any one tried to use a 99-2001 grandprix ball joint in the le5 control arms? Just a thought the pic on this page looks like it might work but I will have to check it out with a digital caliper. I remember reading that the ball joints were changed in one of the build books. Ideas anyone??

http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByDepa...IAC/GRAND_PRIX''

scroll to the 2000 series ball joints for 64 dollars.

 

inner flca rubber joint was changed to a spherical joint, not the same thing.the spherical jont useable on the street but an issue for wear/dirt /noise. I use spherical joints in the summer, dont last long if it gets dirty/wet and its rained here all summer whole lot of Not Good.,...

 

What are you looking into as far as sealing them? I know you mentioned something. Were you able to get a pic or a spec on the ones you use?

 

http://www.sealsit.com/rodendboots.asp


here you go my friend not perfect, they dont do a uniball seal, just buy the biggest and tie wrap the control arm part i am thinking, fill it full of grease and it should rock. THe bushing we are replacing is the so called by GM handling guys "the ride bushing" and they were insistent to me when i worked with them that this bushing needs to be soft. On the Cavalier you could hammer the control arm into the frame just on hard braking it was so soft.

Here is what I found: the only harshness that is a put off with the spherical joint, is the ride over tar strips and concrete highway dividers. Other than that, it creaks from lack of lube (hence the boots) and rocks big time for all else(track work tire wear etc etc) On the track the outer rib on Hoosiers that was good for just 20 laps now goes all day for tire wear, but temps are about plus 30 outside over inside. This should be reversed, and will be if i can put in some negative camber.(now -1.5 ) I am thinking of moving the lower pivots out but that will change the caster and createdive so havent done any calculations yet...or chop the strut tops and weld in Cobalt tops and install ground control top plates (best solution) etc etc etc.... kaa- ching more money....dont forget i have a redline....cheers

 

so are you saying the grand prix part wont work, or just that the buildbook used a spherical joint instead, I would imagine the spherical joint is stronger but like you said dosent wear well.

 

gp ball joint wont work. the spherical joint is on the inside. basically its a bushing with a hole in it though which the cradle bolt passes...the ball joint is basically a post with a swivel end, it needs a socket to fit into (lower knuckle hole is the socket)

 

i dont follow, your saying the grand prix part wont work because its a ball joint not a spherical joint? that doesnt make sense the cobalt comes factory with a ball joint. Im asking if I grind off the rivets on the le5 control arm remove the ball joint and install a 2001 grand prix lower ball joint will it work? Or perhaps one from an older cavalier? Im just throwing out ideas on cheaper way to fix a ball joint rather than buying a whole control arm etc.

 

dont everyone answer all at once

 

I dont spend too much time on this forum; I understood from your post you were talking about the inner control arm bushing. THe short answer is the ball joint on the Cobalt/Ion is a straight pin with a cross bolt and most other ball joints have tapered pins including the G6 for example which is a close cousin of the Cobalt suspension wise. GM makes it so you cannot service the ball joint seperately and IMHO thats a good thing the idea of repair shops riveting a ball joint into an alloy control arm scares me...does this help you?

 

just kinda confirmed my suspicion, gm bolts the ball joint that I'm looking at to an aluminum part so I'm not concerned about that. My suspicion all along has been that I will have to actually try this.

 

the ball joint is riveted not bolted to the flca. Good luck