Topic: correct installation of rivets in control arms

[Sunlitgold68]

Most people buy the Moog ball joints from places like VA Mustang, you can find NOS dust boots on ebay or someone on here might have some, maybe try a want ad.

[CharlesTurner]

Most people buy the Moog ball joints from places like VA Mustang, you can find NOS dust boots on ebay or someone on here might have some, maybe try a want ad.

The earlier C2OA or the later C5OA molded characters are tough to find.  I'd like to get my hands on a pair of C2's!

The C7's are very common and Ford actually did service just the boots.  I heard there were some reproductions being made of the C7 ones, but not sure what the status of those are.

[rockhouse66]

Most people buy the Moog ball joints from places like VA Mustang

Charles - I have not been able to find a Moog # for just the lower ball joint; only the complete lower arm with the BJ installed.  Maybe that is the only way to get a new Moog BJ to refurbish an original lower control arm??  If you have the Moog lower BJ only number I would like to know it.

The early (NORS??) Moog LCAs were flat on the bottom and could be "faked" by the addition of jacking tabs to look fairly original.  The later ones I have seen have a "bump" in the metal along the lower edge of the arm which makes them pretty much impossible to modify to look original.

[CharlesTurner]

The service replacement lowers are a hodge-podge of details.  I've found that the later service parts with the dark electro-coating are actually closer in detail than the earlier service arms.  The only way I have found to do it 100% correct is to restore original factory line control arms.

[Sunlitgold68]

I used my original lower ball joints, I think most people do also. The Moog ones were for the upper arms.

[gtamustang]

It is not very common to have to replace the lower ball joints due to wear (the uppers are a completely different story!). Replacing the boot, boot retainer, and rivets is sufficient. Of course, this does not apply to buggered up ball joint threads or ball joint that are sloppy loose.

I was able to re-use my 148k mile lower ball joints and LCAs on my previous concours trailered 67 convertible. The ball joints were still tight!

Regards,
Pete Morgan

[Stangly]

Where would one find a replacement boot and retainer is there a substitute out there or do you need to find NOS.

[ruppstang]

These are my originals that were restored by Ken Bramblett. I hesitated putting them on my car they looked so good.

Would a 68 SJ car built 7-17-68 have the yellow threads and the orange dab on the end like these?

[CharlesTurner]

Yellow on the ball joint threads was pretty typical, but have not seen the orange mark.  Might have been something done on service control arms which some folks like to copy.  Too bad the lower boots have a service part number instead of the correct engineering number.

[J_Speegle]

I've seen the orange mark only on a couple of restored cars - not sure where its from originally. Haven't seen it on any San Jose cars for sure.

Looks like a nice job Ken has been doing these for a long time

[cobraboy]

Would anyone know if the rivets are installed hot or cold ?. I would like to try to do this myself as it is not really practical to ship my arms back to the USA.
I am working on the upper arms.
Also what diameter would the waffle area need to be ? I am going to make up a dolly.
Anyone done it at home ?
Thanks

[livetoride60]

I've seen the yellow on the ball joint threads on a couple cars.  Is that just paint or the rubberized dip to protect the threads?  Would that typically apply to an Oct 64 San Jose car? 

Thanks,
Rich

[Bob Gaines]

I've seen the yellow on the ball joint threads on a couple cars.  Is that just paint or the rubberized dip to protect the threads?  Would that typically apply to an Oct 64 San Jose car? 

Thanks,
Rich

I believe the yellow is a paint and not a rubberized thread protecting substance. It is the current understanding that it had to do with identifying a safety related part that need to be torqued a specific amount . I have seen remnants of the yellow on many 65 GT350 tie rods and upper and lower control arms . I do not have any direct observations on as early of a date as you mentioned but would be surprised if their wasn't the yellow then. Maybe others.

[J_Speegle]

+1 on the paint - applied by brush and much of it knocked/ scrapped off after the items are assembled

Have seen yellow used in a number of areas (have plenty of examples of the yellow ball joint studs)  - believe it was not so much as an identifier but instead the bright color on these parts made it quicker and easier to assemble the a arms to the spindle in this example. Believe that was the purpose.

For torquing Ford used red normally to indicate that it was needed (for the dyed red parts) or was completed (with the swipes or lines we see. Big push for this practice was the 68 production year - have a workers pamphlet around here that was handed out to them to explain the importance and identification of these items

Have seen what appears to be yellow to indicate "filled" but would suggest to everyone not to take this and run with it since these practices were specific to certain times and plants - not all the across the board for all IMHO

[Anghelrestorations]

I have seen yellow on the ball joint threads/studs on both Mustang and Cougar original control arms (1967-73).  Seems to have been done before the arms were assembled as I have found it under the control arm boots.  On the control arms I am restoring I just swipe some yellow on the threads sloppy and do not completely cover the threads.