Am I a moron? 72 ball joint issues |
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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Posted: 10-April-2021 at 6:32AM |
Alright, I cannot get either my top or bottom ball joints to fit on my A arms or my control arms. I bought Moog #K8212 and K8059 and neither properly fit. The upper ball joint has a firm rubber boot that will not physically fit through the hole allotted in The control arm for the ball joint.
The lower ball joint doesn’t even fit in the A arm, am I doing things catastrophically wrong? Any suggestions would be appreciated
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Rockatansky
Senior Member Joined: 30-July-2010 Location: On The Road Status: Offline Points: 6059 |
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from the pic on Rockauto it looks like the upper might install from the opposite side of the rubber boot end? and do you have bolt in or press in style lower control arms, K8059 is a bolt in unit check this out |
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72 GT Ute
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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Rockatansky I appreciate your response.
I am fairly certain that I have the bolt in style, because I had to grind off rivets to remove the old units. I will attach a photo of how i'm trying to install the upper ball joint.
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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72FordGTS
Admin Group GTS.org Admin Joined: 06-September-2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 5802 |
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The upper ball joints are held with rivets and the replacements are bolt in. From the pic, it looks like the correct joint. Have your tried installing it without the boot? Then install the boot after you get the joint in the arm?
Rockatanksy is talking about the lower control arms. There are two styles, bolt-in or press-in. You need to have the correct one or it won't fit the arm. Post a pick of your lower arm.
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Vince
1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car GTS.org Admin |
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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I have not, the boot seems be almost molded into place. I can try to be more aggressive with it tomorrow and see if it’ll come off.
I do not have a photo of my lower on me, but same scenario my old ones were riveted in place. The bolt in ball joint almost fits on the backside of the lower arm it just has all of these minor interferences that prevent it from seating properly.
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mkshelton
Senior Member Joined: 14-March-2012 Location: Sierra Vista Status: Offline Points: 357 |
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A touch of silicone grease or similar will help the rubber get through the hole. It is a tight fit, that is why they sometimes sell them with the boots not attached.
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"Sometimes I wonder if I'm actually UNinventing the wheel"
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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thanks for the suggestion, I’ll give that a try tomorrow with some new patience
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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update, I tried to install the uppers with a little bit of lube. Still no luck. The rubber that interferes seems molded in place and non removable, but it also seems to be oversized by at least an 1/8”. The lowers are still a nightmare. I also had my dad look at it and he came to the same conclusions I have. I’m going to order a new set of ball joints from a different manufacturer, keep ya posted.
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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72torino...
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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Underwhelming update, I purchased ball joints of a different brand and they bolted right up.
Upsetting that the USA Moog options did not work for me personally.
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Rons73
Member Joined: 22-November-2018 Location: Alberta Status: Offline Points: 146 |
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Wow that is frustrating but I am glad you got others to work. Weird.
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californiajohnny
Moderator Group Joined: 05-October-2013 Location: winlock, wa Status: Offline Points: 14606 |
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seems like everything now is outsourced to china
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JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION |
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texanrebel
Senior Member Joined: 13-June-2018 Location: Houston, Texas Status: Offline Points: 208 |
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Would you post what brand / model # you used instead of Moog? Thanks!
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1972 Montego GT
1977 Mercury Monarch 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe |
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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models included at the start of my post. For sale if you’re interested 😁
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texanrebel
Senior Member Joined: 13-June-2018 Location: Houston, Texas Status: Offline Points: 208 |
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Sorry -I meant, what other brand / model did you actually install?
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1972 Montego GT
1977 Mercury Monarch 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe |
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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Sorry about that misunderstood you.
For the uppers I just got them through Napa. Part number 10262 part of their PCC line And the lowers I got on rock auto, MAS brand (whatever that is) part number BJ850075.
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72FordGTS
Admin Group GTS.org Admin Joined: 06-September-2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 5802 |
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Have you considered returning the Moog balljoints? Or even contacting Moog customer service? They should know that their parts are shoddy. The old Moog ball joints used to fit fine.
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Vince
1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car GTS.org Admin |
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72torino...
Member Joined: 12-June-2017 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 130 |
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I bought them through rock auto and when I tried to return them I had owned them 35 days and apparently the return cut off limit is 30 days of ownership. However, great idea contacting Moog directly. I will do that after work!!
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72 RS 351
Senior Member Joined: 04-September-2014 Location: Knoxville TN Status: Offline Points: 2765 |
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FYI, Moog has no customer service, they only deal with venders, ever. Any issues have to go through the seller. I had Moog BJ's installed into my 92 Lincoln LCA's(I paid my alignment shop to do it), and the included boots were too small. The seller was Amazon, but they wouldn't take back parts that had been "installed." Moog wouldn't discuss it with me, I told them that their boots were the wrong size, and they would not help me. I had to buy new BJ's again from a local Advance Auto, to get the correct boots. Then I returned those BJ's with the previous Moog boots, to the seller, not to Moog.
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Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W 73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later. 92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W |
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GregSmith
New Member Joined: 16-May-2023 Location: US Status: Offline Points: 25 |
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I found this thread while I was installing ball joints on a 1972 Ford LTD. I know this is old, but may help someone in the future.
For the upper ball joint, the boot is not supposed fit as you are trying to install it. The boot goes between the ball joint and spindle. Not between the control arm and ball joint. The lower ball joint is supposed to be a very tight fit. This concerned me also, until I checked to see if the original lower ball joint would fit right back in. It does not. They must have been slightly pressed in from the factory, then riveted. Hence, only 2 rivets holding it in place. An impact will seat the ball joint down pretty good. Grad 8 course thread bolts/nuts worked perfect. The fine thread Moog bolts will strip if you ever need to remove them. This video shows how to replace them: https://youtu.be/M-Lj34q3Z34
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