Ball joints!!

[Alss]

Here we go again. I am lost..surrounded by ball joints. Here are the numbers. Which ones are correct for my COPO. Everytime I buy parts..I need to get "other" parts instead. Help! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

546174
3997409
3963842
9758711

Thanks

ALbert

[Mr70]

Upper Ball Joint #3963842 was ORIGINALLY used on:
1964-72 Chevelle
1967-69 Camaro
1968-72 Nova
Also used on A-F-X bodies for B-O-P too.

It was soon discontinued and replaced later on in late 1970's with Upper Ball Joint #9758711 which was to be used on vehicles previously mentioned,plus 1973-74 Novas.

Upper Ball Joint #546174 would Later supercede it,with same Vehicle applications.

Upper Ball Joint #3997409 is 1971-72 TRUCK.

[Alss]

Thanks Rick..now I'm set!!...except for..who offers the riveting service?,,suggestions??recommendations?? Thanks

ALbert

[Mr70]

Frank Payne,formerly from Flying A Restoration in Omaha had the rivits.
He's a member here.
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showprofile.php?Cat=0&User=234&page=2&what=showmem bers

Make sure you have the Oval Flat top,and not the round Bubble top,to be original assembly line correct.Also,boxed NOS have the larger holes to accept the replacement service bolts,not for the rivits,as used on the line originally.

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]
boxed NOS have the larger holes to accept the replacement service bolts,not for the rivits,as used on the line originally.

[/ QUOTE ]


What does a person do then if you want to be 'assembly line correct'? If you use a sleeve between the rivet and the larger hole, will the rivet head be large enough to cover up the sleeve?

[k92]

You can get the rivets from a place called AMK Products.They are exact to the original ones,as I compared them to my original ones.I also got some from Flying A,they too were correct.I know someone here who can rivet them in for you, he does great work.I had him do mine off my ls6 recently. Do you need the correct 1/4" inch ones or are your holes 5/16th?

[Alss]

I have a set of the #3963842 which I believe are the 1/4 inch versions. I have a AMK catalogue..I'll take a look.

K92 could you PM me the guy to rivet them.

Thanks

ALbert

[mrrec]

[ QUOTE ]

Make sure you have the Oval Flat top,and not the round Bubble top,to be original assembly line correct.Also,boxed NOS have the larger holes to accept the replacement service bolts,not for the rivits,as used on the line originally.

[/ QUOTE ]

Rick:
Not to step on anyone's toes, but the right rivits are flat head and I've never seen anyone supply the right ones. I'll attach a few photos.

Chevrolet used flat head rivits, installed from the bottom. The "oval" head you see on the top is the result of the rivit set used in riviting. I happen to have a large selection of rivits, so it is not a problem for me to make them right. In NOS ball joints with the large 5/16" hole, I use a 5/16" (as opposed to the orig 1/4") flat head rivit and turn the flat head down to the OD of the 1/4" rivit's head on a lathe. I made a rivit set and hot bucked them in place - it helps to have an extra set of hands here.

Note that the "oval" head in the photos is irregular - not at all like an oval head rivit. That irregularity is a result of the rivit set (the tool that forms the head).

You just can't make 'em look right with the wrong rivits!

Dave

[mrrec]

Original rivits from the top....

[mrrec]

Original flat head from the bottom........

[mrrec]

The removed rivits......

[mrrec]

The finished job using the method described above. How are you going to mash 'em perfectly flat on the bottom side if you start with oval head rivits inserted from the top???!!!

I obviously can't crop these high res photos down right to get them under 100k. Help.....

[mrrec]

Last one....
Looks like I need to do some cleaning under there already....

[Mr70]

Dave
I was referring to the Top of the actual Ball Joint.
They came in different varieties,Oval Flat & Round Bubble.
Here is a Round Bubble Top w/bolts in box.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/Rick_Peters/balljoints048w0001.jpg

[mrrec]

Ok, Rick. Now I see. You mean I did all that for nothing?? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
Dave

[Lynn]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, Rick. Now I see. You mean I did all that for nothing?? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
Dave

[/ QUOTE ]

Heck no, it just provided a little more education for the rest of us.

Thanks.

Lynn

[CamarosRus]

Treat bare metal EVERYTHING with BoeShield T-9

[k92]

The original rivets on my ls6 did not look like yours. As I remember, they were peened over on the bottom and flat on the top.

[Mark_C]

What's the diameter of the flat part of the rivet? Mcmaster Carr sells 1/4" flat head rivets either 1/2" or 3/4" long and the head is .500" in diameter and .083 thick, or 5/16" in diameter either 5/8" or 3/4" long with a head diameter of .624 and .104" thick. They are made of C1006 low strength plain steel. Sold in 1 lb boxes (about 35 for the 5/16" by 3/4" rivets to 80 for the 1/4" by 5/8"rivets) for about 6.21 a box.

Don't know how strong (or weak) C1006 steel is.

www.mcmastercarr.com (http://www.mcmastercarr.com) page 3106 of their catalog.

[mrrec]

Since 1/4" was the orig size, it's 1/2" head is correct and what I turned the 5/16" rivets down to. All rivets are mallable, low strength steel but rivets still have more holding power than most bolts. Buy the 5/16 and turn down the heads.

Incidentally, all FACTORY assembled Chevrolets that I have ever seen had ball joints installed as pictured and described.
Dave

[Enoch]

The steel in the rivets once compressed cold or hot in the "squishing" process takes on a forged quality to it so the are very hard. When I install the rivets I heat them up cherry red and peen them over with a air chisel and dolly (Bugs Bunny style) and in doing so the rivets are almost impossible to drill out (I know as in the learning process I made my share of mistakes on practice parts).