# ball joint rivets



## masterblaster (May 8, 2010)

Has anyone tried to install ball joints using real rivets. I see ball joint rivets for sale by camaro and corvette suppliers but not really any A body suppliers. It looks like Granger even sells the rivets. I found a rivet tool that you run on an air chisel. How hard can it be.


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## jmt455 (Mar 26, 2012)

You could just buy the bolts that look like rivets (from the top, at least...)

Inline Tube sells them.
Here's the text from their Pontiac catalog (page 5):

"*GM Upper Ball Joint Rivets
Pn# CARMR01
$24.00 set
GM upper Ball Joint Rivets Set of 8.
Details: From the factory, all upper ball joints were riveted into
place. Inline Tube has manufactured a correct rivet head bolt
that will install and give that factory original look to your control
arm. For use with factory style ball joints or TRW not MOOG
Applications: 1967-79
Camaro / Firebird / Trans Am, 1968-74
Nova / Ventura / ******, 1964-72
Chevelle / El Camino / Monte
Carlo, 1964-72
GTO / LeMans / Tempest, 1964-72
442 /
Cutlass / F85
/ Skylark, Any 1969-79
GM Ball Joint"*

Link to their Pontiac catalog: http://inlinetube.com/PDF%20catalogs/Indv%20Vehicle%20Catalogs/Pontiac01.pdf


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

The question ought to be, are you sure you can rivet them in properly so that they don't come loose? That would be a bad thing....

There's a reason that the service replacement ball joints are designed to be held in with bolts.

Bear


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## masterblaster (May 8, 2010)

if you really think about it, technically a ball joint is being pulled through the a arm from spring pressure. if you install the ball joint loosely on the a arm and bolted it to the spindle and hooked everything up its not going to pull through the a arm. Obviously you couldn't drive it that way because it would rattle itself side to side. I cant imagine that there could be that much side pressure that installing rivets could be dangerous at all. If you go to the chevy forums a bunch of dudes have done it. Have you ever seen an a arm from a vette. The ball joint hangs on the end of the a arm with 3 rivets.


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## allpawl66 (May 9, 2008)

jmt455 said:


> You could just buy the bolts that look like rivets (from the top, at least...)
> 
> Inline Tube sells them.
> Here's the text from their Pontiac catalog (page 5):
> ...


Have used these , they must be installed in ball joints with a round 1/4" hole only , some aftermarket ball joints have a triangular hole . Fit is nice .


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## masterblaster (May 8, 2010)

On my second order with Ames. 1 st order I got the rivet head bolts and of coarse they don't fit because the moog ball joint have 5/8" bolt holes. 2nd order I got the actual rivets needed and the so called Ac Delco, GM replacement ball joints that are supposed to work, opened the box and again 5/8" bolt holes and 1/4" rivets. The ball joints had the exact same part no. stamped into them as the Moog ones. 

The tech at Ames seemed surprised that they sell the rivets but don't have the correct ball joints to go with them.

So I'm sending all this stuff back to Ames but keeping the real rivets so I can hunt down ball joints with 1/4 inch holes. Any tips?


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## allpawl66 (May 9, 2008)

Hunt on ebay for older stock of the Moog or GM units , very common part as used on many Gm apps.


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