Upper Ball Joint Threads

[Collison73]

I pulled the upper control arm off my 73 Charger and the ball joint came out and the threads are rusted away. Is there any way to fix the threads or do I need a new control arm? Where is my best place to get a new one?

 

[Jerry Hall]

Going back stock, here's a deal.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/313296754999

 

[Don Frelier]

Going back stock, here's a deal.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/313296754999

If you do get those just be sure to check the press fit on the bushings.
I had a cheap E-bay set and two of the bushings I could spin with channel locks fairly easily.
Fortunately I had some extra bushings so I just pushed them out and replaced them.
Also check the folded edge where it terminates towards the frame compare it to your original.
I had to trim a little off there or it would have hit the support housing.
Who knows those might have none of the issues mine did.

 

[T2R9]

Those won’t fit a 73, as far as I am aware used is all that’s available on 73 up B’s.

 

[Don Frelier]

Are you sure the threads are rusted away?
They are not like most threads people are used to they are really shallow and kind of a wide V shape.
Clean it up and compare to a good ball joint.

 

[dadsbee]

Even if the threads are stripped, you can buy a "Problem Solver" from Moog with the retainer snap ring and also tack it in place. (the one shown is small stud for an A body.. so don't go ordering off the number on this one)

 

[Don Frelier]

So no problem then...

 

[YY1]

Also be careful as the threaded BJ and arm was replaced at some point with a pressed in version.

There has been some debate about when this actually took place.

it is hard to tell which is which without the BJ removed.

Other than the screw/press difference, they interchange.

Agree on the thread design. They are bizarre. Almost a round profile rather than a V groove.

They are also SUPER easy to cross-thread.

They should finger tighten quite a bit. If you can't finger tighten more than a few turns, don't force it with a tool.

 

[Charged440]

My UCA ball joint was cross threaded when I took it apart, I just tacked the new one in place and it's fine.

 

[Cranky]

I've tacked welded a few too....but I like to make sure the fit is at least half way decent. I do some crazy stuff with my cars but having a ball joint separate or plain fail isn't exactly a fun ride so I like to make sure as much as possible that's not going to happen.

 

[Collison73]

I see the taper in the threads on the uca. I'll clean it up some and see how they look. The previous owner had hole drilled on each side with a u bolt holding the ball joint in.

 

[YY1]

If they cross-thread and you crank on them, the arm cracks real easy.

Usually a hairline crack that's almost impossible to see, but the BJ just never gets tight after that.