Old or New Bolts for Lower Ball Joint?

[Kern Dog]

The OP was asking about what he should use to correctly repair his car - use the original correct hardware, or the new hardware which looks different to the original. He was not asking about using an old clothesline, a ballpoint pen and some rusty soup cans to build a hotrod like MacGuyver would.

?????
Uhhh....I HAVE used the correct hardware, the original factory bolts. How can you get more correct than that? As I wrote, the picture showed a bolt that I was not familiar with.

 

[Kern Dog]

Hmmm....

The picture helps a bunch. I have not seen many of the older models like this ....unless it was many years ago. The drum knuckle has a raised collar requiring a longer bolt. Maybe most of the older drum brake cars were this way? Interesting.
Posting the picture would have helped avoid the confusion. I was not trying to be argumentative, I just have more experience with the later disc brake stuff.
We ALL can learn from others.

 

[moparnation74]

LOL......

 

[moparnation74]

Hmmm....

View attachment 577335

The picture helps a bunch. I have not seen many of the older models like this ....unless it was many years ago. The drum knuckle has a raised collar requiring a longer bolt. Maybe most of the older drum brake cars were this way? Interesting.
Posting the picture would have helped avoid the confusion. I was not trying to be argumentative, I just have more experience with the later disc brake stuff.
We ALL can learn from others.

Want to learn than go to.my thread.....I already took the time to create a highly informative thread, free access, tons of pictures, tons of information........

My earlier post related SOLELY to the op's question and his car and cleared the confusion.....not the opposite....

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

old ones have way more shoulder on them , stronger , better steel , better made usa fasteners are king !

 

[kiwigtx]

Not to mention that the finer UNF threads will give a better chance of controlled torquing over the coarser metric or UNC threads.

 

[Lets Roll]

I should of added I pulled the old bolts outta 69 RR front ball to drum. Anyway, I used them and torqued them to 130lbs to get the cotter pin thru. Holding so far..

 

[Demonic]

The old ones should be fine - especially if they were covered in grease as is often the case = rust protection.

 

[1967coronet440]

I used used all the old stuff, just cleaned it up. New cotter pins

 

[RJRENTON]

Gentlemen,
I vote to reuse the old bolts & nuts. They are ctitical components; just clean them up and reuse them, and tighten the nuts to the FSM specs.
If this was a steel framed building, these bolts would be ANSI A-325 structural steel bolts and heavy hex nuts for maximum holding power. In addition, most high tensile strength fasteners will use prevailing torque or torque to yield fasteners.
If this were my car I would NOT use the chromate colored hardware. Mopar usually supplied critical fasteners with a "H" stamped on the head of the bolt along with hash marks on the head. Six hash marks translated to 180,000# tensile strength .
This, of course, is just my opinion .
Bob Renton

 

[Kern Dog]

That sounds more like experience and knowledge, Bob.

 

[Jetblast]

I know this thread is dead but just a note just took the drum set up off of my all stock 65 Coronet and the bolts were indeed fine thread but with a lock nut not a castle with key