Front suspension rebuild help
 

Before I get into all the details, after replacing everything besides the springs in the '69 C10's front suspension, my cotter pin holes don't line up right for all the ball joints. Its been awhile but I'm pretty sure I confirmed the tapers were matching. I'll tear it all back apart if I have to but I dont really want I dont really want too :) The other threads I read either claimed wrong taper size for one reason or another but I dont think thats the case.

Stacking hardened washers isn't a route I want to go down, I think I'd rather drill a new hole if needed. Any advice? I surely could use some



More details if you feel like reading it...

I've been putting off finishing my front end rebuild for years... yeah, I know that didnt make it easier. Started off with a-arms getting ruined at the media blasters, then struggling to find decent OEM replacement control arms. Then buying Porter Built control arms waiting 3 months to get them, then they had issues and needed to be sent back and waiting another 2 months or so to get them back and I lost most interest finishing it.

It's basically all back together but my ball joint cotter pin holes are off by quite a bit. I read on other threads about incorrect taper size, which is not new to me. I bought Early Classic's stock height disc brake conversion spindles for it ( 1969 C10 ) which use 1969 ball joints. Every ball joint and wearable part was replaced. I used Moog for almost everything.

The upper ball joint boots where sitting bad when installed, so I swapped the upper ball joints for what came with the control arms and they worked a little better to keep water out.

Re: Front suspension rebuild help
 

I would try 71-72 parts & see how they seat vs. what you currently have. This would be my investigative progression:

*Purchase a new upper & lower BJ for a later model truck from a local parts store (71-72 and/or 73-80).
*Pop each end loose @ the spindle on your truck & compare how the later model stuff seats into the spindle vs. what you currently have.
*If they fit better, you now have to decide if you're going to replace them.

If they don't fit any differently, you simply put the new parts back in their respective boxes & return them for a refund.
If they do fit better, my guess is a mis-boxed set of spindles.

Re: Front suspension rebuild help
 

Fair enough. I understand more now than ever why some of the car guys I've known throughout my life don't like aftermarket parts very much.

Re: Front suspension rebuild help
 

Modification = work, effort, & research. You have to be as educated as possible on the parts being used especially on spindle stuff like this. There were so many aftermarket variations produced over the years that there could be a half dozen possible units that would work on a given truck. Add in the human factor of not dbl-checking a part number & down a rabbit-hole you go.

Re: Front suspension rebuild help
 

Update: upper and lower ball joints were wrong. Replaced with Proforged ball joints, appear to be much higher quality than Moog. It improved the cotter pin hole location a lot. Also cleaned up ECE's poor quality machined tapers in the spindle and its good enough for now. Thanks for the help

Re: Front suspension rebuild help
 

OK, I may be way off here but who's A arms are you using? Something looks off to me in your photos. Your tire appears to be on the ground but the angle of the ball joint location to spindle looks terrible. Perhaps it is because the front suspension hasn't settled down but that just doesn't look right.

Did you get ball joints for a different year than the first go around?

Re: Front suspension rebuild help
 

Looks like the vehicle is jacked-up in the air from what I'm seeing.

Re: Front suspension rebuild help
 

Could be and hope it is. It just looked like the tire was on the ground but may just be touching with jack or something out of sight.