Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**Chevy Fleetside** · 12-28-2021, 04:26 PM

I just changed my lower ball joints and now the ball joint will not stay pressed in. It just falls out. Anyone know the fix for this? These are Moog Ball Joints also.

ChadW · 12-28-2021, 05:28 PM

sounds like the wrong ball joint for the year of spindle used...

**Chevy Fleetside** · 12-28-2021, 05:44 PM

Its the right one. It falls out of the lower control arm. The ball joint seats in the spindle just fine. The old one I took out came out kind of easy and now it's not even a tight fit but it is still snug.

**Chevy Fleetside** · 12-28-2021, 06:10 PM

Well looks like I will just have to tack weld them in until I can find new lower arms. Anyone have a source for new lower control arms for a 75 chevy c10

**lolife99** · 12-28-2021, 07:37 PM

I think Moog makes a Problem Solver balljoint that is slightly oversized for the control arm hole.

vin63 · 12-28-2021, 08:40 PM

I think the balljoint housing seat is smaller in diameter for a '65 lower control arm than the balljoint for a '75 lower control arm. If you're trying to press in a 65 balljoint into a 75 control arm, it will most likely fall out like you're expriencing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside

Well looks like I will just have to tack weld them in until I can find new lower arms. Anyone have a source for new lower control arms for a 75 chevy c10

**Chevy Fleetside** · 12-28-2021, 10:53 PM

No.. I am putting in a 75 ball joint into a 75 control arm.

SkinnyG · 12-29-2021, 01:09 AM

Problem Solver should fix that. Failing that, you can "shrink" the hole down by heating the ring up with a torch and letting it cool.

**Chevy Fleetside** · 12-29-2021, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

Problem Solver should fix that. Failing that, you can "shrink" the hole down by heating the ring up with a torch and letting it cool.

I will try thait.. Thanks,

SCOTI · 12-29-2021, 03:22 PM

As mentioned.... The Moog Problem Solver series of BJ's are supposed be slightly larger OD just for issues like this & the 'old-school' remedy is some tack welds to keep the joint housing in place.

**Chevy Fleetside** · 12-29-2021, 03:27 PM

I have looked and have not found any problem solver ball joints. If anyone has a part # that would make it a lot easier. This would have to be for a 1975 year model truck.

SkinnyG · 12-29-2021, 03:56 PM

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=10070&jsn=467

**Chevy Fleetside** · 12-29-2021, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=10070&jsn=467

That was the ball joint I was using. I was able to heat it and let it shrink around the ball joint. All is tight now. Who says you can't teach an old dog a new trick.

burnin oil · 12-31-2021, 02:30 AM

I think you are supposed to heat the control arm and then install the joint. I would definatly over grease it a few times to make sure there is no broken down grease in there.

**Chevy Fleetside** · 12-31-2021, 01:16 PM

I first heated the control arm and then put the ball joint in as it cooled and sealed around it. I didn't heat up the ball joint. And also it took 23 pumps of grease to fill up the upper ball joint and about 13 pumps for the lower.

SkinnyG · 12-31-2021, 05:11 PM

Heat Shrinking is one of the seven wonders of the universe.

dracko · 01-23-2022, 07:30 PM

I ran into the same exact issue with the '83 crossmember I swapped into my '64. Glad to hear i'm not the only one to run into such a strange issue, haha. Also, used MOOG problem solvers and the problem wasn't solved, thought maybe I had wrong parts so double checked numbers til my brain hurt.

Ended up tack welding them to the lower control arm, once the spring is installed they sure as hell aren't falling out, lol. Been in there for a couple years now with no issue.

Edit: just saw the heat shrinking method worked, great idea! I'll try that next time.....although hopefully there isnt a next time;

12-28-2021, 04:26 PM	#1
Chevy Fleetside Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 4,782	Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm I just changed my lower ball joints and now the ball joint will not stay pressed in. It just falls out. Anyone know the fix for this? These are Moog Ball Joints also. __________________ "A man and his truck, what a beautiful thing" 65 Short Fleetside BBC 65 Long Fleetside 283 3 on the tree for now. my build thread http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=259536

12-28-2021, 05:28 PM	#2
ChadW Registered User Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Danville, IL Posts: 160	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm sounds like the wrong ball joint for the year of spindle used...

12-28-2021, 05:44 PM	#3
Chevy Fleetside Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 4,782	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm Its the right one. It falls out of the lower control arm. The ball joint seats in the spindle just fine. The old one I took out came out kind of easy and now it's not even a tight fit but it is still snug. __________________ "A man and his truck, what a beautiful thing" 65 Short Fleetside BBC 65 Long Fleetside 283 3 on the tree for now. my build thread http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=259536

12-28-2021, 06:10 PM	#4
Chevy Fleetside Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 4,782	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm Well looks like I will just have to tack weld them in until I can find new lower arms. Anyone have a source for new lower control arms for a 75 chevy c10 __________________ "A man and his truck, what a beautiful thing" 65 Short Fleetside BBC 65 Long Fleetside 283 3 on the tree for now. my build thread http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=259536

12-28-2021, 07:37 PM	#5
lolife99 67-72 parts collector,… Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Mid-MO Posts: 22,700	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm I think Moog makes a Problem Solver balljoint that is slightly oversized for the control arm hole. __________________ Keith Convert to disc brakes. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=444823

12-28-2021, 10:53 PM	#7
Chevy Fleetside Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 4,782	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm No.. I am putting in a 75 ball joint into a 75 control arm. __________________ "A man and his truck, what a beautiful thing" 65 Short Fleetside BBC 65 Long Fleetside 283 3 on the tree for now. my build thread http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=259536

12-29-2021, 01:09 AM	#8
SkinnyG Registered User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?! Posts: 2,267	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm Problem Solver should fix that. Failing that, you can "shrink" the hole down by heating the ring up with a torch and letting it cool. __________________ 1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, turbo, LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate

12-29-2021, 03:22 PM	#10
SCOTI Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: DALLAS,TX Posts: 22,066	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm As mentioned.... The Moog Problem Solver series of BJ's are supposed be slightly larger OD just for issues like this & the 'old-school' remedy is some tack welds to keep the joint housing in place. __________________ 67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... *Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol.*

12-29-2021, 03:27 PM	#11
Chevy Fleetside Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 4,782	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm I have looked and have not found any problem solver ball joints. If anyone has a part # that would make it a lot easier. This would have to be for a 1975 year model truck. __________________ "A man and his truck, what a beautiful thing" 65 Short Fleetside BBC 65 Long Fleetside 283 3 on the tree for now. my build thread http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=259536

12-29-2021, 03:56 PM	#12
SkinnyG Registered User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?! Posts: 2,267	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=10070&jsn=467 __________________ 1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, turbo, LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate

12-31-2021, 02:30 AM	#14
burnin oil Registered User Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Eastern TN Posts: 1,921	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm I think you are supposed to heat the control arm and then install the joint. I would definatly over grease it a few times to make sure there is no broken down grease in there.

12-31-2021, 01:16 PM	#15
Chevy Fleetside Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 4,782	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm I first heated the control arm and then put the ball joint in as it cooled and sealed around it. I didn't heat up the ball joint. And also it took 23 pumps of grease to fill up the upper ball joint and about 13 pumps for the lower. __________________ "A man and his truck, what a beautiful thing" 65 Short Fleetside BBC 65 Long Fleetside 283 3 on the tree for now. my build thread http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=259536

12-31-2021, 05:11 PM	#16
SkinnyG Registered User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?! Posts: 2,267	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm Heat Shrinking is one of the seven wonders of the universe. __________________ 1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, turbo, LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate

01-23-2022, 07:30 PM	#17
dracko Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Regina, SK Posts: 809	Re: Great Ball Joint won't stay in lower control arm I ran into the same exact issue with the '83 crossmember I swapped into my '64. Glad to hear i'm not the only one to run into such a strange issue, haha. Also, used MOOG problem solvers and the problem wasn't solved, thought maybe I had wrong parts so double checked numbers til my brain hurt. Ended up tack welding them to the lower control arm, once the spring is installed they sure as hell aren't falling out, lol. Been in there for a couple years now with no issue. Edit: just saw the heat shrinking method worked, great idea! I'll try that next time.....although hopefully there isnt a next time;



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