Topic: Need some ball joint rivets

[T Lea]

A good friend of mine who is a machinist is look at making dies and offering ball joint rivet pressing. He can make the dies but I need some samples as all I have here is 68 style lower (dome) I am looking for the waffle design as well as others. If you have any old a arms that you could drill out rivets (from the non pressed side) I would appreciate it and it will help us all as I'm confident he will be lower than the going rate.

[Sunlitgold68]

I've got an original 68 upper arm with the rivets still installed. I can ship you the whole arm if you want it. Don't want to mess with removing the rivets. Thanks

[T Lea]

I'll take it. Are you going to see Charles soon? He has a box coming to me you could fit it in.

[Sunlitgold68]

It might be a month before I see Charles. I will see Pete soon, maybe a week or 2 but not sure. I can send it out tomorrow UPS ground, shouldn't cost too much. Just let me know, thanks

[cobra427]

Tim

I'm doing this to my car right now, I cut the top of the rivits off and have the waffle design head you are talking about.  I'll even send you my original upper arm so your friend can practice on, as long as you send them back with the rivits pressed in.  I tried to pound the rivits in one of my upper arms and put the waffle design on them, but they don't look the same.

Gary 

[T Lea]

Gary, Thanks but I already have samples. He's working on the dies now

[CharlesTurner]

What about the guys at Skillman's?  Didn't they have some rivets made and have a few different dies?

[T Lea]

I think so. I'm just trying to come up with an alternative to whats out there. It always seems to take 3 months and costs a ton. I guarrantee my machinist friend will be significantly less

[CharlesTurner]

From what I understand, a 40T press is the minimum requirement to do it in-house.  If I could get the dies made to do the various types of rivet head indentions, I'd consider getting a press.

[T Lea]

He has a 50 T

[J_Speegle]

Here are some of the different patterns Rare Parts had stamps made up for (and a test disc) since there were plenty of owners asking for specific patterns. Looks like some have been looking at service replacments

Can't say they are not trying

[cobra427]

Jeff,

The originals on my car have that pattern but they also look to be convex, in other words they look to dip into the center...  Have you ever notice that on other cars?

Gary

[J_Speegle]

Jeff,

The originals on my car have that pattern but they also look to be convex, in other words they look to dip into the center...  Have you ever notice that on other cars?

These wouldn't be a domed rivet with a dimple or depression in the middle would it?

[cobra427]

Well we will call it a depression in the middle...  So I would think that your die would be some kind of small ball with the waffle pattern,  It almost looks like they may of been pressed in hot...

Gary

[J_Speegle]

Gary - what year and plant was your car built?