The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Upper Ball Joint Removal

Right. I've done a search in the forum about ball joints, and nothing is covering my specific issue -- removing the original upper ball joints! I've been using really big hammers, chisels, drills, oils/lubrications and a lot of explitives, and NONE of it is getting these dang things out. What in the world is holding these things in??? I don't wanna use heat because I'm afraid that it would weaken the control arm. One of my military maintenance tricks is to drill through the entire rivet and then try to knock it out, making the rivet collapse on itself, but even that isn't working right now, and I don't want to drill the holes any bigger for fear of enlarging the original holes. Any ideas? A friend of mine wants to take a really big drill bit and take out the center of the ball joint!!! Help me save my truck from him! One thing I was wondering is this: if I were to find a way to press the old rivets out by force, would the rivet itself come out or is the concept of pounding on it to remove the ball joint along with the rivet at the same time?.

I take it you have removed the ball joint stud from the spindle. After you drill into the rivet it should come out. You can drill up to the size of the replacement bolts. I think its 5/16 in. I always use a cutting torch. If you are careful you do not get the arm hot. Ther are 4 rivets . If you drill them there is no reason it won,t come out.

YAY!!! I guess all of my pent-up frustration did me some good. Right after I posted this thread, I went out and beat on it some more and presto! They popped right out! YAY!! Thanks for the advice anyway, Wrench! (Kinda funny how elated one can get when something so simple goes right after fighting it for so long, isn't it?)

hey dearth
you may want to look at this mod::
http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin//ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=003275#000000

shipwright also had done this and loves it

Dearth, Are you planning to add p/s and disc brakes to your 65?
If you are I've got the perfect donor truck for ya. An 83 c-10 with all the parts that you will ever need.
I'm only 30 miles from seymour johnson. The price is cheap and complete and runs great. 6 cyl.
George Hood

Well shoot! I had already purchased all of the parts and pieces that I needed to upgrade the front to disc. Thanks anyway tho! As a matter of fact, I would have replied to your post the same day, but I was in the process of bleeding the brakes out and adjusting the proportioning valve! I'm so close to on the road I can't stand it!