Uh oh!!

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Andre68

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So I finally managed to take the ball joints off! Cheater bar, good friend and special socket! One went on smooth! Drivers side, that's another story! By the time I finished screwing it on, I realized one side was higher than the other! One side was flush on control arm while the other side was just a little above it! I unscrewed it and looked at the threads and they didn't look too bad on the control arm. I did the best I could to take a photo of it but I was wondering if anyone has any tips of this?
 

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Well, you have a few of options.

Tack weld the ball joint in there for added security and run it. I would more than likely do this if the car were mine and a driver.

Just run it.

Get a new a-arm. This is what I would do if it were my Barracuda.
 
So, screw it in till it stops and then tack weld it?

I don't really want to get a new UCA...

Iv'e read this is a common case?
 
I have the eastwood mig 135 and it does have a chart, for metal gauge settings, any idea what gauge to weld it too? 16g? 14g?

Not the most legit welder hahaha
 
Remove the ball joint and rotate it backwards until it drops into the threads. Then carefully start it and check for straightness. You may never get that one in there straight again, but it's worth a try.
 
It should be flush. Suspension parts are like airplane wings. If they break, really bad things happen. You should inspect everything with a magnifying glass, if necessary. That ball joint needs to be flush. If you cannot get it flush in that control arm, get another arm. "I don't want to" can get you killed.
 
Yea I hear ya, a friend of mine has a rethread kit from snap on I think, can that work?
 
Sure. As long as it tightens up good and bottoms out flush, it will be fine.
 
used rethread kit and grease! got it on flush and on tight, im still gonna tack weld it or extra precaution though...
 
I wouldn't use grease.

Clean everything REALLY good.

Those threads are easy to cross.

Be real careful.

There is a factory torque spec, and the manual says if it does not get to spec, the control arm is junk.
That is most likely because it is cracked and could result in failure.

if it get to spec without being flush, then that's another problem.

It's your life (or the lives of those riding in your car).
 
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