redramnc

When it rains it pours - literally. Got drenched working on this last night, spent the day in the hospital visiting my wife and came home and got wet again fiddling with it this evening. The ball joint is rocking back and forth in the control arm and I didn't find it until it started making a clicking noise when I rocked the truck (of course, that was the evening before the wife had to be at the hospital at 5 AM the next morning, and we had to drive the truck anyway). Now I am afraid the damage is done.

I changed the balljoints about 20K miles ago and know I pressed them in correctly. The ball joint is not egged but apparently the knurled hole in the control arm is. I pressed out the balljoint, cleaned everything up, used a digital caliper to measure roundness, and reinstalled using Fleetrite Bearing and Stud Mount to try to make the fit more permanent. Roundness was within 0.0015 but there was an obvious area on one side of the knurling that showed movement wear. I reinstalled it and it rocked so I drove it out and turned it 90*, reinstalled it, and it still rocked in the same direction (side-to-side, no movement fore/aft). I can only assume that the control arm hole is wallowed. My little brother suggested welding the balljoint to the arm since it is tight and has only 20K miles on it and it should be a long time before I have to do them again (240K on truck). Not sure if it would work but i am tempted.

Anybody else have this happen and what are options? Can a good enough bead be laid to hold the balljoint since it is probably tool grade steel and the control arm is just stamped? And would the balljoint survive being welded (boil the grease at a minimum)? Or would a new balljoint ($100) with new knurling be able to grab and hold properly? I plan on taking the old balljoint and the digital calipers to the NAPA and compare new to old before I buy one. Wondering now if I got a slightly undersize balljoint last time.

Any help appreciated. The wife is ahead of schedule on recovery and the truck is the only thing with working AC in the yard so I am behind the eightball on this now.

dozer12216

Is there any way you can reform the opening in control arm? Heat and selective application of blacksmith tool!!! There has been instances of joint being tack welded to control arm. Good welder and wet rag on joint. Very short weld times are necessary to keep from overheating joint.

powersmoke

I replaced my upper last night and when I was about to do the lower, I noticed it was spot welded. My concern is if I replace it by just pressure fitting the new one, I may end up with the same problem as you have.