Ball joints?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola Florida
Ball joints?
On the restoration I'm doing I need some advise on installing the ball joints. Wanting to go back with rivets instead of the bolts. I got the ball joints and the rivets. Upon looking at the ball joints the holes or larger than they should be What to do? 
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
From: Enterprise Al
If they are very slightly larger the rivets should expand some to fill in the gap. Someone may have drilled out the ball joints with a too large of drill bit. I work at an aviation school. I may be able to get you the larger size if you need them. What are the rivets made of? Aluminum or steel?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola Florida
The ball joints are new from Eckler's. The hole in the A-frame is the right size. The rivets are steel. I got the rivets from Corvette Central. I assumed the part I got were reproduction of the originals.
If they are very slightly larger the rivets should expand some to fill in the gap. Someone may have drilled out the ball joints with a too large of drill bit. I work at an aviation school. I may be able to get you the larger size if you need them. What are the rivets made of? Aluminum or steel?
Last edited by Paintbug; Apr 26, 2007 at 07:42 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
holes in the new ball joints are probably sized for bolts, not rivets. I bought NOS GM ones and even they are larger because they came with bolts to attach. I'd try the larger rivets like the guy offered.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 44,681
Likes: 1,830
From: Huntsville AL
From what I can find, the C-2 Corvette uses a 5/16 rivet. The hole limits for that size are:
Min: 0.312
Max: 0.327
Once the Rivet is bucked the driven head (back side) diameter shall be a min of 0.406 and the thickness 0.125 to 0.158
A round head carbon steel rivet is P/N MS20435, but I need the length to figure the rest out. Also, I'm not sure what GM used for materal when they made these rivets. This is a area where you need to get it right the first time.
I plan on bucking rivets into my ball joints during my frame off and I'm waiting for my front end kit to show up. I hope I don't have the same problem.
If somebody has the correct MS or AN rivet part number pass it along and I will see what I can dig up.
Min: 0.312
Max: 0.327
Once the Rivet is bucked the driven head (back side) diameter shall be a min of 0.406 and the thickness 0.125 to 0.158
A round head carbon steel rivet is P/N MS20435, but I need the length to figure the rest out. Also, I'm not sure what GM used for materal when they made these rivets. This is a area where you need to get it right the first time.
I plan on bucking rivets into my ball joints during my frame off and I'm waiting for my front end kit to show up. I hope I don't have the same problem.
If somebody has the correct MS or AN rivet part number pass it along and I will see what I can dig up.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
For what it's worth, someone recently posted on the forum about bolts with rivet heads - look correct once installed. Might be an easier option unless you need full-blown rivets for a restoration.
Last edited by 62Jeff; Apr 26, 2007 at 10:20 PM. Reason: Fixed spelling error. Doh!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,078
Likes: 101
From: Riverhead New York
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
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From: Washington Michigan
The bolts with rivet heads aren't going to fool any judges; since you're in Florida, send your arms and ball joints to Art at Van Steel and they can rivet them correctly for you. When the rivets are bucked, their diameter expands to fill the holes. 
