Bushing and ball joint install in uppper control arm

Ah.. so you can strip the threads putting them in!

dadsbee said:

Ah.. so you can strip the threads putting them in!

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Sure, if your Bozo the clown in doing work as an auto mechanic.
But any skilled person, with any scene of mechanics, should start them straight, to begin with.
Upon removal UCA's get stripped with either a breaker bar, or air impact gun. Makes no difference.
You guys in the rust bucket states in the USA, ( and i see, Canada) pay the price for working on 40 50 year old cars.

dadsbee said:

WOW... you're on a roll today. I'd like to see that air gun you're using to take one of these out...

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I'm using the DeWalt DCF899P1 electric impact - https://www.dewalt.com/products/pow...act-wrench-with-detent-pin-anvil-kit/dcf899p1

It's only 1/2" and it had no trouble removing the old ball joints.

dadsbee said:

and the Dart I just bought has Problem Solvers in it for some reason, oh yah the last guy stripped the threads out of the UCA socket.

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I've not experienced this myself, but I've been advised that old, rusted in ball joints sometimes take the threads out with them when they're removed. I didn't have that problem, but maybe that was because I used the impact wrench to remove my ball joints? My threads looked great.

dadsbee said:

Ah.. so you can strip the threads putting them in!

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I used the impact wrench to install a harmonic balancer bolt on my other car (on the advice of another mechanic). I know the threads here are super shallow, but the the fit is tight and the joint would have to jump at least 1/16" vertically to cross thread. Maybe it's possible if a heavy dude is leaning into it. It seems unlikely to be a problem if the joint is started by hand and the impact is allowed to do the work.

That said, I was thinking of pulling a ball joint to check, but I can't hold the control arm in place and crank on it at the same time. I'm worried about damaging the bushings or cam bolts if it's mounted in the car, but I guess that's how it's normally done.

I put the rest of the bushing caps in and test fit the upper control arms. It's tight but they'll fit. Might fit better once I sand the rust out of the fender. These things aren't supposed to go in dry, are they? It doesn't appear as if there is any intent for lubrication, and it would probably collect dirt and grime once the arms were installed, and yet it's bizarre to think metal's supposed to be constantly rubbing against metal here. Seems like it would squeek like crazy.

Don Frelier said:

I just use a breaker bar on ball joints.
Don't forget the German torque rating: "Gooten Tight"

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That is funny, I JUST read this.
THAT is the nickname I gave to a German woman that I was seeing in 1997.