Lower ball joint stud keeps spinning??
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From: Indiana
Lower ball joint stud keeps spinning??
I am replacing my ball joints and the lower stud keeps spinning not allowing me to tighten it down. I've tried jacking up the knuckle to put weight on it, prying on the knuckle to try to create a bind between the stud and the knuckle. The nut is a lock nut, when I thread it down to the pinched portion on the top of the nut is when i have the problem. It is not even bottomed out yet on the knuckle. If I tapped the nut to lessen the "lock-ability" of the nut and use locktite, would I have a problem?
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Dinwiddie, Virginia
Here are a few "redneck" suggestions, some are getting extreme but work. I have tried all on other ball joint but never a SD.
1) Jack it up until the weight of the truck is on it, tried that OK.
2) Pry on it harder with a bigger pry bar, tried that OK.
3) Use the old nut and see if its "lockability" is less and offers less torque. If it pulls the joint tight you can then remove the old one and replace it with the new one.
4) Use the old nut and get it on as far as you can. Then use the pry bar under the nut to pull up on the top of the stud. Problem is that by the time you apply enough force to seat the stud you now can't turn the nut. Watch out for the threads.
5) I know a good clean surface is the best but a little sand might do the trick. Just 5 or 10 grains of sand smaller than table salt. It will be crushed to powder or smashed into the metal when you get it tight and might give enough friction to make it bit.
6) Jack the truck high enough to get a good swing with a hammer into the bottom of the ball joint. Use a block of solid oak or something between the hammer and joint ( so you won't damage it ) and knock the **** out of it WHILE a friend it tring to thighten the nut. It might grab a little each time you hit until it gets tight enough to catch it self.
7) Cut a notch in the top of the stud so you can hold it with something. This works on some cheap stuff around the farm but that SD stud is sure hard as hell and will take a good grinding wheel to cut a notch. Problem is you must do it in short grind times to keep the heat down or you will ruin the new ball joint. Plus the treads will be something ruined if you slip once. I am not looking at mine so I don't even know if there is enough extra thread height to do this anyway.
8) The other crazy solution I have had to do in the past is weld a piece of rebar to the top of the stud. You must be a very, very good welder. Put the old nut on the threads and down as far as you can. Assuming you can even get to the top of the stud now through the top of the nut weld a handle to the stud. Can't weld the nut to the stud by accident or you got a problem. Using the handle tighten the old nut tight. Then grind off the handle, remove the old nut and install the new one. Remember while welding and grinding keep water on the thing or heat will ruin the new ball joint.
Most of the time option 1 or 2 do the trick. The risk to the new ball joint increases as you go down my list. The redneck factor also goes up as you go down my list. Hopefully you can get it with out much more trouble because the bottom of my list has only been tried on farm equipment and worn out mud bog trucks when the clock was running to make repairs. Good luck and maybe someone else has a different home solution.
1) Jack it up until the weight of the truck is on it, tried that OK.
2) Pry on it harder with a bigger pry bar, tried that OK.
3) Use the old nut and see if its "lockability" is less and offers less torque. If it pulls the joint tight you can then remove the old one and replace it with the new one.
4) Use the old nut and get it on as far as you can. Then use the pry bar under the nut to pull up on the top of the stud. Problem is that by the time you apply enough force to seat the stud you now can't turn the nut. Watch out for the threads.
5) I know a good clean surface is the best but a little sand might do the trick. Just 5 or 10 grains of sand smaller than table salt. It will be crushed to powder or smashed into the metal when you get it tight and might give enough friction to make it bit.
6) Jack the truck high enough to get a good swing with a hammer into the bottom of the ball joint. Use a block of solid oak or something between the hammer and joint ( so you won't damage it ) and knock the **** out of it WHILE a friend it tring to thighten the nut. It might grab a little each time you hit until it gets tight enough to catch it self.
7) Cut a notch in the top of the stud so you can hold it with something. This works on some cheap stuff around the farm but that SD stud is sure hard as hell and will take a good grinding wheel to cut a notch. Problem is you must do it in short grind times to keep the heat down or you will ruin the new ball joint. Plus the treads will be something ruined if you slip once. I am not looking at mine so I don't even know if there is enough extra thread height to do this anyway.
8) The other crazy solution I have had to do in the past is weld a piece of rebar to the top of the stud. You must be a very, very good welder. Put the old nut on the threads and down as far as you can. Assuming you can even get to the top of the stud now through the top of the nut weld a handle to the stud. Can't weld the nut to the stud by accident or you got a problem. Using the handle tighten the old nut tight. Then grind off the handle, remove the old nut and install the new one. Remember while welding and grinding keep water on the thing or heat will ruin the new ball joint.
Most of the time option 1 or 2 do the trick. The risk to the new ball joint increases as you go down my list. The redneck factor also goes up as you go down my list. Hopefully you can get it with out much more trouble because the bottom of my list has only been tried on farm equipment and worn out mud bog trucks when the clock was running to make repairs. Good luck and maybe someone else has a different home solution.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 111
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From: Indiana
Originally Posted by Soilman
Here are a few "redneck" suggestions, some are getting extreme but work. I have tried all on other ball joint but never a SD.
1) Jack it up until the weight of the truck is on it, tried that OK.
2) Pry on it harder with a bigger pry bar, tried that OK.
3) Use the old nut and see if its "lockability" is less and offers less torque. If it pulls the joint tight you can then remove the old one and replace it with the new one.
4) Use the old nut and get it on as far as you can. Then use the pry bar under the nut to pull up on the top of the stud. Problem is that by the time you apply enough force to seat the stud you now can't turn the nut. Watch out for the threads.
5) I know a good clean surface is the best but a little sand might do the trick. Just 5 or 10 grains of sand smaller than table salt. It will be crushed to powder or smashed into the metal when you get it tight and might give enough friction to make it bit.
6) Jack the truck high enough to get a good swing with a hammer into the bottom of the ball joint. Use a block of solid oak or something between the hammer and joint ( so you won't damage it ) and knock the **** out of it WHILE a friend it tring to thighten the nut. It might grab a little each time you hit until it gets tight enough to catch it self.
7) Cut a notch in the top of the stud so you can hold it with something. This works on some cheap stuff around the farm but that SD stud is sure hard as hell and will take a good grinding wheel to cut a notch. Problem is you must do it in short grind times to keep the heat down or you will ruin the new ball joint. Plus the treads will be something ruined if you slip once. I am not looking at mine so I don't even know if there is enough extra thread height to do this anyway.
8) The other crazy solution I have had to do in the past is weld a piece of rebar to the top of the stud. You must be a very, very good welder. Put the old nut on the threads and down as far as you can. Assuming you can even get to the top of the stud now through the top of the nut weld a handle to the stud. Can't weld the nut to the stud by accident or you got a problem. Using the handle tighten the old nut tight. Then grind off the handle, remove the old nut and install the new one. Remember while welding and grinding keep water on the thing or heat will ruin the new ball joint.
Most of the time option 1 or 2 do the trick. The risk to the new ball joint increases as you go down my list. The redneck factor also goes up as you go down my list. Hopefully you can get it with out much more trouble because the bottom of my list has only been tried on farm equipment and worn out mud bog trucks when the clock was running to make repairs. Good luck and maybe someone else has a different home solution.
1) Jack it up until the weight of the truck is on it, tried that OK.
2) Pry on it harder with a bigger pry bar, tried that OK.
3) Use the old nut and see if its "lockability" is less and offers less torque. If it pulls the joint tight you can then remove the old one and replace it with the new one.
4) Use the old nut and get it on as far as you can. Then use the pry bar under the nut to pull up on the top of the stud. Problem is that by the time you apply enough force to seat the stud you now can't turn the nut. Watch out for the threads.
5) I know a good clean surface is the best but a little sand might do the trick. Just 5 or 10 grains of sand smaller than table salt. It will be crushed to powder or smashed into the metal when you get it tight and might give enough friction to make it bit.
6) Jack the truck high enough to get a good swing with a hammer into the bottom of the ball joint. Use a block of solid oak or something between the hammer and joint ( so you won't damage it ) and knock the **** out of it WHILE a friend it tring to thighten the nut. It might grab a little each time you hit until it gets tight enough to catch it self.
7) Cut a notch in the top of the stud so you can hold it with something. This works on some cheap stuff around the farm but that SD stud is sure hard as hell and will take a good grinding wheel to cut a notch. Problem is you must do it in short grind times to keep the heat down or you will ruin the new ball joint. Plus the treads will be something ruined if you slip once. I am not looking at mine so I don't even know if there is enough extra thread height to do this anyway.
8) The other crazy solution I have had to do in the past is weld a piece of rebar to the top of the stud. You must be a very, very good welder. Put the old nut on the threads and down as far as you can. Assuming you can even get to the top of the stud now through the top of the nut weld a handle to the stud. Can't weld the nut to the stud by accident or you got a problem. Using the handle tighten the old nut tight. Then grind off the handle, remove the old nut and install the new one. Remember while welding and grinding keep water on the thing or heat will ruin the new ball joint.
Most of the time option 1 or 2 do the trick. The risk to the new ball joint increases as you go down my list. The redneck factor also goes up as you go down my list. Hopefully you can get it with out much more trouble because the bottom of my list has only been tried on farm equipment and worn out mud bog trucks when the clock was running to make repairs. Good luck and maybe someone else has a different home solution.
Thanks for your input!!
Yes, I tried #1, #2, and #3. I gave #5 serious consideration. I hammered on the knuckle (part of #6). The key was, I slept on it (yes it was uncomfortable). I woke up this morning and was thinking about what Davethedetailer recommended on another thread, which was put some bind to it. So I loosened both nuts to hand tight and put my bottle jack under the pad where the tie rod attaches, furtherest distance from the center, hence creating more bind. Bingo, it tightened right down!! So now I am at work and don't have to contemplate all day how I am going to fix this.
Again, Thanks for the input!!!
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jimmc
1978 - 1996 Big Bronco
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Sep 20, 2004 09:24 PM
