Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Re: [GMCnet] Check your Lower A arm ball joint
| Re: [GMCnet] Check your Lower A arm ball joint [message #322032 is a reply to message #322026] |
Sun, 13 August 2017 17:55   |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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Work on a whole lot of GMC coaches. I have seen more of them come apart in
small crumbling pieces than I can remember. PARTICULARLY THE 73-4-5 ERA
COACHES. Lower control arms, lower ball joints, hubs, knuckles, rotors,
outer C.V. joints, torsion bar sockets twisted in the lower control arms,
lower control arm bushings.
Rarely ever see anything wrong with the upper control arms, or
bushings, or upper ball joints, particularly the original equipment stuff.
Lots and lots of loose or missing bolts and nuts on the ball joints,
particularly the 5/16" stuff on the replacement ball joints.
Steve Ferguson had a bunch of tricks that he used to cure the control
arms, some quite extensive involving cutting out original braces, welding
in reinforcements, then fabrication of heavier stuff and re-welding them in
place of the originals.
I have installed a whole bunch of 1 ton kits. Some of the earliest
ones built by Bill Hubler from Caldwell, Idaho, and later by Manny T. I
have not had the opportunity to ever replace any of the 1 ton hubs,
knuckles, or wheel bearings, yet. The only failure I have seen is when the
inner C.V. joint bolts work loose, and fall out under way. Makes one hell
of a racket and leaves you dead in the water if you don't have replacement
bolts with you. Most cases can be directly traced back to improper
installation of the bolts. The drive axle wants to rotate before the bolts
are tightened sufficiently, and no blue loctite was used at install.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Aug 13, 2017 2:58 PM, "Richard Denney" wrote:
> Bob, mine had under 100,000 miles, and a broken ball joint on one side and
> a spun bearing on the other. I used to race, too, but I don't race the
> GMC--we'll have to agree to disagree.
>
> Rick "respectfully" Denney
> On Sun, Aug 13, 2017 at 4:17 PM Bob Dunahugh wrote:
>
>> Richard. We all need to do what puts us in OUR own comfort zone. I put a
> 1
>> ton years ago in a friends 78 Royale. Then drove it. I didn't like how
> it
>> handled. When most people put the 1 ton in. They love it. But their
>> comparing it to the poor handling coach they had before the install. I do
>> high speed road racing. I'm very picky about handling.Our first GMC had
>> 128,000 miles on it, and 25 years before the front bearings got the first
>> grease change. Nice life span. Barrowed the tool. They were fine. So I
>> greased them. That was the 50 cents. Seals were still soft. Put another
>> 52,000 miles on them. When that GMC burned. I put those knuckles in
> another
>> GMC after an inspection/lube. Bearings and seals still fine. Got 2
>> knuckles from Dave Linzi with the grease zerks. Lot less then the 1 ton.
>> Another 50 to 75,000 miles ( if I'm still alive ) I'll loosen the axle
> nut,
>> and put another 50 cents of grease in them. Then tighten the axle nut.
> And
>> I can still drive my GMC with two fingers all day. If the 1 ton puts you
> in
>> your comfort zone. I'd do it. I never will. Bob Dunahugh 78 Royale
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Bob Dunahugh
>> Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2017 12:26 AM
>> To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
>> Subject: RE: Check your Lower A arm ball joint
>>
>>
>> Larry found those bolts on our 78 GMC in need of snugging up a little.
> (
>> Thanks so much for checking Larry ) Never thought that those BJ had ever
>> been replaced with 74,000 on the clock. So I went looking in the log
> book.
>> Replaced at 38,000 miles. And there are no other front end parts
> replaced.
>> As to the 1 ton. I never disagree with Ken Henderson. But I have a
>> different OPPINION on the I ton. Reasons. It puts a heavier load on the
>> torsion bars, and related attacked supports. Doesn't have standard SAE
> A
>> frame geometry. As to the lifetime lubed bearing. That lifetime stands
>> until the bearing fails. Thus you can't spend the 50 cents in grease
> that
>> 1 ton bearing. Many GMC owners have never greased their original bearing.
>> The original can be lubed at your choice. When the 1 ton bearing fails.
> You
>> need to go buy the entire wheel bearing assembly. The original bearings
> in
>> my 39 year old GMC have never been greased till now. I'll stick with
> what
>> GM did.
>>
>> Bob Dunahugh 78 Royale.
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
> --
> Rick Denney
> 73 x-Glacier 230 "Jaws"
> Off-list email to rick at rickdenney dot com
> _______________________________________________
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