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Help with upper ball joint

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Old Aug 28, 2009 | 04:18 PM
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Default Help with upper ball joint

I'm trying to finish up my shock install but am having a problem with the castle nut for the upper ball joint. I see the nut has no threads in it and it doesn't get tight, just kind of spins on ball joint stud. I thought it was supposed to be torqued to 39 ft/lbs?

I'm not sure if I should just put the cotter pin in as is, replace the ball joint or get a new castle nut?
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Old Aug 28, 2009 | 04:34 PM
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Get a new castle nut and cotter pin. Mine has threads inside it; yours somehow got stripped from the sounds of it.
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Old Aug 28, 2009 | 04:44 PM
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The nut *should* have threads.
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Old Aug 28, 2009 | 05:26 PM
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I assumed the nut should have threads, but I even ran to Autozone and took a look at a new ball joint and the castle nut it came with was the same way as mine???

I don't understand how it would not have threads, maybe they are just very fine and I missed it. I know its a M10 castle nut, but does anyone happen to know the thread pitch? I called the dealer and they said it was a 10 x 1 nut, so I'm assuming the pitch is 1.
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Old Aug 28, 2009 | 05:28 PM
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yea if you took it off it should thread back in.....see if you can gently vice grip the bottom of the bolt and then tighten the nut.

Be sure you are pulling the upper arm down enough to get thru the knuckle. It should allow for some room to place the vice at the very tip of the ball joint bolt.

Post up a pic and we'll help ya!
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Old Aug 28, 2009 | 05:29 PM
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There has to be thread man... how else is the arm supposed to stay on the knuckle?
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Old Aug 29, 2009 | 08:55 AM
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Does anyone know where to get a new castle nut in this size, I cannot find this thing, nor do I know the thread pitch. The dealer can order me a bag of 5 but it won't be in for a few days, or a new nut comes with a new ball joint, but I don't want that. I'm running out of ideas for this thing.
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Old Aug 29, 2009 | 10:24 AM
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Talked to the dealer again and found out this nut is part number 11506055. They also verified it's a M10 x 1...which seems to be an impossible size to find locally. I'll probably just order the bag of 5 from the dealer and wait 3 days to get it In case anyone is ever searching for this, here is a parts breakdown I found.

010 11506055 NUT,FRT UPR CONT ARM(M10X1X10)(HEX SLOTTED)(8.917)
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Old Aug 29, 2009 | 10:26 AM
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Yea it's supposed to have threads for sure.
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Old Sep 2, 2009 | 03:09 PM
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So I ordered these from the dealer and they screwed me. Went to pick them up and they claim they didn't have my order. So after some waiting they went and brought back 2 castle nuts from somewhere. I go to install them and they don't fit...wrong thread pitch, it appears they gave me something with a 1.5 instead of 1. Anyway, I'm pissed so I got 2 grade 8 hex nuts and installed those with a cotter pin underneath, actually fit perfect. Should I be worried about this?
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Old Sep 2, 2009 | 04:32 PM
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I work at a full service shop, and have buckets full of random stuff like that.
I recommend you go find a shop that does front end work/alignments and see if they can dig one up for you.
Are the threads on the ball joint still ok?
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Old Sep 2, 2009 | 04:54 PM
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Yes the threads on the ball joint were ok, as I didn't force the nut they gave me enough to cause damage. The car is back together using a hex nut instead of a castle nut. I still used a cotter pin and it was a tight fit to get it in, so I don't see how the nut would back off. I'll probably eventually swap it out for the correct one, I just want to make sure I'm ok for the time being.
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Old Sep 3, 2009 | 04:22 AM
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Originally Posted by 01formula6
Yes the threads on the ball joint were ok, as I didn't force the nut they gave me enough to cause damage. The car is back together using a hex nut instead of a castle nut. I still used a cotter pin and it was a tight fit to get it in, so I don't see how the nut would back off. I'll probably eventually swap it out for the correct one, I just want to make sure I'm ok for the time being.
Yeah, You should be okay for now, but I would do what GMRL suggests and find a friendly local shop who is willing to pull one of out of the "spares" bucket.
The only real difference is how shear forces are acting on the cotter pin in one nut versus the other. It's not worth going into detail about that here but it is worth changing out the nut to the correct one.

Good Luck.

and, a Dealer who screws you over? Who ever heard of such a thing?

Last edited by Racin'Z28; Sep 3, 2009 at 04:23 AM. Reason: typo
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Old Sep 3, 2009 | 06:48 AM
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I'll have to double check but I have some stock castle nuts for the top ball joint laying around. Where in Chicago are you? I'm in the NW suburbs.

~Jim~
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Old Sep 3, 2009 | 08:35 AM
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Originally Posted by BassProCamaro97
I'll have to double check but I have some stock castle nuts for the top ball joint laying around. Where in Chicago are you? I'm in the NW suburbs.

~Jim~
I live in Schaumburg and work in Downers Grove, but am also up in Wheeling almost every weekend. If you had some that would be great and I'd come pick them up.
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