Upper ball joint rivets

[ssl78]

I am redoing the front end of my 1969 Chevelle and am having a hard time finding the correct 1/4 inch upper steel buck rivets for the upper ball joints. Anybody have any idea where to get them. I have ordered them through a Corvette and Camaro parts catalog and recieved 5/16 rivets both times.

[SS427]

Shoot me an e-mail with your address. I believe I have enough for one set of control arms left over. These are the actual rivets used by GM.

[CamarosRus]

When I was doing my 70 Z-28 upper control arms I searched all over metro Seattle talking with every large frame and alignment shop......I came to the conclusion thats it's a lost art installing riveted ball joints....I finally had Don Dorfman at ASL in Nevada install them for me.....He had built a special little fixture to support joint/control arm and used some kind of punch press or ???......anyway whos doing them now? for how much?? and are the upper ball joints still readily available from G.M.
What about just finding another set of control arms with GOOD used ball joints??
thanks, Chuck

[Stefano]

D&M Corvette in Downers Grove, IL. will rivet the ball joints to the control arms.

[ssl78]

The problem using a corvette place is that Corvettes use 5/16 rivets not 1/4in. There is places that do it but I could do it myself if I could get the rivets.

[68 COPO II]

ssl78,
I finally reached this same point on my subframe. Did we ever find a source for the 1/4 inch rivets?

[Denis]

Rick's First Generation sells ball joint rivets, set of 8. Not sure if they're just like the originals but they advertise them as such.

[ssl78]

No I gave up and put round headed bolts in. I even ordered the ones that were advertised in classic ind. for a Camaro, but they came 5/16. I am still trying to find them since it will be easy to install them on the car.

[Jeff H]

I'll check with the guy doing my JL8 car because he already has the front suspension stuff done and I know he put original style rivets in.

[SS427]

I may have found a source. I will let all know in a few days if they are what we need. I am not sure as to the available quantity as of yet.

[Stefano]

Jeff H,
It is not the style which is difficult to obtain, but the correct size.

[Jeff H]

It still makes me curious to see which rivets he used. I'm not going to lose sleep over it if he used 5/16 instead 1/4. He is a Corvette restorer that has moved into Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, etc. so he probably used Corvette rivets.

[68 COPO II]

Does anyone know the specific application break between the 5/16 and the 1/4?

[ssl78]

I believe Corvette is the only car that uses 5/16 rivets because they only use three rivets to hold in the upper ball joint. Camaro Chevelle both use 4 rivets so thats why it uses 1/4 in.

[Enoch]

Sorry to bring up a post from so long ago, but I,m new around here. If any of you are interested in correct 1/4" rivets for upper ball joints let me know as I buy them by the 1000's. And yes Jeff H your's are 1/4".

[JChlupsa]

Need enough to do 3 sets of uppers and the price will be?? E-mail your address and price and Ill send out the payment /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[Enoch]

Hey Hawaiian, nice to meet you first I need to ask you if the ball joints you have are nos. If they are not you wont be able to use the 1/4" rivets because the replacement ball joints have 2-4 slotted holes in them to make them easier to install. The slots exta space will not alow for a proper "squish" of the rivet causing 2 problemns. 1 a safety concern and 2 it looks like crap. If the are the slotted type you IMO use the 5/16" rivet. And to do this you will need to install the ball joint with the provided bolts into the control arm and remove 1 at a time and drill it out with a 5/16" drill bit. Be prepared to sacrifice at least 1 bit as the ball joint is hardend and even w/oil it, tends to kill the bit.
The original ball joints have the 1/4" hole in them and can use the 1/4" rivets.
If you are still interested in the rivets let me know and I'll be happy to send them out /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.
Also let me know if you plan to have them pressed in or heated with a tourch and installed because the prep for both parts is a little diffrent for tourch insalation.
The reason I posted this here and did not "PM" or e-mail you was incase other folks are interested and I would'nt have to type this more than once. Hope this helps.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

ENOCH;
What if you already have the ball joint bolted in? I don't remember my replacement ball joints having slotted holes, but would have to remove a bolt to make sure. When I installed them several years ago, I didn't know you could reinstall them with rivets, and would like to do so now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[ssl78]

I could use a few sets e-mail me with a price and I will send a payment to you. Thanks

[Enoch]

When I logged on this morning I had several responces to the rivet offer. So when I got into the shop I called my supplier to see how fast I could replenish my stock only to find out they moved w/out a fowarding address. I was going to post thier phone # and web site so you all could get them. So till then I'll be happy to send out a those needed right away. In the meantime please give me a week or so to find the source again to supply all your needs.


Marlin, You will have to remove the control arms to do this. Another thing is, once riveted in and reinstalled you should have the front end realigned (Just to be safe) even if you mark and put the shims back in the same places. The ball joint could move putting in the rivets. I'll be happy to pass a set on at cost to help out. Once you find out if it is 1/4" rivets you need.

[RonNova396L34]

Marlin,
If you read Nova Times June 2002 issue page 14, you can read where I got my rivets at.
Ron /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Nova Research Project]

Enoch,

I could use a set. My ball joints do not have the slots.

Thanks, Greg

[fpcopo]

Flying "A" in Omaha has the rivets and also has a fixture to install them. They can do Camaros,Chevelles, Vettes, fullsize, and 55-57s. 402 593 1090. They did mine and came out perfect. It's best to wait to paint the a frame til last because the rivet has to be heated red and bucked in place. Then the cooling shrinks it tight.

[Enoch]

FYI I can install the rivets also, I just thought you were looking for a supplier of rivets. As the one I had it cost only pennies per rivet.
I still have almost 1000 of them and will send out sets to those intrested or if you want them installed let me know too. e-mail address is [email protected] I'll get them out asap.

[Jeff H]

I wasn't sure which rivets you had and assumed they were the Corvette rivets. Since I know my car won't be 100% factory correct I wasn't too concerned, but the closer it is, the better.

[T Billigen]

Does anyone have some NOS upper and lower ball joints for sale? (69 camaro)

[resto4u]

I have seen them on e-pay! Ones i have seen, went for $30-60. Roger