Do you guys find a hard time finding certain ball joints? I can’t find an inner set 53 plymouth

[DavidJose1]

Hello all, I have a 53 plymouth and ordered inner ball joints from Amazon and it said it would take weeks but then it’s delayed! Now I wasn’t able to swap them! Do you guys know any tricks to find these locally

[Dave72dt]

I'm not sure what part you're referring to.   I've heard upper and lower ball joints.  Other steering components have ball style joints, possibly inner bushings? A pic would be helpful.

[Bob Ritter]

44 minutes ago, DavidJose1 said:

Hello all, I have a 53 plymouth and ordered inner ball joints from Amazon and it said it would take weeks but then it’s delayed! Now I wasn’t able to swap them! Do you guys know any tricks to find these locally

I would suggest trying Roberts motor parts or Andy Bernbaum they have a good inventory of parts...

[DavidJose1]

You know what state?

[DavidJose1]

56 minutes ago, Dave72dt said:

I'm not sure what part you're referring to.   I've heard upper and lower ball joints.  Other steering components have ball style joints, possibly inner bushings? A pic would be helpful.

The pieces in the inner tie rod that thread in. Wait is it call tie rod ends?

[Dave72dt]

RockAuto lists the inner tie rod end as #ES158R,, the outer as ES158L.  Oreilly shows that part available, maybe next day.  I assume the other parts stores will as well.

[andyd]

The kingpin front suspension does NOT use "Ball Joints" anywhere........Ball Joints were used on the outer upper & outer lower pivot points from 1957 Chrysler products.

        The Chrysler/Dodge/DeSoto and Plymouth cars from 1939 to 1956 on their Inner & Outer suspension pivot points used bushings and pins, and bronze bushed steel Kingpins for the steering pivots.

         The steering tierod assembly used 4 tierod ends, two each of left and right hand threaded tierod ends that fitted into similarly left and right hand threaded tubular tierods which allowed toein/toeout adjustment.

        If you are having problems finding "ball joints" for your 1953 Plymouth it maybe due to the terminology you are using......try searching for "tie rod ends" or similar or inner/outer bushings & pins or kingpins......not trying to be pedantic, regards & welcome from Oztralia.......andyd   

Edited September 15, 2023 by andyd
more info.

[DavidJose1]

You are so amazing as I was using wrong term as I had the rod ends and o ordered two for outside I just need the inside but they got ordered and didn’t come yet

[andyd]

As said was not being pedantic, its just that sometimes using the incorrect terms can make life much more complicated than it needs to be..........lol............examples that come to mind include bonnet for USA hood, mudguards or wings for USA fenders & boot for USA trunk.....lol..........trust you get the parts you need asap.........andyd     

[DonaldSmith]

In Britain. a sedan is a saloon.  In the old, wild west. a saloon was where cowboys would gamble, get drunk, and have gunfights. 

[Sniper]

34 minutes ago, DonaldSmith said:

In Britain. a sedan is a saloon.  In the old, wild west. a saloon was where cowboys would gamble, get drunk, and have gunfights. 

 

And cavort with women of loose morals.

 

Hmm, substitute gunfights for fist fights and you could be talking about sailors, lol.

 

 

[DavidJose1]

12 hours ago, andyd said:

As said was not being pedantic, its just that sometimes using the incorrect terms can make life much more complicated than it needs to be..........lol............examples that come to mind include bonnet for USA hood, mudguards or wings for USA fenders & boot for USA trunk.....lol..........trust you get the parts you need asap.........andyd     

I think you guys for this direction and correction! The wisdom you guys have is a blessing and a life saver!

[DavidJose1]

On 9/14/2023 at 9:07 AM, Dave72dt said:

I'm not sure what part you're referring to.   I've heard upper and lower ball joints.  Other steering components have ball style joints, possibly inner bushings? A pic would be helpful.

It was tie rod ends got them all replaced, it’s 2 or 3 left hand threads being outter is right on both sides and middle I think had either two rights or one left one right on the inner passenger side

[andyd]

Not sure but I would have thought that the original tierods would have been right hand threaded outers and left hand threaded inners, but thats purely due to what I've found on various cars over the years.........I've not noticed whether its specified or mentioned in the workshop manuals, just made sense to have one of each on each tie rod to allow for ease of toein/out adjustment.....andyd  

[DonaldSmith]

Look out for where the grease fittings are.  The wrong tie rod end can smash its grease fitting against the pitman arm.  Go ahead, ask me how I know. 

[DavidJose1]

6 hours ago, andyd said:

Not sure but I would have thought that the original tierods would have been right hand threaded outers and left hand threaded inners, but thats purely due to what I've found on various cars over the years.........I've not noticed whether its specified or mentioned in the workshop manuals, just made sense to have one of each on each tie rod to allow for ease of toein/out adjustment.....andyd  

I’m not educated enough in the ideas to know but will the way it’s set up now will it cancel out where it doesn’t move?

[greg g]

Unless the king pins were completely ignored for thier whole existence, they should be serviceable. There are upwards of 18 grease fittings associated with steering parts.  Find them and get fresh grease into them.  New zeroks and heat maybe necessary to get the old hardened grease out.  This is especially true with the king pin pivot points.  My 46 has 118000 miles on its original king pins.  They get greased every year.  It is good practice to cycle the steering from lock to lock while servicing the grease fittings and applying heat.

 

If you need to replace the kingpins, I believe the new ones are oversized and the bushings need to be reamed to fit the oversize plus the grease tolerance.  This procedure would probably require a specialist with old school tools.  If you need to go that route look for a place that works on medium duty trucks, construction and or farm equipment.  

[DavidJose1]

On 10/4/2023 at 7:55 AM, greg g said:

Unless the king pins were completely ignored for thier whole existence, they should be serviceable. There are upwards of 18 grease fittings associated with steering parts.  Find them and get fresh grease into them.  New zeroks and heat maybe necessary to get the old hardened grease out.  This is especially true with the king pin pivot points.  My 46 has 118000 miles on its original king pins.  They get greased every year.  It is good practice to cycle the steering from lock to lock while servicing the grease fittings and applying heat.

 

If you need to replace the kingpins, I believe the new ones are oversized and the bushings need to be reamed to fit the oversize plus the grease tolerance.  This procedure would probably require a specialist with old school tools.  If you need to go that route look for a place that works on medium duty trucks, construction and or farm equipment.  

Does this also mean the actual steering part that goes on the middle of the knuckle must be upgraded in size too? This is that part the pin won’t fit through now, if I gotta get it reemed or bored out some so be it but I wanna drive lol

[andyd]

david.....that pic shows whats called the "spindle" or "upright".....the king pin should be a close fit in it with the lock pin inseted from one side or the other to lock the kingpin........when installing new kingpins the new kingpin bushes are press fitted into the stub axle from top & bottom then the kingpin bushes are REAMED to suit the diameter of the kingpin.....ensure the bushes are installed with the hole in the side of the bushes aligning with the grease nipple hole in the side of the stub axle..........you state the kingpin won't go thru the spindle hole??.........are you sure you have the correct kingpin set?..........check that the edge of the hole hasn't been worn with a "lip"........if you are referring to the "lockpin" that holds the kingpin it "should" fit from either side but it has a tapered side that locates against the kingpin and holds it in place.............dunno if any of this has been much help...........andyd   

[kencombs]

I posted a similar answer yesterday, but it's gone!

 

Anyway agree with Andy, except for another terminology thing.   The part in the pic is an 'upright' in my neighborhood, the spindle is the part that receives the new bushings that get reamed. 

 

Very seldom does the hole in the upright (or the similar holes in a solid axle) need any work.   Once in a while one will find on egg shaped a bit due to operating with bushings that where really  worn, allowing the pin to get banged about.