pressing in lower ball joints

[chronos]

I am putting in my new lower ball joints.
How far do you have to press them in?
I can still see about a 1/16" of the 'knurles' part of the BJ
from underneath. I am REALLY tightning the ball joint press tool with a big 4 foot breaker bar!
It does not want to go in that extra bit.
Any help PLEASE

[bgctrading]

I usually use a BJ press (c clamp style) and tight them with an impact wrench and if they are a little bit stuck I tap the straight part of the C clamp with a hammer and that usually jars them on in. If you dont have an air wrench put some good pressure on it with your breaker bar and tap it the same way.

[chronos]

I will try that BUT I am really reffing on that big breaker bar!
They are still not fully in(I don't think?) and I can't barely move the breaker bar at all.
I don't want to damage the new joint but want to make sure it is seated right

[Irish_Alley]

It should seat up to the ridge of the joint I never used a ball joint press I’ve just used a hammer and brass rod to smack them in place

[chronos]

I will be trying again tonite.
Looking at SGTDel's writeup again,I see when pressing BJ in he has the press tool the
opposite way I did (tightning press from bottem of control arm)
Not sure if that matters but I will try it that way

[chronos]

Ok got both BJ pressed in. Drivers side is Good
but passenger side has play in the Ball joint
It rocks a little in the hole....why?
How do I fix this problem now,can I tack weld it in
or is that a stupid idea??
I DO NOT want to replace the control arm if possible
Advice from the experts please

[bgctrading]

Do you have a pic or can you tell me the year make and model of your truck. I have seen some screw in type BJs in chrysler vans that the control arms get wore out and you can tack weld them in but if you had to press it in I imagine something is wrong.

[chronos]

I will take a pic and post.
Its a 86 2WD. there is play in the hole for the BJ
Its a TRW BJ
Hoping it can be tack welded
Anyone ever had to do this? I double checked and it is the right BJ
Hoping for some feedback....thanks

[chronos]

Well I now know why my lower BJ rocks a little in the hole !
It seems buddy was cleaning up the lower control arm for painting and may have got
too happy cleaning out that hole !
Oh well , now I have to fix things up.
I have done some research on tack welding the lower BJ in and it SEEMS like it
could be the answer.
Have any of you done this type of thing on our trucks??
Help please 

[80stepsideguy]

I wouldnt reccomend tack welding in any suspension parts.The welds would break and you be stranded .Plus then the control arm would be junk.Cause you will never get that ball joint out to replace it.If i was you i would go get another 1 from the salvage yard and make your BUDDY pay for it since he did screw it up .

thanks
pat

[chronos]

Going to get The lower BJ tacked in three spots from the underside / bottem
Can't believe no one has had this problem on here?
Talked to several people and searched the net extensively. Spot welding lower BJ's
seems like a common practice and is factory done on several models with press-in BJ's
After all the work I've done there is no way I'm swapping out the control arm
at this time

[VileZambonie]

What factory ball joints are tack welded in place?

[chronos]

Mid 90's RAM's are one that I know of
from searching this out

I can't see how this will be a problem.
If you think it will be PLEASE tell me why before I get it done...lol
Seems like tacking them in would be safe and stong to me

[Irish_Alley]

I ain't seen them spot welded cause they have to be replaced and well welds tend to leave nasty marks behind, now iv seen then riveted on another style. Didn't someone else have a problem like this but it was due to a factory mistake from the ball joint maker over sea I think one was made in taiwan and the other was china or something

[chronos]

The ones spot welded from factory make you replace the
entire control arm. There are several factory spot welded in BJ's,mostly cars,but some pickups.

The BJ's I got are TRW lifetime. Trust me I have been doing alot of searching on this
and want to be safe first and foremost.