I just installed some new ball joints today. The driver side though is loose in the A arm. By hand it went in about 3/4 of the way. I used a ball joint press to press it in the rest of the way. But the ball joint is so loose that I could turn the screw on the ball joint press by hand to install it. When I put the steering knuckle on its weight knocked the ball joint about 1/4 of the way out.

What gives? The last time I replaced ball joints, they were a rather tight fit. The driver side unit seems normal. I'm concerned that this ball joint will be knocked out of the A arm when I'm driving the car.

What are my options? Are there oversize ball joints for A arms that have a hole slightly large or am I going to have to change the A arm?

 

The ball joint may have been replaced before, so the hole may be a bit oversize.

They do make oversize ball joints. The Autozone part number is FA3000 for $17.00. I'm sure other parts store also have them.

 

There are oversize ones available. I'm not sure offhand how much larger they are, though - maybe someone else who does will chime in.
There's not much danger of them pulling through unless the hole is way too big - the ball joint would have to pull through the control arm.

Pete

 

hole in control arm has gotten oversized. either try the over size ball joints or replace control arm. i've heard of people welding, or tacking, the ball joint in but i don't think i'd do it. if any thing i might punch the bore in the control arm to raise soem places to hold the ball joint and coat it with loctite when i pressed it in.

 

I got an undersized ball-joint for my 2nd gen Camaro 9 or 10 years ago. When I went to install it, it practically fell into place. Sure enough, checking it with calipers it was, I forget - 10 or 20 thousandths of an inch smaller than the one I just pressed out. The parts counter guy didn't believe me until I showed him the difference.
Oh, BTW - it was a cheapie off-brand and the rest of what he had were just the same. The brand-name part I ended up with went in just as hard as the old one came out.
Just a thought...