New ball joints too big, won't press in

[mtnmankev]

83 C20 pickup.
Got K6129 lower ball joints for the truck, supposedly the correct ones, problem is they are too big in diameter to press into the control arm, measured with calipers and am looking at .093 bigger than the hole.
The math does not add up, that will not fit in the hole.
Even after driving out the thin shim that was in the arm with the OEM ball joints.
Any ideas or suggestions or comments ??

 

[73c20jim]

Maybe boxed wrong???

 

[mtnmankev]

Bought two at the same time, contents of both boxes are identical.
Also the threaded shaft part is longer than the OEM and the tapers appear different from originals.
They were made in China, so wrong parts would not even surprise me a little bit.

 

[73c20jim]

I the "China" is the answer. Try another brand?

 

[idahovette]

Book says K-6129t Does your part # have the little "t" on the end?

 

[mtnmankev]

No little "t" and the parts guy never showed that as an option when he pulled up the computer screen.

 

[idahovette]

NAPA # 260-1111 . Don't have one can't measure. Your's from an independent parts house?

 

[mtnmankev]

O'Reilly's, their masterpro line.
I did some looking, found the one with the "t" is a MOOG for 65 bucks compared to 15.
I think I will buy a set on ebay for 30 some dollars each, free shipping.

 

[idahovette]

Yeah me too. Good luck

 

[CookieSoup]

i just got AC delco ball joints on rock auto for about 8 bucks each

 

[mtnmankev]

A friend is going to carry my old ball joint in to a parts store that stocks the 6129t and measure them.
Told him don't pay the ridiculous price, just verify the part number is correct for what my truck had in it, and I will order new ones online.
Still don't know how I am going to fix the hole wallered out in the frame from the upper shock stud, might just weld the stud to the frame and let it go.
The truck can be down a few more days, I am stocked on food, gas, water and propane for my off grid survival.

 

[idahovette]

Heavy flat washers inside and out with a new shock stud and tighten the holy crap out of it. Then you could weld the washers in place, but I have found just tightening them works. Just keep and eye on them

 

[highdesertrange]

15 bucks for a lower ball joint and you are surprised it doesn't fit? highdesertranger

 

[mtnmankev]

THANK YOU to Idahovette for informing me of the correct part number, got one off fleabay MOOG brand, made in USA, NIB for less than half of what the parts stores wanted, it pressed in nice and tight and nothing is screwed up..Soon I will be able to enjoy driving the truck again.
On another note, the idler arm that was supposed to fit my truck had too small of a taper so I returned it to the parts store when i returned the wrong ball joints, come to find out my 83 C20 has 82 front end parts, and they are different, heavier duty too.
I got lucky and had a clerk at the store who actually knew what they were doing and what to look for, a rare occurrence.