[reddog65]

I need some advice. One of my lower ball joints came out of the spindle while I was backing the 72 GTO up in a parking lot. I had the car towed home and was able to get the spindle back in place but could not tighten the ball joint because the nut and threads just keep turning when I tried to tighten the nut (which had just worked its way off and was sitting on the control arm). Then I noticed that the control arm is cracked. So, should I replace both lower control arms or can I do just the one. And does it sound like I need to replace the spindle since I could not get the threads to stop spinning. It probably was moving around inside the spindle. What do I need to do. Also, who sells good factory lower control arms.

Thanks for any help.

[Scott Thelander]

your SUPER lucky !!!

go buy a couple lotto tickets and a barley pop !! pat the car on the roof

and give it praise it got you home safely !!

thats reason to celibrate !!

you were not driving it 55 mph nor did you hit that last bump that could have

split the cracked control arm open and dropped the control arm on the

pavement .... I have been in a couple rides that broke ball joints...

my buddys 72 442 going thru Marymoore State park here in town over the

speed bump at 10mph and the drivers side front of the car just collapsed...

and an instant stop ! tire jammed up inside the wheel well .. ugly ..

we just got thru blazin up a curvey road along the east side of the lake haulin

azz and just turned into the park entrance and ker plunk .........

also I was coming home from a salmon fishin trip in my 80 Chev dually 2wd

9' camper ... basically sleepin at the wheel ... monday am gotta be at work

by 7am ...........

with the 18' Smoker craft in tow 330 am 60 mph on the 405 freeway

here Near Seattle and my passenger upper ball joint ripped out of its housing

sending me over instantly to the right shoulder thru 3 lanes of freeway

and I coasted to a stop without hitting the brakes ...I knew something broke

and both front tires were smokin .... the passenger top of the tire fell in

towards the motor and rubbed on the upper ball joint zerk fitting and

put a deep groove in my brand new michelin tire... glad no one was beside

me and so early in the am ... I had almost no steering control .... I think

if I hit the brakes I could only imagine the spindle and all rooling up..

that ball joint was the only repacement part on the front end everything

else was original still .... all 4 ball joints got replaced with MOOG parts....

COUNT THIS AS A BLESSING ....

it probably seems like a WTF moment ......

but you and your family are SAFE !!!

I hope you have a good shop near you as this may turn into a bit

of work .... both sides may need replaced.... sounds like maybe

someone had an issue with the replacement ball joint going in sideways

or something and put some stress on the hole..

your all home safe and the car is not damaged ....

that car is a keeper !!!!!

it may have saved a life and or more.............

Scott

[GStage1]

Post a wanted ad here...then install new bushings and ball joint and you are set....spindle is fine.