Upper ball joints

[TNT440]

I'm struggling with the installation of new upper ball joints on my 66 Chrysler 300. I had a hard time getting them threaded in and when I finally did they got real loose in the hole just before they bottomed out. Real loose, you could wiggle it in the hole. When you keep turning it , it tightens up. The old ball joints still thread in like they should. The new ball joints are Moog K772.

 

[MoPar~Man]

The both got loose? Were you using an impact / air tool or elbow grease? I've done mine a couple months ago, tight all the way in, no power tool. And you took them out? How do the threads look?

 

[TNT440]

The both got loose? Were you using an impact / air tool or elbow grease? I've done mine a couple months ago, tight all the way in, no power tool. And you took them out? How do the threads look?

The threads look okay. I did take them out. They go in pretty hard then all of a sudden they get real loose and sloppy, then they tighten up when they bottom out. The old ones still go in tight all the way.

 

[1970FuryConv]

I used K772 on my 1971 Fury. No issues with install on UCA. I did not use an impact gun. Torque to spec.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I believe that I had a similar problem a few years back with MOOG uppers. I would try to find some NOS uppers from any reputable brand and see how they fit.

Craig @mobileparts probably has them in stock.


I guess that there's a slight possibility that the ones that were installed on your car were oversize, but I don't really know if they ever offered an oversize ball joint to correct for a hogged out control arm. My money would be on incorrectly made new ball joints.

Jeff

 

[TNT440]

I believe that I had a similar problem a few years back with MOOG uppers. I would try to find some NOS uppers from any reputable brand and see how they fit.

Craig @mobileparts probably has them in stock.


I guess that there's a slight possibility that the ones that were installed on your car were oversize, but I don't really know if they ever offered an oversize ball joint to correct for a hogged out control arm. My money would be on incorrectly made new ball joints.

I bought the upper ball joints from Craig. They do tighten up just before they bottom out, but before that they actually wiggle in the hole. I think I am going to tack them with the tig welder in a few spots.

 

[Just Carbs]

I bought the upper ball joints from Craig. They do tighten up just before they bottom out, but before that they actually wiggle in the hole. I think I am going to tack them with the tig welder in a few spots.

If another test lower ball joint produced the same results, then I to would weld that thing in there and call it good.
But it sure would be nice to know that the defective part is. Either the control arm or the ball joint.

 

[TNT440]

If another test lower ball joint produced the same results, then I to would weld that thing in there and call it good.
But it sure would be nice to know that the defective part is. Either the control arm or the ball joint.

I think it is the control arms. Upper ball joints were probably replaced previously and I believe the threads in the control arms maybe only good for one replacement. They are both the same.

 

[Just Carbs]

I think it is the control arms. Upper ball joints were probably replaced previously and I believe the threads in the control arms maybe only good for one replacement. They are both the same.

But the old ones fit.
New one should fit.
I would want to try another brand new one.

 

[TNT440]

But the old ones fit.
New one should fit.
I would want to try another brand new one.

The old ones fit but not as tight as they should be. They were tight coming out but I thing the threads are worn out. I have 2 new ball joints and they both fit the same way in both control arms. The new ones tighten up at the end so I am going to tighten them up then put some tacks on them.

 

[MoPar~Man]

A couple years ago I bought a single Quicksteer K722 Ball joint (about $8) and then 6 months ago I bought a pair of MCQUAY-NORRIS FB290 ($3.50 each). All this from Rockauto. About 3 months ago I installed probably the MCQUAY-NORRIS joints into my newly powder-coated upper control arms.

Everything is new (except for pitman arm) for the front suspension now. The lower ball joints and strut bushings I got from Craig, everything else from rock.

The upper ball joints were tight all the way in (the control arms were powdercoated but not the threads, but the threads were blasted).

I put the ball joint socket with ratchet in a vice and I rotated the arm on the socket. Put a bar through the holes for the bushings for leverage.

 

[TNT440]

A couple years ago I bought a single Quicksteer K722 Ball joint (about $8) and then 6 months ago I bought a pair of MCQUAY-NORRIS FB290 ($3.50 each). All this from Rockauto. About 3 months ago I installed probably the MCQUAY-NORRIS joints into my newly powder-coated upper control arms.

Everything is new (except for pitman arm) for the front suspension now. The lower ball joints and strut bushings I got from Craig, everything else from rock.

The upper ball joints were tight all the way in (the control arms were powdercoated but not the threads, but the threads were blasted).

I put the ball joint socket with ratchet in a vice and I rotated the arm on the socket. Put a bar through the holes for the bushings for leverage.

Yeah, I'm sure mine are worn

 

[MoPar~Man]

The upper control arms that I'm using came with the stub frame that I've swapped into my '67 Monaco. My original upper control arms are now "surplus". They would probably clean up ok. One has a "new" ball joint installed in '87, the other has the original '67 ball joint. They're available if you'd like to mess around with a spare set, maybe they'd fit new joints better. I'm offering because you're in Ontario, so shipping wouldn't be a hassle.

 

[TNT440]

The upper control arms that I'm using came with the stub frame that I've swapped into my '67 Monaco. My original upper control arms are now "surplus". They would probably clean up ok. One has a "new" ball joint installed in '87, the other has the original '67 ball joint. They're available if you'd like to mess around with a spare set, maybe they'd fit new joints better. I'm offering because you're in Ontario, so shipping wouldn't be a hassle.

Would you like to PM me with a price and what area of Ontario you live in?

 

[Just Carbs]

The old ones fit but not as tight as they should be. They were tight coming out but I thing the threads are worn out. I have 2 new ball joints and they both fit the same way in both control arms. The new ones tighten up at the end so I am going to tighten them up then put some tacks on them.

Welding them in might not be so bad. They may never need to be serviced again, depending on how many miles the car gets.
Now the car will get something it probably never got early in its life, a routine lube job.

 

[JimmyG]

I actually had one rotate itself back out of the arm. It was very strange. I retightened it (no air tools involved), and gave it several 1/4" welds, and it never caused me any grief again. Run that thing up tight and fire up the welder!

 

[66chryslers]

I'm having a similar issue with my 66 wagon. Got the MOOG K-772 replacement joints in a kit but they won't threaten in very well, ~halfway to 2/3. I did find various other parts from the kit not fitting my vehicle, like lower control arm bushings. Thus I'm concerned that they may not be the correct ones for a C-body. However, I think with a lot of work, effort, and then buying a tap for the upper control arms to clean up those threads - I should be able to get them in. Thoughts! I can add photos when I get a chance.

I have two questions:
Is this the correct ball joint, MOOG K-772 ( according to rockauto and other sources) ?
Would the correct tap for the ball joint sleeve be the k719/k772 tap?

​

 

[MoPar~Man]

I wrote earlier in this thread that I installed a pair of MCQUAY-NORRIS FB290, well, I did, but those are the upper arm bushings. I did also buy a pair of MCQUAY-NORRIS FA395 - those are the upper ball joints. I did install them, my arms were sand blasted but otherwise nothing else done to the threads, they went in ok, I guess tight for most of the threads and then really tight for the last 1/2 turn. I see that rock auto is no longer showing the FA395 so I don't know what's up with that.

The taps - are really expensive? Like $200+ ? Rock is showing a dozen different ball joints, most are under $15, you might want to buy an assortment and try them vs buying a tap.

PS: Rock describes them as "front upper, with drum brakes". I don't see any listed as "front upper - with disk brakes" but maybe that's because there is no difference? Or there is a difference, and you can't get them any more?

 

[TNT440]

I wrote earlier in this thread that I installed a pair of MCQUAY-NORRIS FB290, well, I did, but those are the upper arm bushings. I did also buy a pair of MCQUAY-NORRIS FA395 - those are the upper ball joints. I did install them, my arms were sand blasted but otherwise nothing else done to the threads, they went in ok, I guess tight for most of the threads and then really tight for the last 1/2 turn. I see that rock auto is no longer showing the FA395 so I don't know what's up with that.

The taps - are really expensive? Like $200+ ? Rock is showing a dozen different ball joints, most are under $15, you might want to buy an assortment and try them vs buying a tap.

PS: Rock describes them as "front upper, with drum brakes". I don't see any listed as "front upper - with disk brakes" but maybe that's because there is no difference? Or there is a difference, and you can't get them any more?

Thanks, I ended up tack welding them. They did torque to spec, but very loose going most of the way in.

 

[66chryslers]

I stumbled across this website from MOOG and thought their question and answers blog helpful. Thus perhaps it'll be helpful to others.

I'll copy and paste one of the Q&A that I found quite helpful.

Question: What is the difference between the ball joints K772, K778, K719, and K727 lower early Chrysler parts?
Answer:
Differences are:K772 6.3L front upper Height = 3.550 inOuter Diameter = 1.900 inLength = 3.550 inK778 6.7L front uppers https://www.suspension.com/moog-k778Height = 4.560 inOuter Diameter = 2.020 inLength = 4.560K719 6.3L front lower https://www.suspension.com/moog-k719Height = 3.790 in Outer Diameter = 2.120 inLength = 3.790 inK727 6.7L front lowers https://www.suspension.com/moog-k7271Height = 3.920 inOuter Diameter = 2.310 inInner Diameter = 2.010 inLength = 3.920 in