64 Galaxie riveted upper ball joints

callbald

callbald

Senior Member
I am struggling with the original 64 ball joints riveted to the suspension arm. I am on the first one and I have drilled through them and ground them off. I cannot get a punch to move them. This thing is really frozen in place. Any Ideas?
 
This is what I did on my upper and lower joints for my 57. 4" angle grinder, took as much off as I could without gouging the arm itself. Then I drilled out from the center punch. I think I went 1/16" (pilot hole) all the way to 3/8". That was enough for me to use a punch to knock the rest of the rivet out. It takes a long time and plan on using up some bits. I think Ford used ex-battleships for rivets.

Mike
 
Most every car company riveted the ball jonts in. We used a torch and snipped the heads off, then while everything was still hot, used an air chisel punch and knocked them out. Didn't take long and since you were working flat rate every minute made a difference
 
i had a 61 merc that dropped a bottom ball joint on the highway.i got it of the road and using a dull chizel and hammer cut the riverts off.took half a day.you just keep at it .
 
Air chisel with sharp chisel cuts head off and the punch knocks them out. Mine is Cp brand and 40 years old, just a drop of oil when using.
 
The rivets expand in the hole a good bit even making the hole a bit larger. As was mentioned, drilling down into the rivet shank with a slightly smaller drill will relieve the tension and allow it to be removed with a punch. If you use a smoke wrench just be careful to aim the flame at the rivet only until it is hot enough to blast it out. If the A-arm gets too red, it will blast part of it too.
 
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