robot808

I am trying to reconnect the Upper Control Arm to the Steering knuckle but the ball joint keeps spinning with the nut.

Anyone have a good trick for this? I searched and came up with:

1. Impact wrench.
2. Jack up lower control arm
3. Use a lever to push down on the UCA

I tried 2 & 3, and don't have an impact wrench.

So, whatcha got?
TIA,

johnb

Check the centre of the bolt, they sometimes have an allen key hole.

robot808

Good thought John, but this was an upper ball joint I rebuilt with Carl's kit that does not have the key hole.
I do appreciate it though.

Herman K

Take a center punch and dimple the ball joint shaft in 3 secion evenly spaced around the slightly raised shaft surface will than bind when inserted.

Good luck

robot808

Herman, are you referring to the spot above the threads?

Herman K

yes the tapered spot above the threads the part that insert whereby the taper meets and the nuts locks them down

davek9

I think he is, making the tapered shaft ruff, you could also use some brake clean in the surface(s) to be sure there is no grease.
I have had luck just using pressure to jam the two together, jacking up the lower and pulling down the upper, maybe a ratchet strap?

robot808

Got it.
Dave, I had the lower jacked up and was giving it all I had with a breaker and a cheater as a lever on the upper, but the little f***er just kept spinning. Granted it was 2am and I may not have been at full strength either.
I'll degrease, scuff it up and try leverage again tonight.
Thanks guys.

gcthree

Old thread, but relevant. Jack up the lower control arm to establish the correct position and the lever down the upper control arm to engage taper. Works!

Any thoughts on torque values for the upper and lower ball joint nuts?

Tom in Austin

Just put a big c-clamp on the arm and knuckle and squeeze them together. Once the nut passes the 'magic point' the taper will be seated and then you can easily tighten the rest of the way.

Rob Edwards

47 or 48 ft lbs, depending on whether you believe the WSM or the Technical Specs books.

Here's a cheat sheet I put together a while back, AO made it pretty and useful. Needs to be updated but should work for the basics for now:

https://webfiles.uci.edu/redwards/pu...r%203-3-10.xls

gcthree

Nice Rob! Better than what I've been working with.

Bob