Is it bad to heat a lower ball joint nut???

[AlaskanJack]

I had to replace all my ball joints and on the drivers side I couldn't get the lower ball joint to seat into the axle housing. I put a bottle jack under the knuckle and applied upward pressure but once the nut hit the pinch part it would spin the stud on the ball joint. I was told to add some valve grinding compound to the stud before installing it and it would help to get a bite on the taper. I also heated up my nut to let it expand a little. the nut finally tightened but I am now worried that by heating the nut I may have weakened it. Any thoughts.

Thanks.

 

[tenikiwon]

I wouldn't worry about it. It's not going to fall off and I couldn't image that anything you would do could cause it to break.

 

[AlaskanJack]

well Tenikiwon asked me some questions in the chat I hadn't anticipated so here is further info.

I had installed a nut that got seized on the stud once it hit the pinch portion of the nut. No matter what I did in applying pressure the ball joint stud would continue to spin. So after a weeks of tinkering with it I used a nutbreaker to bust the nut and start over. I got a new balljoint nut I had two new spares and they also got tight and would spin the stud. So I applied some valve grinding compound to the taper and then thoguht why not heat the nut. Then after installing the nut I went oh crud did I weaken the nut. I let the nut cool down on its own but at least the knuckle is tight and installed.

 

[tenikiwon]

Just weld it on!

 

[AlaskanJack]

Well I spoke with abuddy of mine on a local forum and he said he didn't think my propane torch got hot enough in 45 seconds to affect it that much since it didn't turn more than a light shade of tan and then let it cool by itself.

So I am not so worried now. Thanks anyways


Weld it!!!! At the rate I have been replacing ball joints lately that might be problematic.

 

[92Tank]

Oh, only a propane torch. I was thinking oxy-acetylene and a white hot nut, hehe. You have zero worries from that type of heating...it's done quite frequently to fit bearing races/collars and other press fit assemblies.