Upper ball joints...

[Gozer442]

I finally got to replacing the shocks and springs in the Cutlass. In doing that, the upper ball joints were still the originals! The left side had some play, but the right was still good! I'm changing them both out while I'm there so dove into my spare parts bin, and found an ACDelco upper ball joint I still had...part number 45D0016. Great quality part, but I only had one. So I went to the local parts store and got the Moog replacement. I've had some issues with the Moog part, and I figure I'd post my experience, hoping it helps someone else out. Here's a pic of them side by side...

The ACDelco is on the left with the Moog on the right. I'm taking the Moog part back...here's why...

1. The boot on the Moog will be more prone to bursting/splitting because of its "balloon" design. The accordion design of the ACDelco part will hold up to the compression better.

2. A heavier crown nut is used on the ACDelco.

3. With the grease fitting at a 90deg, its easier to attach the grease gun.

4. Because the Moog part uses a sleeve to keep the boot on, when the sleeve presses against the body of the joint, the boot wants to slip off.

5. The Moog part does not fit! The sleeve adds too much to the diameter of the ball joint to fit the hole. I've never had to press in an upper ball joint.

So its back to the parts store to return it, and go to another parts store that carries ACDelco parts.

 

[pontiacgp]

On the moog the ball joint is inserted in the control arm and the sleeve is then installed under the control arm

I found Moog's instructions....

 

[Gozer442]

Hmm. I didn't get an instruction sheet with it...now that explains why it didn't fit the hole. (Insert crass joke here...)

Thanks for the diagram!

Still, if assembled that way, the boot's seal with the cast surface won't be very consistent...it all depend on how clean and how thick the upper control arm surface is.

 

[pontiacgp]

Hmm. I didn't get an instruction sheet with it...now that explains why it didn't fit the hole. (Insert crass joke here...)

Thanks for the diagram!

Still, if assembled that way, the boot's seal with the cast surface won't be very consistent...it all depend on how clean and how thick the upper control arm surface is.

there is thousands of cars that have that style of moog ball joint and there's no complaints about them that I have seen

 

[Gozer442]

Good to hear, pontiacgp!

 

[pontiacgp]

the rubber boot gets pinched between the spindle the upper so it's not prone to rip. The nut that you mentioned doesn't have any stress on it except when you are tightening it up. You'll notice that when you have to beat on a pickle to release the spindle from the ball joint stud. Are you replacing the lower balls too?

 

[Gozer442]

The lower ball joints are next.

 

[pontiacgp]

easy way to remove the lower joint is to put something under the control arm and use a nice small but heavy sledge hammer, stand the stud up and beat on it till the ball joint falls out. It doesn't take long

 

[Gozer442]

Thanks. I've done them before.