SS ball joint famine
#1
SS ball joint famine
Hearing that no one has FE5 lower control arms.
Local Chevy dealer parts dept thinks they may be discontinued. Hopefully , just trying to find a supplier.
Really want a part number. Can’t believe these things were designed an built specifically for FE5. Surplus old stock wouldn’t shock me, tho.
As we all know, no one knows where those ball joints came from and until now the only source was complete GM assemblies.
I think it might be feasible to roll a sleeve from 0.010” shim stock and use FE1/3 ball joints if desperate. (The math seems to work assuming 19.96mm to 20.5mm.)
Anyone have useful insights, experience or opinions about this?
In the meantime, anyone who comes across HHR SS LCA’s in a yard or elsewhere that have the slightest chance of having usable ball joints would be doing the community a great favor by snagging them. Cobalt LNF too, I think.
Local Chevy dealer parts dept thinks they may be discontinued. Hopefully , just trying to find a supplier.
Really want a part number. Can’t believe these things were designed an built specifically for FE5. Surplus old stock wouldn’t shock me, tho.
As we all know, no one knows where those ball joints came from and until now the only source was complete GM assemblies.
I think it might be feasible to roll a sleeve from 0.010” shim stock and use FE1/3 ball joints if desperate. (The math seems to work assuming 19.96mm to 20.5mm.)
Anyone have useful insights, experience or opinions about this?
In the meantime, anyone who comes across HHR SS LCA’s in a yard or elsewhere that have the slightest chance of having usable ball joints would be doing the community a great favor by snagging them. Cobalt LNF too, I think.
#2
If I cared I would visit several auto parts stores searching for a "good ole boy" counter man that is willing to use a set of calipers and match up parts by physical specs. If they happen to have really old counter books they can find the specs and match up parts; we used to that with shocks and ball joints all the time. Unfortunately with the advent of computerized inventory they no longer have spec books.
I talked to the Moog catalog manager. He told me they can't do that anymore and they get their data from the same place EVERYONE else does. Even GM has wrong parts listed.
They buy parts by the shipping container and take the word of the "knock off" manufacturer.
I know most of you Moog worshippers out there will be having fits at this sacrilege. Moog (and all of the others) is now a purchaser of pretty empty boxes not the manufacturer of quality auto parts of old.
(check your math; you have to count the shim thickness twice in a round hole, if you are talking diameter)
I talked to the Moog catalog manager. He told me they can't do that anymore and they get their data from the same place EVERYONE else does. Even GM has wrong parts listed.
They buy parts by the shipping container and take the word of the "knock off" manufacturer.
I know most of you Moog worshippers out there will be having fits at this sacrilege. Moog (and all of the others) is now a purchaser of pretty empty boxes not the manufacturer of quality auto parts of old.
(check your math; you have to count the shim thickness twice in a round hole, if you are talking diameter)
#3
Found one side at RockAuto
Summit has the other side
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ado-25930724
Summit has the other side
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ado-25930724
#4
If I cared I would visit several auto parts stores searching for a "good ole boy" counter man that is willing to use a set of calipers and match up parts by physical specs. If they happen to have really old counter books they can find the specs and match up parts; we used to that with shocks and ball joints all the time. Unfortunately with the advent of computerized inventory they no longer have spec books. I talked to the Moog catalog manager. He told me they can't do that anymore and they get their data from the same place EVERYONE else does. Even GM has wrong parts listed.
I'm taking those shank diameters on faith. Anyone ever measured both?
My math is correct. Think it will work, though?
#7
Like this finished?
Anyone know where to get small quantities of .010” shim stock?
#9
#10
Here is a picture of a NON-SS ball joint:
I measured the diameter of the shaft and it measured 19.96mm (0.7865").
The necked-down area of the shaft was 15.26mm (0.6010") diameter.
Using radius gauges, the radius of the neck-down was between 3/16" (4.76mm) and 7/32" (5.56mm). So good guess would be a 5mm radius.
I have an SS lower control arm at home and I can measure the ball joint shaft on that one to compare to this non-SS model.
Steve
I measured the diameter of the shaft and it measured 19.96mm (0.7865").
The necked-down area of the shaft was 15.26mm (0.6010") diameter.
Using radius gauges, the radius of the neck-down was between 3/16" (4.76mm) and 7/32" (5.56mm). So good guess would be a 5mm radius.
I have an SS lower control arm at home and I can measure the ball joint shaft on that one to compare to this non-SS model.
Steve