Confused about Lower Control Arms compatibility, someone please help!

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iNFiNiTY125

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Hello,

I saw the other posts on here about this subject but I would like to clarify. Sorry if this isn't posed in the right place or this gets asked a lot.

I have a 91 K2500 with stamped lowers, I am having so much difficulties trying to remove the stupid rivets to replace the ball joints. Can I replace my Stamped lower control arms with the new Cast ones?

Specifically I am looking at a set for 99-06:
Right LCA K620380
Left LCA K620381

Would they potentially fit? They look identical to the ones from the 98-00, and they are really the only ones I can find ready to go: 99-06 LCRs I want to buy

is it only:
Right LCA 512-01591R
Left LCA 512-01592L
that can be swapped or would the ones mentioned above fit? If no where can I find ready to install lowers?


Thanks, I really appericate the help!

-iNF

References:
https://www.gmt400.com/threads/forged-or-stamped-control-arms.400/
https://www.gmt400.com/threads/stamped-vs-forged-lower-control-arm-swap.33194/
https://www.gmt400.com/threads/forged-lower-control-arms-for-1998-k1500.38795/
 

iNFiNiTY125

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Well guy,. Your problem is, Lower ball joints don't have rivets

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You have to be joking right? I sincerely hope your not serious because they definitely do, guy

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454cid

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The control arms you're looking at are forged, not cast. A few people have swapped them in. I think it's a bolt in. They come from later 8-lug trucks. I think you should be able to get those rivets out, Though.
 

Supercharged111

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Yeah the pressed in joints on the forged ends suck pretty bad too, the tool doesn't fit right so you end up resetting it a million times to get them out and back in. Are you working with a Dremel or an angle grinder?
 

454cid

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Yeah the pressed in joints on the forged ends suck pretty bad too, the tool doesn't fit right so you end up resetting it a million times to get them out and back in. Are you working with a Dremel or an angle grinder?

Are you talking about the forged arms or the stamped arms with forged ends? I've never had the problems you describe with my forged arms.

OP, here's a good thread to read and shows a picture of the forged arms on a 1500
https://www.gmt400.com/threads/forged-lower-control-arms-for-1998-k1500.38795/
 

evilunclegrimace

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The best way to remove the riveted BJ's is to use a grinder to cut an X in the head of the rivet on the top side, cut the head off with a air chisel and then drill a 1/4" hole down into the rivet but DO NOT drill all the way through. Then take a punch in your air hammer and push the rivets out the bottom of the LCA. the reason for pushing the rivet out from top to bottom is the rivet has a stepped shank( it is larger on the bottom than the top)
I have done hundreds of these Ball Joints under warranty at the dealership back in the late 80's,early 90's and this is the fastest way I found of doing them, after a little practice you should be able to knock them out in under 30 minutes without to much trouble
 

iNFiNiTY125

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The best way to remove the riveted BJ's is to use a grinder to cut an X in the head of the rivet on the top side, cut the head off with a air chisel and then drill a 1/4" hole down into the rivet but DO NOT drill all the way through. Then take a punch in your air hammer and push the rivets out the bottom of the LCA. the reason for pushing the rivet out from top to bottom is the rivet has a stepped shank( it is larger on the bottom than the top)
I have done hundreds of these Ball Joints under warranty at the dealership back in the late 80's,early 90's and this is the fastest way I found of doing them, after a little practice you should be able to knock them out in under 30 minutes without to much trouble


Thanks for the advice, I embarrassingly have been stuck on the 1st rivet for 4 months now working on it almost every weekend. At first I used a angel grinder to cut the top then I drilled into the rivet and tried to use a harbor fright air hammer but It didn't do anything, then I bought a nice IR air hammer and it didn't move the rivet but it ended up bending the hammer bit.

I found a nice big punch and my self and lots of friends tried to hammer it but the punch ended up breaking into the rivet, then I tried to drill the punch out but ended up breaking the drill bit into the rivet too. I tried big C clamps to press the rivet out, but the clamps exploded (literally). I bought a big ball joint C clamp and tried to press the rivet out with that, It broke the top part of the rivet a little but it didn't budge. I tried torching the rivet with propane, solid 15 mins it didn't even turn red.

I had a few professionals come take a look, I was advised to remove the LCA and take it to a shop to get pressed out, I called around and the cost to do that is more than if I bought ready to go LCAs.. I called Auto nation Chevy to try to find the oem LCAs or get some advice but the tech told me to come buy another tuck....

I am going to try to remove the other rivets today and worry about the 1st one last. I will try again to cut the head and drill into it (not all the way) and push it out, I will try to go slow but Im not sure I will have any luck, the only thing I can think of now is melting them out with a plasma cutter but I rather just get new lowers.

I have multiple angle grinders, die grinders, dremel, air hammers, drills, nothing has been working for me.



454cid said:
The control arms you're looking at are forged, not cast. A few people have swapped them in. I think it's a bolt in. They come from later 8-lug trucks. I think you should be able to get those rivets out, Though.


454cid said:
Are you talking about the forged arms or the stamped arms with forged ends? I've never had the problems you describe with my forged arms.

OP, here's a good thread to read and shows a picture of the forged arms on a 1500
https://www.gmt400.com/threads/forged-lower-control-arms-for-1998-k1500.38795/

Thanks for your advice as well, the post you mentioned says 512-01592L and 512-01591R from the 99's I cant seem to find a ready set of those do you happen to know if the K620380 and K620381 are the same or will fit? They are for a 99-06?


Thanks everyone for help! I really want to drive my truck again.
 
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454cid

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Thanks for your advice as well, the post you mentioned says 512-01592L and 512-01591R from the 99's I cant seem to find a ready set of those do you happen to know if the K620380 and K620381 are the same or will fit? They are for a 99-06?

The forged arms are not 99 only. They started earlier, but I'm unsure of the year. If by "ready set" you mean a new after market part, you won't find that. Lower control arms are not available for our trucks like that. That's a fairly recent way to sell parts. The whole arm was not designed to be a wear part, but to have the wear parts replaced... ball joint and bushings.

99-06 would have to be GMT-800 stuff and is not what you would want.

Given all that you wrote about the things you've tried to do, to remove the rivets, and all that you've purchased, I would seriously consider paying a shop to the job.
 
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