather tack welding is an appropriate solution?

The ball joints I removed are the screw type, and I already purchased a suspension kit that had the other ones. I realize the optimal solution would be to purchase a pair of screw type ball joints, however if there is a way to make the ones I have work I would like to know. :pray:

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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