Lower Control arm question

[runamuk]

I turned my steering wheel all the way to the left and I heard a pop. I straightened the wheel and got out of the car to look at the front wheels and found the left wheel looked wonky, I looked behind the tire and found the lower ball joint had popped out of the lower control arm. I finally got a chance yesterday to take it apart to see what happened and I found the lower control arm is not threaded to accept the ball joint, it's just pressed in. The ball joint itself has threads, I would think the control arm should also have threads???

[michael everson]

I have never seen threads on the lower control arms. They are typically serrated and pressed in similar to wheels studs. I would get a replacement from Factory Five or you could tack weld it in place.
Mike

[Norm B]

Did someone put an upper ball joint in the lower control arm?

[CraigS]

Bingo! NormB has it right. Yes, upper BJs are threaded and lowers are not.

[Jeff Kleiner]

As the previous posters said the lower ball joints (a standard Fox Mustang part) are pressed into the lower control arm. I'm very curious about what you have going on due to the fact that they are pressed in from below. The downward spring pressure on the control arm along with the upward pressure on the ball joint from the weight of the car makes it impossible for them to "pop out" because of the significant larger O.D. of the closed end of the joint so I'm quite confused. :confused:

https://7f6d377174dd550bd1aa-fdac4e44cc35e2759af294e7b095ba3d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.c om/79-93-mustang-ball-joints-components_19cf6917.jpg

I have seen the threaded upper ball joints come unscrewed from the upper control arm, but you said lower.

Got any pictures that you can share with us?

Jeff

[runamuk]

As the previous posters said the lower ball joints (a standard Fox Mustang part) are pressed into the lower control arm. I'm very curious about what you have going on due to the fact that they are pressed in from below. The downward spring pressure on the control arm along with the upward pressure on the ball joint from the weight of the car makes it impossible for them to "pop out" because of the significant larger O.D. of the closed end of the joint so I'm quite confused. :confused:

https://7f6d377174dd550bd1aa-fdac4e44cc35e2759af294e7b095ba3d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.c om/79-93-mustang-ball-joints-components_19cf6917.jpg

I have seen the threaded upper ball joints come unscrewed from the upper control arm, but you said lower.

Got any pictures that you can share with us?

Jeff

This is not the ball joint that I have in my hand now. The car was on jack stands when this happened, so the suspension is unloaded, no pressure.

I believe you are correct and I have upper ball joints in the lower control arms. During assembly, when I opened up the hardware bag, the castellated nuts were way to big for the ball joints and I bought new nuts that fit.

[Jeff Kleiner]

This is not the ball joint that I have in my hand now. The car was on jack stands when this happened, so the suspension is unloaded, no pressure.

I believe you are correct and I have upper ball joints in the lower control arms. During assembly, when I opened up the hardware bag, the castellated nuts were way to big for the ball joints and I bought new nuts that fit.

So what did you put in the upper control arms?

Jeff

[runamuk]

I talked to Factory Five, they want me to send them a picture of the balljoint.

[runamuk]

So what did you put in the upper control arms?

Jeff

My lower control arms arrived with the ball joint installed.

[rich grsc]

My lower control arms arrived with the ball joint installed.
You aren't making any sense??. How could you put the upper bar joint in the lower control arm, when they come pre-assembled. The only joints sent are for the upper assembly

[runamuk]

You aren't making any sense??. How could you put the upper bar joint in the lower control arm, when they come pre-assembled. The only joints sent are for the upper assembly

I never said that I installed the upper ball joints in the lower control arm.

I did say that the ball joints in my lower control arms are not correct and it appears that Factory Five installed the wrong ball joints in the lower control arms that were sent to me. I had absolutely no idea that these were the wrong ball joints until the left one popped out of the control arm.

[rich grsc]

Ok, I misunderstood your comment.

[Ducky2009]

pics?

[runamuk]

206348

I sent this picture of the ball joint to Factory Five yesterday, he agreed that it's not correct and they are sending me two new lower control arms. They're the best

[Norm B]

Maybe FFR should notify anyone who received a kit around your time to check their lower control arms. That could have been a very dangerous failure at highway speeds.

[Jeff_J.]

There are a few things you'd like to take for granted, like assembled parts are correct, but mistakes happen. Since the mistake was only caught after it failed, is there anything in particular you would look for or notice on the LCA ball joint to know if it was wrong or not?

[Jeff Kleiner]

There are a few things you'd like to take for granted, like assembled parts are correct, but mistakes happen. Since the mistake was only caught after it failed, is there anything in particular you would look for or notice on the LCA ball joint to know if it was wrong or not?

Yeah, in addition to not being threaded the bottom (the side facing the road) will be round and not have flats to accommodate a socket or wrench like the upper ball joint. I posted a photo of the correct press in lower joint in post #5.

Jeff

[JohnnyB]

There are a few things you'd like to take for granted, like assembled parts are correct, but mistakes happen. Since the mistake was only caught after it failed, is there anything in particular you would look for or notice on the LCA ball joint to know if it was wrong or not?


During assembly, when I opened up the hardware bag, the castellated nuts were way to big for the ball joints and I bought new nuts that fit.

Runamuk mentioned that the castle nuts supplied for the ball joints didn't fit and he got new ones. That should be a tip-off for other builders.

[Jeff_J.]

I haven't had any problems 1,500 miles in, didn't have any issues with the castle nuts but I'll be checking for those flanges Jeff mentioned just for to be sure. Good info for all of us.. Hope things turn out better this time Runamuk...

[runamuk]

206524

Factory Five sent me new control arms, and this is what they're supposed to look like.

My kit was delivered in October 2021 at the peak of the supply chain shortage. The lower control arms were not delivered with the kit, but shipped later. I was going to post a side by side picture of the right and wrong ball joints, but the other one failed while I was removing the control arm. Honestly, I blame myself, because I should have looked at it closer, I think the boot was the only thing keeping it in the control arm, I probably could have pushed the ball joint out with my finger.

[Norm B]

206524

Honestly, I blame myself, because I should have looked at it closer, I think the boot was the only thing keeping it in the control arm, I probably could have pushed the ball joint out with my finger.

I don’t think you should be too hard on yourself. You, like most of us would, made the assumption that pre- assembled parts were put together correctly.
Good lesson learned for all of us. Read and follow the manual. Study the pictures. If it doesn’t look right ask a question here.
The experts on the forum helped me numerous times during the build. With their help, I built a car that I safely and confidently drove across Canada.

Norm