Upper Ball Joints: Type/Size issue
 

Hi Folks, I hope I can get some help here. I have a '65 Amazon.
The Issue:
I have been trying to replace my Upper Ball Joints. I purchased the wrong type first time. I bought the later type. [holding off on the story of me having the impression that this car is not a '66 the title says.] The later type is too big. So now I have bought the earlier type, with nozzle. The type in the car didn't have a grease nozzle, but I figured someone bought another manufacturer's. Installing today and, nope, it isn't fitting right.

The top portion that fits through the wishbone's hole doesn't make it all the way up. It screws in all the way. But there is a gap where the central fitting is rising through the hole. About a 1mm low. I thought I was having difficulty aligning things when fitting before I noticed it was securely bolted on. It looks like I need a cross between the old and new type. I don't seem to be finding this online anywhere. I looked for a previous posting here, but nothing came up regarding this. Anyone know what the deal is here? I am posting a few pictures showing my collection. The center one is what I am pulling off the car.

Also- I was not expecting there to be no rubber boot and circlip to seal things on this early type. The joint has a thick rubber seat that I guess tightens together when installed. It was sold as a 'kit', which came with the nuts and bolts, which gives me the impression that's just how they did it then.

I have to move my car across the street or down the block by Tuesday morning. Since this tightens up and the hub isn't coming off, do you guys think it would be fine to drive around the block?

Thanks for any knowledge and advice.

Hmmm.

I have had problems with upper balljoint replacements.
Brookhouse Volvo, a very trusted supplier, here in the UK sent me two different Upper BJs but neither fitted correctly despite correct part numbers. In my case the spacing between mounting holes was wrong.
I refitted the originals as I do not want any stress on balljoint fixings.

It could be worth getting balljoints from a different manufacturer or sticking with the original balljoints if they are not too worn.

Goodluck

Feedback
 

I received a response from Brookhouse. They say Volvo has only acknowledged 2 types of balljoints being installed. I sent them some more pictures and they are going to check around. I'm going to do some more researching tonight. My Amazon is just goofy somehow. I love her, but weird things like this crop up. She's just not the same thing that's in the manual. Hard to pin down and just a millimeter off, little things stall the basic jobs.

I don't think there will be any harm driving across the street or around the block tonight- street cleaning in the morning.

Hi ya ,

I had this problem before I used some NOS that fitted straight on I also have another set but I think it’s a very rare issue .

Kind regards
Robert.w

When Volvo changed to the ball joint without the grease nipple they also changed the top wishbone. This means that the non greasable ones generally available will only fit the second type, later, wishbones. Change was with the following chassis numbers(as per parts book) P120 - 193800 P130 - 144400 P220 - 29400 First numbers for new type joint.
Comparing the pics you posted with the ones in the parts book (2 types only) the new left one is the early one and the new one at the right is the later one. Your used one looks to be a half way house and maybe an old type of replacement for the first type that omitted the grease nipple.
Volvo's change to the wishbone may just have been to enlarge the centre hole for the joint by a small amount so that might be an option if you have an early pair.
I like to promote Simon at Brookhouse but have you talked to Mike Dudek at iRoll Moors in Cal? Your side of the pond and a good source.

Follow-up
 

Brookhouse got back to me. They looked at what they had in the yard and sent some pictures which I will include here. No need for me to worry, it is how it's meant to be. The 'halfway' type I am taking off fits so cleanly it caused me to immediately assume I had a wrong part. I'm glad they checked.

Thanks for the input. I thought my car was weird!

I will have to remember to pull out that parts book. I'm 191406. I was kicking myself when I thought I had ordered a second wrong type. I'm going to remember to check the parts book next time.

weird angle
 

Now I have that cleared up I put the other side on last night. Didn't take an hour. But I noticed, the wishbone looks kinda wonky. Does that seem unusual to anyone else? I am going to pull the wheel off next time I drive around and see if that looks any different. But if an alarm goes off in anyones mind, do share!

Is that an anti roll bar(blue part) i see in the last pic?
‘Appears’ to be installed incorrectly if it is?!
Russ

Gothamus, I think too: your upper control arm is bent!
You can't align the car propper with a bent control arm. If you remowe the arm from the car, it should be flat.
the IPD arb seems fitted ok to me, maybe Russ does see something I won't see.
Regards, Kay

GUS;

I have to agree with Kay, about possibly bent Upper Control Arm (...bottom surface of it should be in one plane)...although that picture is not straight-on, which could add some perspective error, there does seem to be an angle:
http://www.sw-em.com/Upper_Control_A...t_Gothamus.jpg
..this results in Upper Ball Joint pointing a bit to the rear, but thankfully, because it is a ball joint, this is not a huge issue...this will affect Alignment a bit (it might even be possible to align it out)...if I had an UCA which was lightly misformed like that, I'd replace it...OR... fixture it up on a 20T Press, and bring it back to nominal shape, and inspect for cracks with fluorescent penetrant before installation, just to be sure no cracks developed from bending operation...

I don't see any issue with Anti-Roll-Bar...again, perhaps whatever Russ is seeing, is introduced by camera-angle...

Good Hunting!

follow-up finally
 

Thanks, of course. Hate to get a response from anyone and not answer back for a week. Work and, you know, the car. The Car, which is addictive and absorbs every evening and weekend I can claim for myself. I was thinking the other day, it should be in much better shape for all the time I have spent! Ha! It's all good as long as it's fun and when its not, I will forget about that part when I edit memories.

The picture is not straight on, Ron. Good notice. But the angle sitting right in from of it does not look much different. I have not noticed anything that indicates this is a problem- such is uneven wear on the tires, steering leaning to any side. The angle starts toward around the outer half and the inner part affixed to the vehicle is even. I have about 4000 miles on her in a year and a half and should have noticed something by now.

My only insecurity about the roll bar would be tightness. I had initially over tightened it, squeezing the bushings more. I came across something that pointed out my error and tightened to match the images I found on the web. Included is a picture from a different angle, with the car on the ground. Ten pictures and this is the best I got to show the bar. My paint is not so bright as it appears in this image. All of a sudden it looks like a carnival under there. I did that mainly so I could observe the kind of mess, be it oil or hydraulic fluids.

If anything stands out, let me know. I might have a few posts coming up, depending on whether I can find the answers in previous posts. I try not to add too much amateur traffic in the forum. Thanks again for the help! Much appreciated.