lower control arms (forged or welded) how to tell the diffrence? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

71Seth · 09-04-2003, 05:43 PM

97 4x4 1/2 ton. Need to buy lower ball joint but dont know if they are welded or forged. How do you tell the diffrence in the two? They look to be forged at the ball joint but then looks like there is a top and bottom cover weld together to cove it. Someone help me with this. Seth

loweredd · 09-04-2003, 06:35 PM

My MOOG book says to measure the diameter instead if you want.......47.89MM on the forged, and 45.79MM on the stamped.

That is for the pressed in....there is also a bolt it, but it doesnt matter what kind of arm you have. All the bolt in's are the same.

loweredd · 09-04-2003, 06:36 PM

MOOG # K6509 for 47.89MM forged
MOOG # K6477 for 45.79 stamped
MOOG # K6291 for any bolt in ball joint

71Seth · 09-04-2003, 10:39 PM

thanks a ton loweredd what is the best to use? press or bolt in? Are the factory pressed in or rivited?

loweredd · 09-05-2003, 02:33 AM

Well, I think the easiest to use would be the bolt on.....but......you have to have a bolted on lower ball joint to be able to use that. If you dont have a bolted one, try to find something that will measure that lower one in MM's.

71Seth · 09-05-2003, 05:19 PM

I just had this bad idea of bolts breaking.

I cant mesure until i have them out right. I need to know which(forged or stamped) before so i can get the parts.

loweredd · 09-05-2003, 05:23 PM

You do have a point. You cant drive it while you are measuring......I dont know what to tell you for sure then....

71Seth · 09-06-2003, 09:59 AM

I just dicided that they were welded. Maybe you cantell me about the idler arm with and without the braket. Do i need to install one oith a backet or just the good ole same thing i got now?

loweredd · 09-06-2003, 10:20 AM

MOOG only shows me one without a frame bracket. It's going off of what your truck has now. If someone shows an idler with a bracket, you need to see if you have a bracket on your truck now.

MOOG # K6447 (without frame bracket)

71Seth · 09-07-2003, 10:59 AM

thanks loweredd

loweredd · 09-07-2003, 02:03 PM

No sweat....it's what I do. Hopefully it helps you.

71Seth · 09-07-2003, 05:31 PM

goin to order parts today. should be here Tue. Wish me luck never R/R ball joints on a 4x4 before. Hope it goes smooth.

09-04-2003, 05:43 PM	#1
71Seth Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: calvert city, ky Posts: 282	lower control arms (forged or welded) how to tell the diffrence? 97 4x4 1/2 ton. Need to buy lower ball joint but dont know if they are welded or forged. How do you tell the diffrence in the two? They look to be forged at the ball joint but then looks like there is a top and bottom cover weld together to cove it. Someone help me with this. Seth __________________ 97 ext cab 4x4 04 pontiac grand am 05 honda rancher AT (yellow) 71' C-10 swb sb400 th350 .040, 292 Mag comp cam, high rise Edelbrock w/750 duel feed Holley, Accel super coil and wires, B&M ratchet shifter

09-04-2003, 10:39 PM	#4
71Seth Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: calvert city, ky Posts: 282	thanks a ton loweredd what is the best to use? press or bolt in? Are the factory pressed in or rivited? __________________ 97 ext cab 4x4 04 pontiac grand am 05 honda rancher AT (yellow) 71' C-10 swb sb400 th350 .040, 292 Mag comp cam, high rise Edelbrock w/750 duel feed Holley, Accel super coil and wires, B&M ratchet shifter

09-05-2003, 05:19 PM	#6
71Seth Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: calvert city, ky Posts: 282	I just had this bad idea of bolts breaking. I cant mesure until i have them out right. I need to know which(forged or stamped) before so i can get the parts. __________________ 97 ext cab 4x4 04 pontiac grand am 05 honda rancher AT (yellow) 71' C-10 swb sb400 th350 .040, 292 Mag comp cam, high rise Edelbrock w/750 duel feed Holley, Accel super coil and wires, B&M ratchet shifter

09-06-2003, 09:59 AM	#8
71Seth Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: calvert city, ky Posts: 282	I just dicided that they were welded. Maybe you cantell me about the idler arm with and without the braket. Do i need to install one oith a backet or just the good ole same thing i got now? __________________ 97 ext cab 4x4 04 pontiac grand am 05 honda rancher AT (yellow) 71' C-10 swb sb400 th350 .040, 292 Mag comp cam, high rise Edelbrock w/750 duel feed Holley, Accel super coil and wires, B&M ratchet shifter

09-07-2003, 10:59 AM	#10
71Seth Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: calvert city, ky Posts: 282	thanks loweredd __________________ 97 ext cab 4x4 04 pontiac grand am 05 honda rancher AT (yellow) 71' C-10 swb sb400 th350 .040, 292 Mag comp cam, high rise Edelbrock w/750 duel feed Holley, Accel super coil and wires, B&M ratchet shifter

09-04-2003, 06:35 PM	#2
loweredd www.loweredd.com Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Struble IA Posts: 808	My MOOG book says to measure the diameter instead if you want.......47.89MM on the forged, and 45.79MM on the stamped. That is for the pressed in....there is also a bolt it, but it doesnt matter what kind of arm you have. All the bolt in's are the same.

09-04-2003, 06:36 PM	#3
loweredd www.loweredd.com Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Struble IA Posts: 808	MOOG # K6509 for 47.89MM forged MOOG # K6477 for 45.79 stamped MOOG # K6291 for any bolt in ball joint

09-05-2003, 02:33 AM	#5
loweredd www.loweredd.com Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Struble IA Posts: 808	Well, I think the easiest to use would be the bolt on.....but......you have to have a bolted on lower ball joint to be able to use that. If you dont have a bolted one, try to find something that will measure that lower one in MM's.

09-05-2003, 05:23 PM	#7
loweredd www.loweredd.com Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Struble IA Posts: 808	You do have a point. You cant drive it while you are measuring......I dont know what to tell you for sure then....

09-06-2003, 10:20 AM	#9
loweredd www.loweredd.com Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Struble IA Posts: 808	MOOG only shows me one without a frame bracket. It's going off of what your truck has now. If someone shows an idler with a bracket, you need to see if you have a bracket on your truck now. MOOG # K6447 (without frame bracket)

09-07-2003, 02:03 PM	#11
loweredd www.loweredd.com Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Struble IA Posts: 808	No sweat....it's what I do. Hopefully it helps you.

09-07-2003, 05:31 PM	#12
71Seth Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: calvert city, ky Posts: 282	goin to order parts today. should be here Tue. Wish me luck never R/R ball joints on a 4x4 before. Hope it goes smooth. __________________ 97 ext cab 4x4 04 pontiac grand am 05 honda rancher AT (yellow) 71' C-10 swb sb400 th350 .040, 292 Mag comp cam, high rise Edelbrock w/750 duel feed Holley, Accel super coil and wires, B&M ratchet shifter

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