Well, one of my upper ball joints threads are stripped (where it threads into the control arm, that is). I haven't actually checked to see if the ball joint or the control arm is guilty, but, assuming it's the control arm, I'd get it welded in.
So, since I've never really welded before, I'd want to have someone else do it. How much might I look at having to shell out?

I'm planning on talking to some of the guys at work that work on their own stuff to see if they can recommend a place to take it (or, if they would do it!)

 

Shouldn't cost too much. I would assume an exhaust shop could do it for less than $20, but I have a welder and have never paid for anything to be welded, so I don't know for sure.

But I had the exact same problem a while back... here is how I welded it (it's not pretty, but it held on to a good bit of abuse...

DSCN0156.jpg?t=1244526757

 

I actually still have that picture in my email.
I'd love to test out the new-to-me welder, but I still don't have a welding helmet and knowing my luck... I'd rather not screw anything up, haha.

 

I was wondering if you still had it! Now the whole forum has it =P

This would actually be a great thing for you to learn on. You'd be hard pressed to mess it up cause the metal is so thick. Just grind it down until you have all bare metal showing and go to town! But get a welding helmet first, cause it sucks to try and weld without one. I got my auto-darkening helmet at Harbor Freight for like $20. It's really cheap but it works great for what I need it to do.

 

OR, I could go get a helmet, and try with the scrap metal from my friends JHeep under my overhang.
Ok. You convinced me. I'll get a helmet and experiment with some scrap before welding. If I feel confident enough, I'll do it and post some pics!

 

LOL! Well that didn't take much to convince you =P You must have been on the edge about it. You probably won't regret your decision. That ball joint was the first thing I welded with my welder and it hasn't broken yet.

 

haha interesting...i just replaced the upper and lower ball joints on my 2001 dodge ram. IT sucked to find the parts for them because they were welded press in joints. it took me like 7.5 hours to find the joints finally. for all four of them it costed me $715.95 which isn't really that bad. I think they are moogs or whatever i cant remeber off the top of my head

 

$715!!?? I paid like $75 each for mine. (I don't really remember.)
Our bottoms are pressed in, our tops are supposed to be threaded. I took one look at the threads on the control arm/old ball joints, and thought, "Wow, these are really shallow grooves to have on such an important piece!"

 

yea i think the lowers were $139 or somthing like that and i got 2 and the uppers were $95 or somthing plus there was the labor. If i did the joints myself i would have been screwed.

 

Ok, that includes labor, so that seems a lot more reasonable.

I just ordered a helmet and some gloves from Northern Tool.
Gives me an excuse to paint them now too.