Chevy & GMC Vans

Hi Ladies & Gentlemen, This is my first post and my question is WHY is it recommended that bolts for new ball joints be installed from the bottom? My van is a 1999 AWD. (MOOG K6291, K6292) I have tried finding an explanation for this but was unsuccessful. Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences!

hello and welcome.
Is your van lifted?
Lifted vans can benefit from installing the top ball joints on the underside rather than over the top side of the arm.
the balljoint relocation to the bottom side relaxes the stress on the bj a bit on vans where the torsion bars have been cranked up to provide extra lift in the front by twisting the torsion bar tension up.

"NEVERMIND" ~~Rosanna Rosannadana and Thanks doyoulikeithere! My van is not lifted. Strictly stock. I would have edited my post but thought others might benefit from my carelessness. I reread the instructions for the MOOG ball joint installation. The bolts for the bottom BJ ARE supposed to be installed from the top. It is the bolts for the top BJ that are installed from the bottom and the reason, I surmise, is that with the bolt heads on the bottom they protrude below the control arm a fixed distance, the thickness of the bolt head. If the bolts were installed from the top there is the possibility that the bolt might interfere with the BJ movement ie; if someone used a longer bolt than supplied or if, inadvertently, a longer bolt was supplied with the BJ. YES! I DO LIKE IT HERE. More experience presented than one person could get in a lifetime.