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Old 02-12-2011, 10:08 PM
Jfreimark Jfreimark is offline
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Question Upper ball joint help!!!

Hey everyone.

This is my first posting and I actually have a question that brought me here. Hopefully I can get some great advice on mine and help others out in the future.

My problem came yesterday on the second round of the battle against my ball joints. I finished the left side up and went to the right. Took everything apart and got the new joints in. I was in the home run stretch. UNFORTUNATLLYYYY.. when I want to mount the spindle assembly back to the ball joints my upper decided to not fit its hole. I have done everything. I supported the lower control arm and put the weight of the truck on the joints, I heated the upper hole to expand, I used a wedge on the slit to open the diameter of the hole more, I even used a coil compressor to pull the upper control arm down...evvverything is inevitable.. The problem lies with the hole. It is too small for my joint.. I can tell because it already has worn away a little from all the pressure of the joint trying to fit itself in. WHY IS THIS!...the other side worked and its the same upper joint, I checked. I figured I need to machine the cast iron to make the hole slightly bigger... but i have no idea how I am going to do that. Any ideas PLEASE HELP....I AM VERY STUCK.
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Old 02-12-2011, 10:18 PM
pooleo pooleo is offline
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Default Re: Upper ball joint help!!!

maybe the ball joint is out of spec...? maybe try taking it back and getting another.

aren't the ball joints replaced by replacing the entire upper control arm on the 98+'s....?
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  #3  
Old 02-13-2011, 03:16 AM
blkranger231 blkranger231 is offline
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Default Re: Upper ball joint help!!!

yep unless you have the aftermarket moog arms you have to get a new upper a-arm with the balljoint made into it. There has been a few people say they replaced thiers in a stcoker but I dont see how.
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Old 02-13-2011, 07:50 AM
Jfreimark Jfreimark is offline
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Default Re: Upper ball joint help!!!

Thanx for the idea on the specs being off....that did come to mind.Ill prolly check that out today. But ya. The upper ball joint is definitely harder to change but can be done. You really just have to figure out a creative way to get that press in there the right way. For me...I figured saving a
good 100 more dollars at least in getting the control arms too, that I didnt need, was worth burning a very small hole on the top of my wheel well to fit in the screw for the press, which I was able to turn from the inside of the engine.
If the specs are correct and its just the dimension of the hole on the knuckle, any ideas on how to take a mm or so off cast iron? I know the metal is very hard and abrasive, so I'm not sure what I should machine it with. Definitely not High Speed Steel.
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Old 02-13-2011, 07:55 AM
blkranger231 blkranger231 is offline
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Default Re: Upper ball joint help!!!

Lathe j/k man really come they are pressed in from the factory they arnt meant to come out and new ones pressed in the stock arm wasnt designed for that.

Last edited by blkranger231; 02-13-2011 at 08:02 AM.
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Old 02-13-2011, 08:01 AM
Demon-FX4 Demon-FX4 is offline
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Default Re: Upper ball joint help!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jfreimark View Post
Hey everyone.

This is my first posting and I actually have a question that brought me here. Hopefully I can get some great advice on mine and help others out in the future.

My problem came yesterday on the second round of the battle against my ball joints. I finished the left side up and went to the right. Took everything apart and got the new joints in. I was in the home run stretch. UNFORTUNATLLYYYY.. when I want to mount the spindle assembly back to the ball joints my upper decided to not fit its hole. I have done everything. I supported the lower control arm and put the weight of the truck on the joints, I heated the upper hole to expand, I used a wedge on the slit to open the diameter of the hole more, I even used a coil compressor to pull the upper control arm down...evvverything is inevitable.. The problem lies with the hole. It is too small for my joint.. I can tell because it already has worn away a little from all the pressure of the joint trying to fit itself in. WHY IS THIS!...the other side worked and its the same upper joint, I checked. I figured I need to machine the cast iron to make the hole slightly bigger... but i have no idea how I am going to do that. Any ideas PLEASE HELP....I AM VERY STUCK.
:facepalm: u have to buy they whole a-arm bro. what u did will not last and will kill u.
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Old 02-13-2011, 06:08 PM
Jfreimark Jfreimark is offline
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Default Re: Upper ball joint help!!!

Thanks for the replies. I got the stud in the knuckle. Just used carbide to make a tad more room. I don't really understand why its so bad to replace just the uppers in stock. There is no difference after u get the old joint out. Its a clean hole. A hole that needs a joint press to get a new one in. Ill let anyone know in a few months how things go. If i don't post i'm dead, so you shouldn't do it. I'm pretty secure to drive it though, well see.
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Old 02-13-2011, 06:18 PM
wyman00 wyman00 is offline
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Default Re: Upper ball joint help!!!

I replaced the uppers in mine a over 6 months ago and it is still holding up fine. But...my truck was so rigged up when i got it, i don't know if the arms are aftermarket or not!
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