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Front Suspension Ball Joint for 1969 Eldorado Question

Started by Ted in Olympia WA, March 04, 2010, 09:39:40 PM

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Ted in Olympia WA

I put a used engine in a 1969 Eldorado for a customer and notice that the ball joints were very bad.  Now I told him this he wants me to also replace the ball joints.  I don't normally do this kind of work but he got me at a weak moment.

I went to Rockauto and they list the lower one as fitting 69-78 and this make sense to me.  But the upper one is not listed.  So I looked at 1974 and they have one listed but it says it fits 73-78 only.

I thought all control arms were the same from 67-78 so I looked in the exchanged manual it says 71-78 for the upper control arm.

Does anybody know for sure why they are different and if they really are?  I ordered the ones for the 74 and hope it is the same as the 69 and the part listing is incorrect (they had a killer close out deal so I got the 10 they had left for this price).  The one on this 1969 car is very bad so I may have to sell him a used 73-78 upper control arm to make it work and rebuild it this way.  But in my mind I cannot see why it would be any different from 67-78?

Thanks for your help.

TED
Selling used Eldorado Parts from 1971-1978.  Member Number 25659.

Glen

Check this listing from the 1974 Master Parts Book. 

Hope this helps you.

Glen
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

Ted in Olympia WA

#2
Thanks Glen, this shows the same break at 72/73 so I guess maybe it won't work to have a later ball joint.  It seems to me it should be the same, but I will tear it down and see why and post back.  May be a couple of weeks before this happens since I have another car on the hoist right now and this customer does not seem to be in a hurry.

I did an search on Google and found them under "Caddy Daddy" for $360 for the pair.  They show the break at 1970 and the one in the picture show 3 bolt holes.  The ones for the later ones have 4 bolt holes so maybe this is the difference?  I have a welder and drill so maybe the later ones can be made to work if the taper is correct?

http://caddydaddy577.corecommerce.com/Front-c138/

Parts for these cars are starting to dry up, I see closeout sales a lot now on Rockauto and this worries me.

TED
Selling used Eldorado Parts from 1971-1978.  Member Number 25659.

Dave Shepherd

Try Napa, use their online Napaonline.com to look for the parts, they do have a lot of parts for our cars.

Ted in Olympia WA

Good call they do list them and a bit cheaper too.  They say they are available at the local store so if the later ones cannot be made to work I will have to order a couple of these. 

http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?A=RPC10244_0262149920&An=599001+101969+50010+2010008

And here's the picture for the one on the later cars

http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?A=NCP2601126_0131143419&An=599001+101974+50010+2010008

Thanks much Dave and Glenn,

TED
Selling used Eldorado Parts from 1971-1978.  Member Number 25659.