Ball Joint Rivets

[Rob M.]

I am looking for pictures of original ball joints rivets (both sides). Upper and lower b-joints. Yes, I plan to tackle the job myself and want to know what the end result is suppose to look like. Specifically the peened end of the rivet. Any help with pictures or advise on doing the job would be welcome.
Thanks in advance.

Rob

[Rob M.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets 1965

BTW my car is a 65

[Tom L.]

Original upper, top view *NM*

[Tom L.]

Original upper, bottom view *NM*

[Mike M.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets 1965

Rob, The ball joint rivets are very hard steel and hard to buck. Places like Bairs heat them up cherry red before setting them. I sent mine out to be done because I didn't have the proper tools for the job. All the other riveting on the car is easy to do, its soft alumimum rivets. Mike

[Donald T.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets 1965

Interestingly, I have an NOS upper control arm that has more of a waffle pattern. Apparently they used different tooling with the later service replacement control arms.

[James W.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

Rob,

I replaced the upper and lower ball joints on a '65 that I am helping to restore. We had what we thought were the right tools and equipment to do the job. I'll tell you right now to send them to Baers and let them do for you! It was a pain in the a$% and it did not turn out like the originals look. The rivets are very very hard to get compressed correctly. They must be heated red hot and you have to work fast. The air chissel/hammer we had didn't have enough power to buck them as flat as we would have like.

Spend the money and let Baers do it for you, you will be much happier with the end product.

James West

[Rob M.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

Great pictures and suggestions so far. Does anyone have pic of the lowers? Are the rivets flattened on the inside or outside.
Thanks

[John H.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

Unless you have one of these and a hydraulic power unit to operate it, forget about trying to set those solid steel rivets at home; send them out.

[James W.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

Rob,

send me an email and I'll send you pictures of original lowers.

James West

[Ridge K.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

Here's some pics of a NOS lower assembly I purchased for my 1967.

[Ridge K.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

couldn't figure how to load multiple pics. So here's another.

[Ridge K.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

another

[Ridge K.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

another

[Ridge K.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

overall shot
Hope these helped somewhat, Ridge.