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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, Ca
Posts: 2,841
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Ball joints. Is this safe?
I am trying to get as much upward travel as possible for my truck. I mainly drag race it and need front suspension travel for weight transfer.
I was doing some measuring tonight. At full droop in the front suspension, I have 5 1/4" of travel from ride height. I noticed that the end of the upper control arm comes in contact with the top of the spindle. I decided to pull the ball joint and install it from the bottom of the upper control arm rather dropping it through. At full droop I have 6 7/8" of travel that way. My concern would be safety in installing them this way. If I run them this way I am going to go get Grade 8 bolts to replace the ones that came with the new ball joints. The other option I thought about is either to grind down some of the lip on the control arm or some of the spindle in the area it makes contact (there is a semi large bump on the outside of the machined surface that the ball joint taper goes through). If I did modify the UCA I could add some material back on it by welding some plate or something to it above where I would grind. I would like to get some feedback from others. Do you feel the "sheer" strength of the 4 bolts being G8 would be ok, or should I drop the ball joint back through from the top and massage the UCA and/or the spindle? Thanks in advance. |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, Ca
Posts: 2,841
|
Re: Ball joints. Is this safe?
Here are 2 write-ups showing what I did on other types of vehicles..
http://www.planetisuzoo.com/articles...p/Spacer_Howto http://www.expeditionswest.com/equip...uspension.html |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cherry Valley,Ca
Posts: 468
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Re: Ball joints. Is this safe?
I really cant see any problem in doing that, especially in a drag racing application. I cant remember for sure, but I dont think the ball joint is a tight concentric fit in the arm when installed from the top anyway.
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 2,121
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Re: Ball joints. Is this safe?
The uppers go in from the top so that the spindle doesn't have very far to go when thoes little bolts break. Its your call, but you are putting your truck and posibly your life in the hands of just 8 little bitty bolts.
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'96 Nissan Pathfinder '02 Firebird Trans Am. '88 K5 Blazer |
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#5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Oregon City, Or
Posts: 758
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Re: Ball joints. Is this safe?
I've seen alot of lifted 2wd trucks come into my shop for alignments and most have the balljoints that way.
__________________
63 short fleet Patina build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=287751 Man I want another one. |
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#6 |
1972 Chevrolet SWB
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: FT Smith AR
Posts: 512
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Re: Ball joints. Is this safe?
Balljoint spacers or balljoint risers used to be used alot back int he day for drag racing to help aid in frt end rise.
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My New thread with pics (not my build thread yet.) ![]() http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...46#post2573646 1972 Chevrolet 1/2 ton short wide bed,68 frt clip Project. 1980 Camaro Inherited when father passed,68K Miles 2003 Ford Mach1 FUN as Hell!! 2002 Dodge Ram 5-8 slam Rolling BillBoard (Gone not forgot) 2004 Dodge Ram HEMI 10" lifted on 37's and 2wd. |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, Ca
Posts: 2,841
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Re: Ball joints. Is this safe?
So the consensus is safe to run...
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