Lower Ball Joints

[Hillbillybuddha]

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the removal of the lower ball joints. I feel like I'm missing something fundamental to the way they are installed. I'm doing a disc swap (65 set-up to my 61 which includes the lower control arms from the 65 )

I've got the rivets drilled and ground, but what now? I ordered new ball joints from Wilson's and looking at them make me wonder what those rivets are for? Do the top and bottom parts for the ball joint separate and sandwich the control arm? If that's the case, how do I separate the top from the bottom?

Does anyone have a picture of a lower control arm with the ball joint removed?

[paulr]

If they are stuck in by inertia, they may come out with a tool like this.

You have a '61...my picture is of a '64 LCA. Might be differences? I do know the ball joints are similar, though probably not interchangeable, between the two years. The ball joint and that flange part is one piece; does not separate. Good luck.

[Hillbillybuddha]

Thanks so much. I'm actually using the lower control arm from the 65 so it should be the same as yours.

So the flange does not separate? How do you get this flange through the hole? It's at least a 1/2 larger all the way around?

[paulr]

Oh, THAT flange. Forgot about that. Pry it off, it comes off. It does nothing going forward and can be discarded, except for concours restos.

Yes, 64/65 LCAs should interchange.

[paulr]

When I said the ball joint and flange don't separate in my first post I was referring to the ball joint which incorporates a special flange in its design, as compared to the upper joint which does not. Sorry to confuse.

[Hillbillybuddha]

Awesome. Thanks. I wanted to make sure below I broke something.