Simple Balljoint question

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Feb 17, 2008 | 01:17 PM

billsfan

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Oct 2006

Posts: 396

Likes: 3

From: Buffalo New York

Simple Balljoint question

I'm putting my upper control arms back together. The bushings went in easy, but I'm having trouble with the balljoints. When I drop the balljoint into the control arm, the lip on the top of the dust boot is sandwiched between the ball joint and the control arm. I cranked on the bolts a lot more than 25 ft/lbs, but there is still a slight gap between the ball joint flange and the control arm. What gives??

Feb 17, 2008 | 01:23 PM

Scott Marzahl

Le Mans Master

Joined: Apr 2005

Posts: 6,357

Likes: 427

From: Seattle Area WA

It sounds like you are installing the balljoints into the arm wrong. Without a pic its hard to say, but it sounds like you are installing them from the bottom and not the top of the arm??

Feb 17, 2008 | 01:53 PM

A88FXRS

Racer

Joined: Dec 2007

Posts: 374

Likes: 12

From: PHILADELPHIA PA

Put The Ball Joint In From The Top, Bolt It In And Push The Rubber Boot On From Underneath Flush With The Bottom Of The Control Arm.

Feb 17, 2008 | 01:57 PM

billsfan

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Oct 2006

Posts: 396

Likes: 3

From: Buffalo New York

Quote:

Originally Posted by A88FXRS

Put The Ball Joint In From The Top, Bolt It In And Push The Rubber Boot On From Underneath Flush With The Bottom Of The Control Arm.

This seemed to me to be the logical way to do it. I wanted to be sure before I removed the boot. I guess that the spindle will hold the boot snug against the bottom of the control arm?

Feb 17, 2008 | 02:00 PM

billsfan

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Oct 2006

Posts: 396

Likes: 3

From: Buffalo New York

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Marzahl

It sounds like you are installing the balljoints into the arm wrong. Without a pic its hard to say, but it sounds like you are installing them from the bottom and not the top of the arm??

Nope. When I drop the balljoint in from the top, the rubber lip at the top of the dust boot sits on top of the control arm, with a 1/8" gap between the flange and the top of the control arm. Torquing down the bolts does not remove this gap. I thought that the ball joints were the easy part of this job!

Feb 17, 2008 | 02:16 PM

Scott Marzahl

Le Mans Master

Joined: Apr 2005

Posts: 6,357

Likes: 427

From: Seattle Area WA

You last statement does not make any sense, two of us just suggested to install the ball joint from the top of the A arm. The boot goes on after its installed.