Quote:
Originally Posted by knomadd
I had to drill 7 out of the 8 of my upper ball joint rivets when I did my front suspension rebuild. They're smaller rivets than what you're working on, so I can only imagine how difficult it would be to drive them out with a punch. I think you'll be drilling them out. I'd start with an 1/8" bit, then go larger. You can drive it out after a while.
Good luck!
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Duane, if ever faced with that again, try this technique.
Grind the rivet heads off. Then take a large hammer and large chisel and hit in the seam between the ball joint and the control arm. The chisel will wedge the ball joint up and off of the rivet bodies and you can remove it. Now, you're left with four rivet bodies sticking up out of the control arm. Just grind them flat and all it takes is a little tap with a punch and the remainder will fall right out.
I've changed a pile of upper ball joints over the years and never drilled a single rivet on any of them. Once you're used to the technique I mentioned above, it takes about 10 minutes total, start to finish, to change an upper ball joint. Maybe 15 if the old cotter key fights you coming out.