Hello,
I have just pushed my new ball joints into my lower control arms.One was an extremely tight fit and the other was an easy fit, too loose for my liking.Has anyone here ever put small tack welds on the bottom outside edge of their ball joints to control arms ?.I imagine this would be okay if I don't get too much heat into the joint.I have never smashed a ball joint open so I don't know whats inside but I figure it would just be all steel ball and socket.They are new and haven't been greased yet.
Any thoughts.
Cheers Chuck.
Ball Joints
Started by
_Lhover_
, Oct 29 2008 11:43 AM
15 replies to this topic
#2
TerrA LX
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Posted 29 October 2008 - 11:57 AM
Yes, on bottom ball joints I have ran a 1/2 inch tack either side to keep them in place along the outer edge lip.
#4
racean69
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Posted 29 October 2008 - 01:46 PM
I have put 3 small cold tacks trianglated in the past.
#5
benno81
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Posted 30 October 2008 - 06:45 PM
balljoints are either rubber or eurathene inserted wat do u think will happen when u put the heat from a tack into it???if u think its not that much heat it is ive seen em seize because of this,u have to get ur wishbone balljoints resleeved not that expensive better then having it seized doin 100 on the highway.i know alot of ppl will say that wont happen had mine tacked for yrs thats wat my mate said until it seized on him and he couldnt steer.
#6
ls2lxhatch
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Posted 30 October 2008 - 11:06 PM
As long as there is no play when the ball joint is fitted in the arm I can not see a problem. I think that the lower ball joint is held into the lower arm by the spring pressure. Even when the front wheel is off the ground the lower ball joint is under tension from the spring.
#7
orangeLJ
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Posted 03 November 2008 - 02:10 PM
one of mine has 3 small tack welds on the edges.
Aslong as you are decent with the welder, and dont need ten goes to get it tacked in properly, there wont be much heat transfer and it will be fine.
Aslong as you are decent with the welder, and dont need ten goes to get it tacked in properly, there wont be much heat transfer and it will be fine.
#8
_1QUICK LJ_
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Posted 21 November 2008 - 11:39 PM
i think you are a little confused between balljoints and suspension bushes. lol. its fine to tack in balljoints.balljoints are either rubber or eurathene inserted wat do u think will happen when u put the heat from a tack into it???if u think its not that much heat it is ive seen em seize because of this,u have to get ur wishbone balljoints resleeved not that expensive better then having it seized doin 100 on the highway.i know alot of ppl will say that wont happen had mine tacked for yrs thats wat my mate said until it seized on him and he couldnt steer.
#9
_lx-304_
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Posted 22 November 2008 - 08:14 AM
i am a bit confused about the rubber insert comment,but tacking the balljoint is a good idea and could probably save your life as the original ones wrer riveted in and you dont want the bolts on the new one coming loose.the only thing you could possibly worry about is the boot,but as stated if you can weld then there is that much transfer.even if you pay someone $20 to do it,it could be the best money you spend.
dave
dave
#10
antelopeslr5000
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Posted 22 November 2008 - 09:42 AM
i am a bit confused about the rubber insert comment,but tacking the balljoint is a good idea and could probably save your life as the original ones wrer riveted in and you dont want the bolts on the new one coming loose.the only thing you could possibly worry about is the boot,but as stated if you can weld then there is that much transfer.even if you pay someone $20 to do it,it could be the best money you spend.
dave
If installing new upper ball joints, they are usually supplied with bolts and nuts for fitment in lieu of rivets. No need to tack weld the upper ball joints. If you're worried about the nuts coming loose, use an appropriate type of Loctite.
Lower ball joints are a press fit and it may be beneficial to tac weld. Or best option would be to replace the arm in question.
#11
_azureblueslr_
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Posted 22 November 2008 - 11:53 AM
if you have to tack weld in the lower ball joint becouse its loose then you need to replace the lower control arm
do not tack it heat transfer will be an issue
the ball joints are also held in place with spring pressure and will not drop out
just do it properly and replace the lower control arm with a good one
do not tack it heat transfer will be an issue
the ball joints are also held in place with spring pressure and will not drop out
just do it properly and replace the lower control arm with a good one
#12
_lx-304_
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Posted 22 November 2008 - 01:29 PM
i havent actually seen them,but i have stories of the bolts coming loose.this is why i am trying to get a pair in good condition with the original joint in it.some shops will even say dont replace them unless they are really worn.surely a tack on the nut to the bolt on 2 of them couldnt hurt anything.atleast you know it wont work loose.having said that,im not sure what would even happen if they did come loose,i just dont think i want it to happen.
dave
dave
#13
_azureblueslr_
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Posted 22 November 2008 - 01:57 PM
hi mate
ive built a fair few cars in my time and have always replaced the balljoints as part of the deal
if you torque the nuts up properly on the new balljoints and use the supplied spring washers + locktight you will never have a problem
i think the stories that go around about the nuts coming loose and the ball joint coming out are either just wives tales or the nuts were fitted by someone who did not know what they were doing and should not have been changing the ball joints in the first place
ive built a fair few cars in my time and have always replaced the balljoints as part of the deal
if you torque the nuts up properly on the new balljoints and use the supplied spring washers + locktight you will never have a problem
i think the stories that go around about the nuts coming loose and the ball joint coming out are either just wives tales or the nuts were fitted by someone who did not know what they were doing and should not have been changing the ball joints in the first place
#14
benno81
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Posted 22 November 2008 - 06:13 PM
yeah ive never heard of them falling out i have seen them seize up though making it nearly impossible to turn because of tacking ive even seen an idiot drill it out and fully weld his new ball joint in cause he didnt have a press lol wat n idiot.anyway i have also a few ppl tack there ball joints in with out a prob if it was me i wouldn t do my opinion though n i have acess to pressing my own new sleeve in so i get out of it cheap .
#15
_Lhover_
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Posted 28 November 2008 - 12:45 PM
Hello- Thanks for all the replies, I ended up putting 2 small tacks on either side of my lower ball joints.Not too hard as welding is how I make a living, tacked then quickly, chucked on a very wet rag.My ball joints weren't too loose but niether were they what I would consider a firm press fit.My main concern was that just about every Torana I stick my head under has the ball joints off the seat by about 5-10 mm (I know the spring pressure wont let them fall out) and this must be enough to effect steering geometry angles.As they are pigs to steer already with wide tyres I'll try anything.
Cheers Chuck.
Cheers Chuck.
#16
TerrA LX
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Posted 28 November 2008 - 02:33 PM
just keep an eye on them every couple 1000km, as we should with the rest of the car.
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