Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

[Greg L.]

I'm aware of the way you are supposed to bend the cotter pins on the lower ball joints so that the factory camber/caster tooling can be installed but is it also the same for the uppers?

I know this is probably a stupid question but the 1969 AIM shows how to bend the lowers as per "Detail A" but "Detail A" is only for the lower and not the upper ball joint so I was just wondering if the uppers gets bent the same as the lowers.

[Dick W.]

Re: Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

Just remember that the chassis was turned upside down when this work was done.

[Greg L.]

Re: Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

Ya thanks Dick...I'm having lots of fun trying to remember to do everything "upside down"!

So do the upper ball joints get the cotter pins bent over the same way as the lower ball joints? I'm just wondering why the AIM specifies bending the cotter pin away from the stud for the alignment jig on the lower ball joints but not on the upper ball joints.

[Terry M.]

Re: Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

I believe both upper and lower ball studs have the cotters bent to clear the alignment machine, but John Hinckley's group designed the machine. John may not have C3 questions as his bulls eye on this forum. Why not send him a PM and alert him to this thread?

[Greg L.]

Re: Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

Thanks Terry. John says that the uppers got set the same way as the lowers.

[Terry M.]

Re: Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

You can take that information to the bank then.

Just an aside. When I got the two Caprice former police cars new ball studs were on the agenda -- in fact I replaced all front suspension wear components. When I removed the cotter pins on the ball studs I noticed both upper and lower cotters were bent just like the Corvette ones. I knew right away why, but messaged John anyway.

Turns out, John replied, they use that same type alignment machine on all body-on-frame LASA (Long Arm, Short Arm) suspensions. GM B-body (Caprice, Roadmaster), D-body (Fleetwood), and a whole host of pick up/SUV vehicles -- as in Tahoe, Suburban, and on and on. Some of these vehicles are no longer in production (sob, sob) but there are millions of them still in operation.

[Alan S.]

Re: Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

Greg,
Did you know that Terry M. did the 'homework' for the cotter pin kit with instructions that Corvette Central sells? A nice little pouch of goodies that's a big help.
Regards,
Alan

[Greg L.]

Re: Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

Yes Alan now that you mention that I remember seeing them use his name for their kit. I was a little confused though because Corvette Central says that the cotter pins in the kit are zinc plated but I think the majority of production ones were natural finish. Maybe they only used his advice for the sizing and not the finish?...

[Terry M.]

Re: Ball joint cotter pin placement "69"

No, they are not just using my name. Pete Lindahl and I produce the kits for them.

The original cotter pins we examined were mostly plated.

If you read the instructions that come with the kit you will find out how to remove the plating using common household chemicals -- if you wish to put unplated cotter pins on your car.