C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

[Bob J.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

100_2138.jpgThe 63-64 Uppers have unique resistance weld depressions that are a slash, compared to a dot or circle on later joints.
The welds dsifferences are easy to spot if you're checking originality.

[David L.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

I've always wondered why GM considered it OK to use 5/16" rivets for PRODUCTION installation of the upper ball joints but required 3/8" bolts for the SERVICE ball joints. For the lowers, 3/8" rivets were used in PRODUCTION and 3/8" bolts supplied in SERVICE.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]45225[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]45226[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]45227[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]45228[/ATTACH]

Joe,

The 1963-1967 Corvette AIM's list the upper ball joint rivets as GM # 118170 and the lower ball joint rivets as GM # 442659.
The 118170 rivets are listed in my GM Standard Parts catalog (Oct. 1988) in Gr. 8.967 as flat head point solid, material is steel, and dimensions are 1/4" X 3/4". I assume that this is a mistake. I could not find rivet # 442659 in any of my parts catalogs.

I thought that I had a few NOS GM ball joints that I bought back in the 1980's or 1990's that have been in storage ever since. However, they are not GM. They are in plain white boxes with just the GM part # 3886422. One attaching bolt is 5/16"-24 X 1" (with grade 5 markings) and the other is a strange looking bolt 5/16"-24 X 1 1/8" with an almost round head (0.95" dia.) with two flattened areas to use a 7/8" wrench. I remember when I replaced the ball joints during the restoration of my 1966 about 25-30 years ago the aftermarket ball joints had the same type of bolts. I elected to use standard grade 5 bolts instead. Any thoughts about the strange bolt in the photo below?

Dave

[Timothy B.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

David,

I believe that strange bolt head is a stop for the steering arm, to the best of my knowledge it's used on most replacement ball joints

[Tracy C.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

David,

I remember seeing that type of bolt too. The only thing I could figure is that it was intended to be a "stop" for the steering link. But it didn't seem to ever get close to it even at full lock.

tc

[Tracy C.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

William

There has been extensive discussion on the board about those ball joints. The answer would be yes and no some areas look typical but other areas do not. But my biggest issue along with others is what test have been performed on the part to validate there strength in other words would you drive your car with them installed?

I bought mine from AFC and intend to drive the snot out of my car post "blue ribbon". I'll submit that any of these "correct configuration" type of replacement ball joints are coming from the same place regardless of the supplier you purchase them from. They have been out there for 5 or 6 years and I have yet to hear of any failures.

tc

[Bob J.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

Paul,
being made in China and with the disclaimer " DO NOT GREASE OR WARRANTY IS VOID" would make me look elsewhere.
Bob

[Joe L.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

David,

I remember seeing that type of bolt too. The only thing I could figure is that it was intended to be a "stop" for the steering link. But it didn't seem to ever get close to it even at full lock.

tc

Tracy, David, and Tim------



The bolt with the large head was also supplied with the GM lower ball joints and it is intended to be a steering "stop". That's another thing I've always wondered about. In the PRODUCTION ball joint installation, there was no such stop or, even, the equivalent thereof. So, why did there need to be one in SERVICE? However, these ball joints were used for other than Corvette applications. So, it may be that in those applications some sort of "stop" was part of the PRODUCTION installation so it was also included in SERVICE. While it's superfluous for the Corvette application, it doesn't negatively affect anything (except configuration for those so-inclined).

[Joe L.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

I bought mine from AFC and intend to drive the snot out of my car post "blue ribbon". I'll submit that any of these "correct configuration" type of replacement ball joints are coming from the same place regardless of the supplier you purchase them from. They have been out there for 5 or 6 years and I have yet to hear of any failures.

tc

Tracy-----

I have been told that these reproduction ball joints are manufactured in China by a company that is an OEM supplier to the automotive industry. That's a good sign since that presumably means they understand things like metallurgy, etc. Some of the Chinese parts are manufactured in "boutique", "small-time" operations that are pretty good at COPYING a part from the perspective of configuration but not much else. So, the parts may be good only "skin deep" which is not a good thing for mechanical or, especially, safety-related components.

[Mike E.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

I'm thinking it was about time to change this one.




Mike

[Paul O.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

Joe,

The 1963-1967 Corvette AIM's list the upper ball joint rivets as GM # 118170 and the lower ball joint rivets as GM # 442659.
The 118170 rivets are listed in my GM Standard Parts catalog (Oct. 1988) in Gr. 8.967 as flat head point solid, material is steel, and dimensions are 1/4" X 3/4". I assume that this is a mistake. I could not find rivet # 442659 in any of my parts catalogs.

I thought that I had a few NOS GM ball joints that I bought back in the 1980's or 1990's that have been in storage ever since. However, they are not GM. They are in plain white boxes with just the GM part # 3886422. One attaching bolt is 5/16"-24 X 1" (with grade 5 markings) and the other is a strange looking bolt 5/16"-24 X 1 1/8" with an almost round head (0.95" dia.) with two flattened areas to use a 7/8" wrench. I remember when I replaced the ball joints during the restoration of my 1966 about 25-30 years ago the aftermarket ball joints had the same type of bolts. I elected to use standard grade 5 bolts instead. Any thoughts about the strange bolt in the photo below?

Dave

The large bolt head if I remember correctly you install the flat section against the bottom lip of the A-arm and would stop it from rotating. I remember seeing some replacement with 2 of those bolts.

[Tracy C.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

That would make me a little queezy too Bob. My AFC parts had no such warning and they took greese just fine.

[Ronald L.]

Re: C2 Upper Ball Joint Availablity

I hope some of you that are professing about "do not grease" realize how silly that sounds, long about 1995 or so all suspension systems became 'sealed for life' meaning "do not grease" and nearly all are coming from Asia. Have you ever read the service recommendations on any vehicle made past that point?

Would be very nice to have made in the USA, but its not happening any time soon with an anti manufacturing climate and entitlement.

Now, as it applies to any specific reproduction or service part, you should be concerned it has been tested to the OEM specification - ask the supplier to show the spec and test results.