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I was pressing in a new ball joint, pushed it in slightly crooked, and it has galled out the sleeve of the control arm about 2/3rds of its circumference. It looks bad in the pictured, but the damage is only just enough to catch a finger nail. Have I wrecked the control arm, can I dremel off the edge, or can I just line the ball joint up and try again?
I would "smooth out" that "rolled edge", just so that material won't try to continue to roll into the bore, and give you further issues. I'd then place the ball joint in your freezer, for about an hour, to "contract" it, ever so slightly, and also warm the control arm with a torch. Then apply a little lubricant to the outer surface of the joint, then promptly and carefully press the joint into the arm.
I'd replace the arm. Sorry, but I just don't trust stretched aluminum. It work hardens with normal flexure, and this is above normal displacement at the ball join orifice.
If you do need to remove any material, don't use a dremel. A small file or some sand paper should take the edge off without removing so much that you impact the press of the ball joint. Otherwise, just use it.
Agreed. I'd sand it a bit, maybe. Not gonna harm anything taking off a small percentage of one thou of material. But if you start cutting it, now you're making appreciable changes.
Control Arm/Ball Joint question
