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Why are my lower ball joints destroying my cotter pins?

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    Why are my lower ball joints destroying my cotter pins?

    This is on nearly a daily basis. Before work I am having to tighten my ball joint nut and replace my cotter pins.. a lot, in fear that my lower ball joint will fall out like that one horrible time. I'm installing them correctly and snug as far as I know, and for whatever reason there getting snapped around the neck. Btw, these are from the cotter pin box you can buy at autozone.

    http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/n...estruction.jpg

    Pretty unsafe.

    ~Stealth
    1991 Grand Marquis LS blog- Mayhem; two 12" Kenwood 800w subs, True dual catback, BBK shorties, cherrybombs, steel top, L/H hella lights, 18" AR Torq thrust, Trans cooler, class 3 hitch kit, more on the way...

    #2
    i'm thinking nuts not tight enough.......you really gotta crank down on them

    1986 lincoln towncar signature series. 5.0 HO with thumper performance ported e7 heads, 1.7 roller rockers, warm air intake, 65mm throttle body, 1/2" intake spacer, ported intakes, 3.73 rear with trac lock, 98-02 front brake conversion, 92-97 rear disc conversion, 1" rear swaybar, 1 3/16" front swaybar, 16" wheels and tires, loud ass stereo system, badass cb, best time to date 15.94 at 87 mph. lots of mods in the works 221.8 rwhp 278 rwt
    2006 Lincoln Town Car Signature. Stock for now
    1989 Ford F-250 4x4 much much more to come, sefi converted so far.
    1986 Toyota pickup with LSC wheels and 225/60/16 tires.
    2008 Hyundai Elantra future Revcon toad
    1987 TriBurner and 1986 Alaska stokers keeping me warm. (and some pesky oil heat)

    please be patient, rebuilding an empire!

    Comment


      #3
      Hmmm.... I'll try that again, but last time I cranked it down the nut was basically clearing the cotter pin
      1991 Grand Marquis LS blog- Mayhem; two 12" Kenwood 800w subs, True dual catback, BBK shorties, cherrybombs, steel top, L/H hella lights, 18" AR Torq thrust, Trans cooler, class 3 hitch kit, more on the way...

      Comment


        #4
        "Clearing the cotter pin?" You tighten that baby down with all your might (impact) and then tighten it a bit more if the cotter pin doesn't have a slot to pop through.

        Alex.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Stealthlead View Post
          Hmmm.... I'll try that again, but last time I cranked it down the nut was basically clearing the cotter pin
          You're gonna have to crank on it more, keep going lol. Those ball joints are nowhere near tight as they should be.

          Comment


            #6
            If it's that bad, and the nut goes that far down, something is f'd.
            Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

            Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

            Comment


              #7
              something probably got bent or worn away the first time it wasn't done right and now stuff's not going to line up.

              85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
              160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
              waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

              06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

              Comment


                #8
                Ball joint, tie rod ends, idler arms and the like are press fit joints, meaning that to do it right, you need a tool (homemade is fine - i use a modified C-clamp) that puts pressure (i.e clamps together) on the two joints while you tighten the nut. If you don't, often you will see the ball stud rotate, while you are tightening the nut. So in essence, you are not tightening anything! Ball joints are often tightened to some reasonably high torque values. For the uppers - 80-120 ft. lbs. For the lowers, 60-90 ft. lbs. (this is spec, per factory service manual, for 1990 CV). I would go to the middle of the range on each.
                95 DGM Impala SS, 383, LT4 cnc heads, LT4 matched intake, Holley 58 mm t/body, GM 846 cam, GMPP 1.5 rr's, F-body MAF, BH OBD I PCM, LT4 knock module, K&N cold air, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster exhaust, BBHP #73 6-speed, 4:10 gear, sloted and drilled rotors, Z28 cluster
                96 Buick Roadmaster Limited Wagon, mostly stock
                77 Ford F150, 400M auto, longbed
                98 Suburban LS 5.7L Vortec, stock
                90 Grand Marquis, stock

                Comment


                  #9
                  If the ball is spinning, the joint is bad, replace it.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    and if the nut is cranking down so far that the cotter pin is above the towers on the castle nut, either the stud on the ball joint is undersized, or the spindle hole is enlarged or both. Either way, its no good and both parts probably should be replaced. Normally the cotter pin hole lands just above the notches in the castle nut, meaning it just barely fits in there.
                    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                    Originally posted by phayzer5
                    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Getting the castle nuts "snug"? Get your hands on a torque wrench and learn how to use it!
                      2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by 1987cp View Post
                        Getting the castle nuts "snug"? Get your hands on a torque wrench and learn how to use it!
                        I should have clarified. I made sure the cotter pin was 'snug' against the castle nut I.E no room to play/fall out etc. The nut itself is very well torqued down.

                        These are new lower ball joints (few months old) and there is no visual damage to my lower control arms that would point to an enlarged entrance for the ball joint. I'm certain that I didn't torque them down quite enough though. Thanks for the help!
                        Last edited by Stealthlead; 07-29-2011, 12:47 AM.
                        1991 Grand Marquis LS blog- Mayhem; two 12" Kenwood 800w subs, True dual catback, BBK shorties, cherrybombs, steel top, L/H hella lights, 18" AR Torq thrust, Trans cooler, class 3 hitch kit, more on the way...

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Yeah, I recall pulling pretty hard on the torque wrench to reach the 120 ft-lbs or whatever the spec was. I remember wondering if I'd set it too high or if it were forgetting to click. Then I ended up popping the balljoint looks a couple of times extra just to get the cotter pin hole lined up nicely.

                          As I think I saw pointed out already, the clamping force against the tapered balljoint stud will be well in excess of the minimum required to keep the stud from rotating inside the spindle. At least, it is when properly installed - I've never tried installing one improperly.
                          Last edited by 1987cp; 07-29-2011, 02:41 AM.
                          2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I need a special tool to install the tie rod ends? Or is this the same tool that I would use to install the ball joints?



                            Packman

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by packman View Post
                              I need a special tool to install the tie rod ends? Or is this the same tool that I would use to install the ball joints?



                              Packman
                              Special tool to install the tie rods? Um, no. Installing the ball joints in the lower control arm involves a balljoint press. Bolting the joints up is a matter of the correct size wrench, and leverage. Same goes for the tie rod ends

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