Threaded vs Pressed Lower Ball Joint?

[patrick]

Guys and gals,

Why did my '73 Road Runner come with the threaded (read: more expensive to replace) lower ball joints such as the MOOG K719 versus the press-fit (MOOG K7069)?

What was the advantage, disadvantage, and why was it used on some Road Runners but not others?

Car is a factory 400/4-speed car.
.

[rr6pak]

I'm not 100% sure but I think it was a design change made by the engineers. Why and or is it beneficial, IDK.

[steved]

cost savings? if the pressed one came second in the production run, i'm betting they needed to save a little money somewhere. Threads cost money to make.

[patrick]

Moog states if your car originally had threaded, you must replace with threaded, yet most front-end kits just give you the press-fit by default. Will they interchange?

[rr6pak]

Moog states if your car originally had threaded, you must replace with threaded, yet most front-end kits just give you the press-fit by default. Will they interchange?

No. You have to know which kind, threaded or not, you have. That is unless you change the UCA

[patrick]

Seems weird to have two different types, especially since the control arm is different. Maybe it was a big block versus small block thing? Anyone here actually have the non-threaded type ball joints? I was talking about the lower ball joint, not the upper, by the way.

[sdweatherman]

My 1971 Sebring Plus had pressed lowers and threaded uppers. I think that is the norm for most of these cars. Scott.