C3 Upper/Lower Ball Joint Rivets.....

[Jeremy D.]

Ok, short of sending my upper & lower control arms to Van Steel or somebody similar (which is probably what I should do anyway, but I'm a glutton for punishment)how does a person install new rivets in the ball joints? I know it's a minor point deduction, but I've got the control arms lying here off the car, brand new NOS ball joints("Studs") on the shelf, and I'd like to at least make a valid attempt at keeping the car correct before I give up and just put bolts in the things.I read the posts in the archives, but there wasn't anything referring to the actual process of mushrooming the rivets....or at least I didn't see it. HEELLLLLLLLLLPPPP!!! Thanks in advance!!

[Mike M.]

Re: C3 Upper/Lower Ball Joint Rivets.....

i use a c-1 king pin, with a 3/8" bit used to drill a superficial hole in the end of the king pin. Heat up the peened end of the rivet with your oxy-acetylene tip to red hot, then use the c-1 king pin to peen or mushroom the rivet.You'll have to have a friend dolly the head side of the rivet while you peen it with the king pin. If i were gonna do this on a regular basis, i'd fabricate peening tool and dolly to accomidate my press and do it cold. good luck, mike PS--- keep heat off the ball joint as much as possible--use tip instead of torch to heat rivet.

[Mark #28455]

Re: C3 Upper/Lower Ball Joint Rivets.....

Snap-On sells bits for your air hammer to peen the rivet ends for about $25.

[Chuck R.]

Re: Your idea of correctness

I cut off a shank to an air chisel and drilled out the center to the crown shape I desired.

I then practiced on a couple of waste rivets to get a feel for the air pressure and backing materials that would work best.

Then it was a matter of fudging around to make sure that I had only enough rivet to do what I wanted without excess. Too much will create shoddy results.

Did them cold and they turned out great.

Took some but it wasn't brutal and I now have a CORRECT looking installation.

It wasn't that my driver needed this look, but I was glad I did it as it's one of those things that can get easily eye balled.

Your call Jeremy as to how far you want to take it as it sounds like you might be getting it judged at some point.

Chuck

[Bill Wilkins]

Re: C3 Upper/Lower Ball Joint Rivets.....

If you have never driven rivets you don't want to do this job. Once you have done a few thousand it's not that hard, but the results of doing it wrong can mean destroying your car going down the road.

Find a sheetmetal shop in your area or ask your local chevy dealer who can do the job for you. If you have a small airport where you can go talk to the aircraft mechanics they can provide some help as well.

Bill