More GM front clip questions

[48builder]

As I mentioned the other day when I could not remember if the rubber ring went on top or bottom of the front springs on my '87 GP clip, I should not have waited so many years between disassembly and reassembly.

Today I went out to put the springs in, and quickly discovered that my outside spring compressors will not work on this car. So this week I'll round up an internal style compressor.

I figured I would bolt the upper ball joints on so I would at least make some progress. Now, I think they bolt in from the bottom side of the A-arm, but I just can't remember, and I have no car I can look at to see for sure. To me, it wouldn't make sense to bolt them on top of the A-arm, since then the only thing holding it would be the bolts, and if they broke it would be bad news. Can somebody verify that for me?

Thanks,

Walt

[enjenjo]

The ball joint goes on the top of the A arm. Spring tension is pulling it down.

[48builder]

The ball joint goes on the top of the A arm. Spring tension is pulling it down.

yeah, the more I thought about it, the more that idea made sense. Another thing. There is a metal cap that goes with it. The cap looks like it could hold the boot on, or just serve as a resevoir for grease maybe. Does that go on the top as well, or does that bolt on the underside?

[enjenjo]

You have a picture of this cap?

[sirstude]

The "cap" holds the boot on from the bottom side of the A arm.  The ball joint does go on top of the A arm like Frank said.  I have had the Olds apart so many times, I can see the parts in my sleep.

Doug

[48builder]

The "cap" holds the boot on from the bottom side of the A arm.  

Doug

Thanks. I'm not sure how the boot part will go, since I bought a polyurethane bushing kit that came with its own ball joint boots. They are a bit different than the ones the joints came with. It appears that a whole bunch of grease fills up the space between that cap and the boot.

Walt