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Ok, working on my project truck this weekend and I went to install the knuckles and noticed a problem. The drivers side knuckle is way too tight to turn once torqued. Like I have to hit it with a sledge hammer to move it. Somethings wrong. I also noticed that the lower ball joint spins as I try to tighten it. I had to use an Allen key and wrench to get it snug and then a torque wrench to finish it off. I have taken this thing off and retorqued it a dozen times with no change. I’m stopping reassembly of the front end until I figure this one out. Any thoughts??
pic with some notes at the bottom.
Never seen a ball joint like this. I have to hold the ball joint stud with an Allen key to keep it from spinning and then use a wrench to tighten the nut down down until the stud stops spinning.
Your 100% that upper and lower are pressed in completely? The bores looked good no dings around the lip before pressing them in? Grease? Possibly got a defect part?
I might have just fixed it. I used a floor jack to hold the knuckle in place. This allowed me to torque the bottom ball joint to 35ft lbs without it spinning. I then placed the top bushing in the top ear and torqued it to 70ft lbs. I then torqued the bottom to 100ft lbs. All seems good. A touch stiff, but way better than before!
I might have just fixed it. I used a floor jack to hold the knuckle in place. This allowed me to torque the bottom ball joint to 35ft lbs without it spinning. I then placed the top bushing in the top ear and torqued it to 70ft lbs. I then torqued the bottom to 100ft lbs. All seems good. A touch stiff, but way better than before!
I am too late....but that's exactly what I had to do when I changed mine out.
Are they a rebuildable ball joint? I can't think of any off the shelf replacements with an Allen key socket in it.
I know for sure they aren't Dynatracs as I have them in front of me right now so I could compare.
Maybe some other make of rebuildable though?
pic of dynatrac for reference
[QUOTE=F0rdc0wb0y;20040551]Ok, working on my project truck this weekend and I went to install the knuckles and noticed a problem. The drivers side knuckle is way too tight to turn once torqued.
I went through this a couple of weeks ago. Stiff before I even got full torque on them. Had to allen wrench also. Once I got to where I could do the 3-step torquing, the driver's side "loosened" right up. Pass side not much, but it was less tight than when I first started the process out.
Not sure on brand. They were in the truck when I got it. I know they have less than 2k miles on them. I think someone on here had said they might be a napa brand ball joint. Not sure though
