Ball Joints - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

07-25-2003, 10:30 AM

I'm replacing the upper and lower ball joints on my 72 GMC c-15 1/2. The new upper ball joint is held in by a 2-3'' snap ring, instead of the 4 bolts that replaces the rivets that I drill out with the old one. Should I use this one I have with the snap ring or take it back and try to find the one with the 4 bolts? Oversized is when the old ball joint makes a bigger groove and a larger width ball joint needs to go in to take up the worn out space, correct? Because they asked me if I needed oversized and I said no...THanks for the help.....

Tx Firefighter · 07-25-2003, 12:19 PM

They gave you the wrong ball joint.

The original was held in by the rivets, and the replacement is held in by bolts. No snap rings hold them in.

**COBALT** · 07-25-2003, 12:41 PM

I second that!

Given the way the A-arms are designed there's no way a "snap-ring" ball joint would be stable enough to maintain geometric integrity.

Time to take it back to the store.

*rickspickuppart* · 07-25-2003, 12:54 PM

Take it back

Terry S · 07-25-2003, 08:48 PM

I think that you've got the wrong upper as well. I've never seen an upper ball joint for these trucks that didn't bolt in. As for the lower one, those just press in and over the years, the hole in the a arm has a tendency to "wallow out" to the point that a new ball joint won't press into the hole with a snug fit. Try the new stock one, and if you can shove it into place with just your bare hands, then the hole is too big and you need to take it back and trade up to an oversized one.

In either case, when you're pressing the new one in, the easiest way that I've found is to raise the truck by the front cross member or frame, then when you have the new one started, come up from underneath it with a piece of wood on a floor jack. When you've got some tension on the floor jack (and you're sure that the ball joint is still sitting straight in the hole) encourage it into place by tapping down on the a-arm all around the joint with a hammer. Note; you have to do this before you install the grease zerk so as not to break it off

07-25-2003, 10:38 PM

I took them back and they can't even order anything else. I'd rather buy them from the boardmembers, but had to go to napa b/c the truck was apart at the time.

Terry S · 07-26-2003, 08:18 PM

Personally, I'd go to AutoZone or O'reilly. They've never let me down on suspension parts.

07-26-2003, 09:12 PM

I actually got the parts rom Autozone.

07-25-2003, 10:30 AM	#1
Linus0014 Guest Posts: n/a	Ball Joints I'm replacing the upper and lower ball joints on my 72 GMC c-15 1/2. The new upper ball joint is held in by a 2-3'' snap ring, instead of the 4 bolts that replaces the rivets that I drill out with the old one. Should I use this one I have with the snap ring or take it back and try to find the one with the 4 bolts? Oversized is when the old ball joint makes a bigger groove and a larger width ball joint needs to go in to take up the worn out space, correct? Because they asked me if I needed oversized and I said no...THanks for the help.....

07-25-2003, 12:41 PM	#3
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	I second that! Given the way the A-arms are designed there's no way a "snap-ring" ball joint would be stable enough to maintain geometric integrity. Time to take it back to the store. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

07-25-2003, 08:48 PM	#5
Terry S Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Haysville, KS Posts: 118	I think that you've got the wrong upper as well. I've never seen an upper ball joint for these trucks that didn't bolt in. As for the lower one, those just press in and over the years, the hole in the a arm has a tendency to "wallow out" to the point that a new ball joint won't press into the hole with a snug fit. Try the new stock one, and if you can shove it into place with just your bare hands, then the hole is too big and you need to take it back and trade up to an oversized one. In either case, when you're pressing the new one in, the easiest way that I've found is to raise the truck by the front cross member or frame, then when you have the new one started, come up from underneath it with a piece of wood on a floor jack. When you've got some tension on the floor jack (and you're sure that the ball joint is still sitting straight in the hole) encourage it into place by tapping down on the a-arm all around the joint with a hammer. Note; you have to do this before you install the grease zerk so as not to break it off __________________ I can do all things thru Christ, but he evidently doesn't want me to beat that Camaro light to light....

07-26-2003, 08:18 PM	#7
Terry S Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Haysville, KS Posts: 118	Personally, I'd go to AutoZone or O'reilly. They've never let me down on suspension parts. __________________ I can do all things thru Christ, but he evidently doesn't want me to beat that Camaro light to light....

07-25-2003, 12:19 PM	#2
Tx Firefighter Watch out for your cornhole ! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Azle, Texas Posts: 14,162	They gave you the wrong ball joint. The original was held in by the rivets, and the replacement is held in by bolts. No snap rings hold them in.

07-25-2003, 12:54 PM	#4
rickspickuppart Account Suspended Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,284	Take it back

07-25-2003, 10:38 PM	#6
Linus0014 Guest Posts: n/a	I took them back and they can't even order anything else. I'd rather buy them from the boardmembers, but had to go to napa b/c the truck was apart at the time.

07-26-2003, 09:12 PM	#8
Linus0014 Guest Posts: n/a	I actually got the parts rom Autozone.



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