Can I use 63 to 66 ball joints in 73 to 87 control arms

[dirty454]

Hey guys long time watcher first time poster, will the 63 to 66 upper and lower ball joints work in the 73 to 87 control arms

Thanks!

[SCOTI]

Yes.

[lolife99]

yep,... as long as both sets of a-arms are 1/2-ton.
3/4-ton lower a-arms have a larger balljoint hole.

[dirty454]

Thanks for the response guys!! One more thing, I read that you have to use 73 to 87 ball joints if you use a 2 1/2 drop spindle is this true?

Thanks again guys!

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by dirty454

Thanks for the response guys!! One more thing, I read that you have to use 73 to 87 ball joints if you use a 2 1/2 drop spindle is this true?

Thanks again guys!

NO.
Drop spindles can be purchased for the following years.
60-62
63-70
71-72
73-87

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by dirty454

Thanks for the response guys!! One more thing, I read that you have to use 73 to 87 ball joints if you use a 2 1/2 drop spindle is this true?

Thanks again guys!

You use the ball joints for the spindles you buy. If you get ones for a '73-'87, then use those year ball joints. If you get ones for a '60-'70, use those. Almost all spindle companies make spindles for specific years now. In the old days you could only get dropped spindles for '73-'87.

If you're buying used ones, make sure you know what years they are for before you buy ball joints.

Good luck and welcome to the forum!

[Tx Firefighter]

Not true. You have to use whatever ball joints fit your drop spindles. There are 63-70, 71-72, and 73-87 flavor of dropped spindles on the market.

Now, there is one dirty company that comes to mind that sells 73-87 drop spindles for early trucks and tells you that you need to swap your ball joints and steering linkage to 73-87 stuff to match. That's just ghetto of them and no longer the best option. That was the path before Early Classic started making true bolt on spindles for the earlier trucks, back when 73-87 drop spindles were the only ones made.

Nowadays though, if you order spindles for 63-70 trucks, you can reuse all of your steering linkage and 63-70 ball joints and not have to swap everything over to late model stuff, saving real money in the long run.

[lolife99]

Spindles also have to match the outer tie rods.
Don't create issues you don't need.
It's really not that hard now that they make "year specific" drop spindles.

[Tx Firefighter]

Damn, I'm a slow typist on this iPad. I got treed by two guys as I hunted and pecked my answer out.

[lolife99]

Everyone is in agreement!
Ha.

Too bad this info can be broadcast better.
I've been saying this stuff for at least 10 years on here.

[dirty454]

Thanks guys! I searched but only came up with conflicting responses but I knew it would be cleared up here

[dirty454]

Ok one more question and I'll leave y'all alone lol can I run the 73 to 87 hubs on the 63 to 66 spindles?
Surely not because that would be to easy right? Lol

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by dirty454

Ok one more question and I'll leave y'all alone lol can I run the 73 to 87 hubs on the 63 to 66 spindles?
Surely not because that would be to easy right? Lol

I think you mean,...
Can I run the 73-87 rotors on the 63-70 conversion drop spindles?

YES.
Just get the HD (heavy duty) version which are 1.25" wide.
Actually 71-87 HD rotors will work.