Ball joints...

[ThatOneBlue67]

Hey y'all,

My dad is converting his 67 to dropped disc brake spindles (MY 67 is getting a new intake in the mean time). Anyway, supposing we received the RIGHT spindles for a 1967 truck, is he going to have to get new ball joints for the lower A arms? WIll a 1967 ball joint fit these lowered disc spindles? The ones he has now are either too big or too small. Can't remember.

We sent the spindles back (they were the wrong years). SO, in the event that they can't supply him with the proper spindle, can he get ball joints off of a different truck and use them with the spindles he DID receive?

Thankyou.

[basketcase]

That depends on the spindles. Used to be that all of the disc brake dropped spindles used the '71-'72 ball joints which are larger but now some companies have dropped disc brake spindles that go right on your '67-70 drum brake ball joints and also use the stock tie rods. Disc brake tie rods are also larger and the threads are reversed from the drum brake ones. If your dad gets the disc brake spindles for the drum brake trucks they will be a bolt on. As long as the ball joints are not worn they can be re-used.

Tom

[basketcase]

Oops. I didn't answer all of your question. Yes he can use the '71-'72 spindles by installing '71-'72 ball joints on the '67 control arms. Then you need to get a tie rod adapter sleeve from CPP that allows you to use a '71-'72 outer tie rod end and a '67-'70 outer tie rod end. You put the '67 outer on the inner position and run the '72 on the outer end. That's all there is to it.

With a disc brake conversion you will also need to use a disc brake master cylinder and proportioning valve and get a pre bent brake line kit. CPP now has a line kit specifically for drum brake trucks that have been converted to discs. This saves you some fabrication necessary when using a disc brake line kit on a drum brake lower control arm.

Tom

[Dr. Drop]

If you are going to use the 71-72 DB spdl on your Drum brake truck then you will also need to use the 71-72 upper ball joint or complete upper controll arm. To make things simple and less confusing on on which tie-rod ends to use. Get a used 71-72 center link with the inner and outer tie-rod ends on it. This will replace your drum brake one.

[PICKMUP]

If you will just contact CPP they will sell you a changeover system for your truck that includes all of the correct parts & instructions. You won't need to go looking for any mix-n-match used parts and you won't take the chance of getting the wrong/dangerous parts.
1. You can get spindles that will bolt on to your 67, as stated above.
2. You can get a kit that includes the ball joints & tierod ends & sleeves (they use 73+ parts that are a little more common & cheaper to replace).

[71Chev]

Or use McGaughy's 63-70 drop spindles, and use all your factory 67 ball joints and tie rod ends. Why jerry rig and have to use adapters...

[basketcase]

Like I said above, if you can't return the new larger ball joint spindles and you want to use them the swap is simple. There is no Jerry Rigging about it. It is just assembling the right parts to do the job like in any modification.. In '71 GM beefed up the steering and ball joints on the front of these trucks to go to the disc brakes. In other words the '71 parts are larger and stronger than the older drum brake parts. The control arms are the same for all practical purposes and the ball joint mounting areas are exactly the same. You do not rig or modify the control arm to accept the newer ball joint. The uppers bolt in just like the smaller shaft drum brake parts store replacement ones and the lowers press in exactly as the originals. You just end up with ball joints that the '71-'72 spindles will bolt to.

The tie rod sleeve is not a compromise at all either. In fact it is made just like the ones used for road racing. It makes a stocker look puny in comparison. After you do this conversion the weakest link in your system will be the few '67 pieces left over (even if they are new) just because they are smaller in diameter. These pics show the swap with some stock '72 spindles.

I agree that the best way to go would be a complete '71 up system or to use the dropped spindles that are now available for the '63-'70 stock suspensions. If those had been available when I did my swap I would have purchased those and made the swap a lot simpler.

Tom

[basketcase]

[ThatOneBlue67]

Well we got in contact with Brothers. Seems they actually sent us the wrong kind and that they do have the spindles to fit specifically for drum brake trucks. Thanks for all of your help and, in the event that the tierods or ball joints don't fit, I'll have an answer. Unfortunately we're kind of in the hole for serious money spending, so anything we can get used we do.