What Ball Joint/Lower Control Arm do I have?

[Mike Franklin]

Hi,

Can you help me id this lower control arm? Came off a 97 K1500 350 Vortec 4wd but she has several junk yard mismatch parts so I cant guarantee these are oem. Rock Auto has two ball join types listed, stamped, and forged. Looking at this control arm "technically" I see a stamped and forged parts. Which do I have?

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[JackE]

You have stamped. Forged is one solid piece, stamped is multiple pieces welded together.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

You have stamped. Forged is one solid piece, stamped is multiple pieces welded together.

That is not quite right. He has a forged end that is welded into a stamped arm. He will need the press fit ball joint. Some trucks were all stamped and required a bolt in style ball joint

 

[Mike Franklin]

Right, the end is not stamped, the end is forged, pressed into stamped metal arms. So then, which lower ball joint do I get? there are two options, stamped, or forged?

 

[Mike Franklin]

Right, the end is not stamped, the end is forged, pressed into stamped metal arms. So then, which lower ball joint do I get? there are two options, stamped, or forged? I'm leaning toward forged.

 

[JackE]

That is not quite right. He has a forged end that is welded into a stamped arm. He will need the press fit ball joint. Some trucks were all stamped and required a bolt in style ball joint

So is that someone's Frankenstein part, or did GM do that from the factory? If that's not a factory part, I think I would start over with some real parts.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

So is that someone's Frankenstein part, or did GM do that from the factory? If that's not a factory part, I think I would start over with some real parts.

I am pretty sure that is a factory part but I will let someone that has that style on their truck comment. My trucks are earlier models '88,'90,'92 and they all have the stamped style lower CA's with the bolt in style BJ's. I have not looked under the Suburban that I got from your brother. But I am going to look right now. "I'll bee bach"

 

[evilunclegrimace]

So is that someone's Frankenstein part, or did GM do that from the factory? If that's not a factory part, I think I would start over with some real parts.

I am pretty sure that is a factory part but I will let someone that has that style on their truck comment. My trucks are earlier models '88,'90,'92 and they all have the stamped style lower CA's with the bolt in style BJ's. I have not looked under the Suburban that I got from your brother. But I am going to look right now. "I'll bee bach"

 

[evilunclegrimace]

So is that someone's Frankenstein part, or did GM do that from the factory? If that's not a factory part, I think I would start over with some real parts.

I am pretty sure that is a factory part but I will let someone that has that style on their truck comment. My trucks are earlier models '88,'90,'92 and they all have the stamped style lower CA's with the bolt in style BJ's. I have not looked under the Suburban that I got from your brother. But I am going to look right now. "I'll bee bach"

 

[evilunclegrimace]

I don't know what is going on but I am having all kinds of problems posting today.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

I don't know what is going on but I am having all kinds of problems posting today.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

I don't know what is going on but I am having all kinds of problems posting today.

 

[Mike Franklin]

Evilunclegrimace.... have you excised your posting demons?

 

[evilunclegrimace]

I hope so. This has been an unusual evening. I keep getting a timed out message.

But back to the question at hand, I checked the 1998 Suburban and it has the same style LCA as the OP showed. I am going to go out on a limb here a say that there have been 3 types of control arms over the years. The early trucks had full stamp/welded LCA's with bolt in BJ's( no forged parts), the second generation as it were was a combo stamped/forged LCA with pressed in BJ's and the last was a fully forged LCA that also took the pressed in BJ's. If any one has any different info post it up.