Ball Joint Rivets

[Joe L.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets 1965

Don------

The ball joints used in PRODUCTION were installed at St. Louis (and, Bowling Green for 81-82). SERVICE a-arms had the ball joints installed elsewhere. So, it's very likely the tooling was different. I don't think that any used either for PRODUCTION or SERVICE used heat to "soften" the rivets, though. That's strictly a field-developed method.

[Rob M.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets 1965

Great pictures - thanks to all for posting. I especially like the hydraulic C clamp.

Rob

[Rob M.]

Re: Ball Joint Rivets

Here is a picture sent to me by a fellow board member of a lower ball joint from an original 66. The rivet was installed from the inside and peened on the outside. This is the opposite of what is shown in the above picture on the NOS lower - rivet peened on the inside.

As Joe stated, the service and production may have used different set ups. Can anyone comment on the rivet configuration on known original lower ball joints? Are they all peened on the outside or is there some production variation?

One more picture of this to follow.

Thanks

[Rob M.]

2nd pic of 66 lower

Here is the inside of the original 66 lower