Ball joints spinning so cannot tighten AND castle nut issue

[HeavyHauler]

Well I pressed in new lower ball joints for the lower control arms of my 1968 Chevy C10 and now I am trying to install the spindle but the lower ball joint stud keeps on spinning and will not allow me to tighten it.

and also the new castle nut that came with the ball joint is very skinny and i can spin the nut on by hand and can get it below the cotter pin hole and I havent even torqued it down yet....if I did torque it down the cotter pin would be sticking out waaaaay above the castle nut.

The old factory castle nut is about 1/4 inch thicker so I decided to use that as I figured after I get it torqued down really good then I could install the cotter pin

What do guys do in order to stop the ball joint from spinning. None of the tricks I saw online seem to work like putting pressure on the spindle area with a long bar to try to bind the stud so I can torque it down.

I got frustrated and used a impact gun on it and got it to tighten down so that the tip of the stud is even with the top of the castle nut but the stud is still spinning.

[randy500]

You need enough upward pressure from your jack such that it forces the ball joint taper into the spindle.
Sometimes the spring pressure prevents this, when this happens i try moving my jack further out to the lip of the control arm.
If that doesnt work you have to add more weight to the front end. Have people sit on the truck.
Stack lifting weights on it or sandbags.

[randy500]

Usually this problem occurs when you try to assemble the front suspension with the engine removed, is that the case here?

Ive had many new castle nuts that were too small in height recently. I always keep some old ones on hand.

[Sheepdip]

Just asking... but the lower ball joint should have come with a roughly 3/16" thick washer, is that in place? You could be out of threads if it's not in place.

[3767]

Put a jack under that ball joint. With pressure the spinning should stop. Use your old castle nut. Sounds like someone put the wrong 1 n the box. Main thing is you should have to apply some pressure to get ball joint thru spindle. That impact gun will help speed things up. Keep everyone posted as u go. We have all had some problems at some point with rebuilding the front end. I replaced mine with the motor out and that Jack under the ball joint helped.

[Andy4639]

Take a Ratchet Strap and place around the a arms and tighten it up good and snug and see if it will pull it up tight enough to start it.

[truckster]

I've used a large C clamp to pull the parts together enough that the taper will tighten up enough to get the nut on.

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by randy500

Usually this problem occurs when you try to assemble the front suspension with the engine removed, is that the case here?

Ive had many new castle nuts that were too small in height recently. I always keep some old ones on hand.

Engine has not been removed. I kept the stock castle nuts just in case even though they seemed to fit alot more snug than the ones that came with the ball joints.

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by Sheepdip

Just asking... but the lower ball joint should have come with a roughly 3/16" thick washer, is that in place? You could be out of threads if it's not in place.

None of the ball joints I purchased came with a 3/16 washer and there were none on the ball joint when I took it apart either.

I could purchase a ball joint over the counter at Autozone today for the same truck and it would not come with a washer. The only things they come with are cotter pin,grease zerk,nut and the ball joint itself.

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by 3767

Put a jack under that ball joint. With pressure the spinning should stop. Use your old castle nut. Sounds like someone put the wrong 1 n the box. Main thing is you should have to apply some pressure to get ball joint thru spindle. That impact gun will help speed things up. Keep everyone posted as u go. We have all had some problems at some point with rebuilding the front end. I replaced mine with the motor out and that Jack under the ball joint helped.

I will try putting a jack under the ball joint.
The same castle nut was in both new ball joints. I was able to thread the old castle nut on the ball joint by hand but it quickly became really tight.

My engine is still in.

[kehstr]

If the jack under the ball joint does not work, take a large prybar, and pry down on the upper control arm, forcing the knuckle into the taper of the balljoint

[my67c20]

Do the old and new ball joints match? I have seen replacements with a different taper and they only contact the arm taper in a spot. To check take a marker and color on the ball joint, then stuff it in the arm and give it a few rotations, then pop it out and see where the contact pattern is.

[cornerstone]

Originally Posted by my67c20

Do the old and new ball joints match? I have seen replacements with a different taper and they only contact the arm taper in a spot. To check take a marker and color on the ball joint, then stuff it in the arm and give it a few rotations, then pop it out and see where the contact pattern is.

Hadn't thought of this. Good info for the future....

[LockDoc]

-
If you are using the original nuts lightly tighten them up in a vise and run a tap through them before threading them on. When the original nuts are tightened up to spec it distorts the threads. That is why they won't screw on. They should screw on fine after restoring the threads....

LockDoc

[67C10Step]

Loc Doc speaks from experience. I do this with every nut I reuse that has seen any level of torque. A tap and die set is a must have tool item for me.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

I'm stumped by the OP being able to thread the replacement nut past the cotter pin hole by hand. Sounds like the ball joints don't match the spindles to me, but I'm no expert. A picture of the upper and lower might help.

Possible the coil springs are too short?

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by my67c20

Do the old and new ball joints match? I have seen replacements with a different taper and they only contact the arm taper in a spot. To check take a marker and color on the ball joint, then stuff it in the arm and give it a few rotations, then pop it out and see where the contact pattern is.

I have ECE 2.5 drop spindles and I will check tomorrow to see what contact pattern reveals itself. Thanks.

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

-
If you are using the original nuts lightly tighten them up in a vise and run a tap through them before threading them on. When the original nuts are tightened up to spec it distorts the threads. That is why they won't screw on. They should screw on fine after restoring the threads....

LockDoc

Wish I had known that before I torqued the factory castle nut on to my new ball joint because the factory nut will not work on the ball joints I purchased because I ran out of threads,castle nut was too tall and couldnt install the cotter pin. I then had to remove the factory castle nut which revealed stripped threads.

I am installing a new ball joint tomorrow. Good information though.

[Ol Blue K20]

Sounds like you have the wrong ball joints for the spindles.

[3767]

First off....I’m sorry u are having this much trouble. It’s not a big job but this has been ruff 4 u. I think u have been given the wrong ball joints. U really need to go back and get another set. If u have your old ones still, compare them to what u will b getting. Look at the taper on each. They should match up n length and nut should go on both. I can tell u that if u get a set made for a newer c10 u will know it due to the fact that they are bigger and won’t fit spindle.if u are able to post a few pics, it might help all of us along. Just keep us n the loop and we will get u thru this.

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Sounds like you have the wrong ball joints for the spindles.

They are aftermarket ball joints from Autozone part FA481 they are for 1968 Chevy C10.

The spindles are ECE 2.5 drop spindles and I believe are supposed to use the 1968 Chevy C10 ball joints.

[3767]

Just for laughs, I now wonder if u have spindles for a 71 or even a 73. If that is the case, that would explain why the ball joint just falls n the hole. Newer spindles have a bigger hole and take a bigger ball joint.

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by 3767

Just for laughs, I now wonder if u have spindles for a 71 or even a 73. If that is the case, that would explain why the ball joint just falls n the hole. Newer spindles have a bigger hole and take a bigger ball joint.

They do?

[truck-kid]

67C20's suggestion is a good one to color the ball joint taper with a marker. Take new ball joint and test fit into the spindle right out of the box. it should be a nice fit with absolutely no play or slop at all with just hand pressure with no exposed taper protruding thru on thread end.Sometimes a washer is supplied if a slight amount of taper protrudes to take up that space. You should be able to thread the nut on by hand all the way down with but with a nice fit on the threads.
On any part with a taper its imperative to be torqued properly and to have a good fit as a damaged/worn/improper taper when tightened can crack and fall off later on with obvious catastrophic results....
Having changed Numerous suspension components I have seen lots of issues like correct part # with wrong part in the box, taper machined wrong, threads very loose just to name a few- all these issues becoming more frequent with overseas parts. hope this helps .
.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

They do?

LOL......They do x 2?

I got the ECE 2.1/2" drop spindles. Couldn't tell you if 68 is same as my 71, I'd guess so. New ball joints from Moog, no problems.