Lower Ball joint replacement issue

[richg]

Having an issue with lower ball joint replacement.

Installed OEM front control arms from Atlantic British a couple years back. Noticed passenger lower ball joint boot was torn last week while I was changing oil. Ordered a lemforder ball joint (thought this was OEM) and tried to replace it today.

The new ball joint is loose in the control arm. I can slide it in easily by hand and there is some slop too when fully installed such that the snap ring is the only thing keeping it in place. The old one was knurled and the new one is smooth (and measures about .01” smaller in diameter than the old one).

Anyone experience this before? I was surprised to see a knurled joint in a new OEM control arm.

 

[richg]

Just wanted to follow up on this.

I ordered and installed a knurled Delphi ball joint. Its OD was identical to the ball joint I pulled from the LR control arm. Pressed in fine with no issues.

Knurled ball joints are typically used when you go to replace one and the tapered hole in the arm is worn and now oversized. Hence why I was surprised to see it in the OEM LR control arm as this was a brand new factory piece that I installed a couple years back.

So bottom line, if you go to replace a ball joint in a LR control arm and find that the ball joint is knurled, I recommend you pick up a knurled replacement one.

 

[theegovernor]

Thanks for the info. Pictures would be great