Ball Joint Help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake City, UT
Ball Joint Help
I have done a search and came up with limited info..... maybe someone can answer for me. I am repalcing the ball joints on my '74. I have gotten the rivets ground down, but they don't seem to want to budge. Am I missing something?
Thanks for any help.
Thanks for any help.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 2
From: Melrose Florida
Next is the big hammer part, or a puller that will work on ball joints. Sometimes they come out easy when the rivets are gone, but not always.
You might want to try to punch the rivets out, if the heads are ground off, then see if the ball joint will move. The rivet shafts might be holding the ball joint in place.
I bought a Harbor Freight front end/suspension tool kit, works like a puller or a press depending how you set it up.
Steve
You might want to try to punch the rivets out, if the heads are ground off, then see if the ball joint will move. The rivet shafts might be holding the ball joint in place.
I bought a Harbor Freight front end/suspension tool kit, works like a puller or a press depending how you set it up.
Steve
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,435
Likes: 9
From: Kalamazoo Mi
i drilled the centre of my rivits out after i ground them down. You have to be careful, and use a ***** punch so you actually stay in the centre. After that the ball joints fell right off. good luck
Steve
Steve
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 15
From: Calgary Alberta
I hope this isn't breaking any forum rules, but here is another thread regarding the subject. Good Luck
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...ad.php?t=97258
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...ad.php?t=97258
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Properly formed rivets must fill the entire volume of the hole in which they're installed...if they are to provide any strength to the joint. Just use a punch to drive the remainder of the rivets out. I assume you are using the "bolt-in" type of replacements.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 971
Likes: 7
From: roanoke va
Drilling the center of the rivets has worked very well for me. I have ground the rivets used a big hammer or a air chisel and still ended up drilling the center. It did not take much of a hole. It seemed to take some of the pressure off of the fit between the rivet and joint.
