Space b/t ball joint and Drop Spindle?

[5150]

Hey guys,

I put on my drop spindles yesterday and finished them up today. My question is the castle nut on the upper ball joint and lower ball joint goes a lot farther down then the hole for the cotter pin. I could shake the spindle before i put the tire down. I didn't know if I just needed new upper ball joints or what? Help would be appreciated.

Bryan

[Tx Firefighter]

I hate to even type this, but it sounds like you may have the wrong spindles. The dropped spindle should fit the same as the stock one as far as ball joints and tie rod ends.

Are the ball joint studs fitting snugly into the machined hoes in the spindle? What year truck? What brand spindles?

[neonlarry]

What Tx said, spindles and their ball joints for different years and different weights have differing tapers. They will not mix and match. At least not safely.

[5150]

No, they slide right down in there. They are McGauhey 2.5 Drop Spindles. It's a 70 front disc were already in it.

[lolife99]

What were the discs oridinally off of? Any idea? 1970 model trucks didn't come from the factory with disc brakes. Maybe it's just the wrong ball joint.

[DTerry]

You've probably already done this by now but, measure the hole diameter in the new spindles and compare to the old ones. Should be the same, top dimension and bottom too.

Worn ball joints won't wear where you are talking about - they wear within the ball.

It may be possible to use a different ball joint than you have to make those new spindles work, but you'd have to take the spindles to the store to ensure they fit properly. If you try this, ensure you get the correct height ball joint. GM makes quite a few different joints that will actually fit that spindle.

(D)

[neonlarry]

^ What he said 70 did not have discs stock someone could have put a 73-87 front X-member in, McGauhey spindles are made to convert 67-70 to disc.

[canadian trucker]

i just put in drop spindles in my 84 truck and the castle nut came down alot lower than on the original (the cotter pin was not touching it) so i was kinda confused and worried so i asked a mechanic and he said the was normal with new parts, even he runs into those problems sometimes and he works on bmw's, porsche's, merc's etc... so i am not really worried anymore

[5150]

I'll pull the tire off and take a picture and let you guys try to identify it.

[5150]

Here's a few shots of the spindle. I'm praying for the best answer!

[Tx Firefighter]

These guys are on the right track.

If you already had front disc brakes on a 70 model, you did not have 70 model spindles, period, end of subject. You had 71 and newer spindles, exact year unknown. Therefore, someone has changed ball joints over to later model disc brake ball joint type when they swapped the newer spindles on.

Are your control arm bushings steel greasable type or rubber? If greasable you likely have a 71-72 front suspension. If rubber, a 73 and newer type.

Since you bought spindles for a 70 model truck, you need to either return them for later spindles, or replace your ball joints with factory 70 model parts.

[5150]

So the easiest thing to do is just get 4 NEW ball joints that fit my 70, correct?

[smbrouss70]

That's what it sounds like. I'm wondering about your tie-rod ends too, the pic looks like the outer is new. I'm assuming that it has already been changed to fit a 70, correct?

[screamin_c102]

Obviously somebody has done some swapping as the '70 did not come with disks. The swapper had one of two options and that was to swap in '71-'72 disk components or swap in '73-'87 components, both of which will fit on the arms or crossmember, however they both use a different lower ball joint

Following this line of reasoning, I would pull one lower ball joint, or control arm, go tho the parts house and have a competent employee pull a '70 ball joint, a '71 ball joint, and a '73 ball joint and compare yours with it. All parts houses that turn rotors and drums should have a micrometer available that you could use in making comparisons and taking measurements.

This way you don't have as much hassle in pulling and putting parts, and you are sure to find out what you already have mounted in the truck.

Personally, I highly doubt that you have '73 up spindles, the '73 up conversion requires a custom tie rod end or a custom sleeve as the thread area of the '73 up tie rod end is a different diameter than the '70 steering linkage. The sleeve is clearly visible and the same diameter throughout.

I would suspect that you have '71-'72 front arms, ball joints, rotors, etc. that were transplanted onto your 70 crossmember. Beings the spindle you are trying to use is drilled for the '70 drum ball joint, it will not safely fit on the newer ball joint.

Just my $.02

[Tx Firefighter]

Screamin, I disagree somewhat. I feel there is a good chance he has 73 and newer spindles. Many of these trucks get a crossmember swap to newer stuff, negating the need for special conversion sleeves on the tie rod ends.

If it's got rubber control arm bushings, it's 73 or later, and you can be pretty sure it will have 73 and newer ball joints and components.

If it has steel control arm bushings, it's most likely a 71 or 72 crossmember, or at least spindles.

Lower ball joint is the same for all disc spindles, 1971 through 1987.

It's the upper ball joint that is specific to 63-70, 71 and 72, or 73 and newer

[5150]

So in that after that said Tx are you saying that only the upper ball joints need to be changed?

I replaced both outer tie rod ends when I did the swap this weekend, that is why they look new.

[69 longhorn]

from the pics, i see steel bushings......you can still have 73 -up spindles, they will bolt onto the stock a arms, if you use the proper balljoints, & outer tie rods. i agree with all these guys.....it could be this, or that.....but you need to know for sure! if you know that you ordered the spindles as a direct fit for your 70 (right)? , you will need the balljoints(top & bottom) , & the outer tierod ends to match..... something also sticks in my head(havent done that one), on the adaptor sleeve for the tierods,if using 70 on back linkage. Call the shop you got the parts from, & VERIFY what yrs the # fit for spindles, & you will have pretty much done away with all the guess work going on here(NO SLAM INTENDED HERE GUYS.....i can only guess myself). Make DAMN SURE that you have the proper balljoints/rod ends to match the spindles! IF YOU DONT>>>>THEY WILL BE SWEEPING PCS OF YOUR TRUCK OFF THE ROAD, & hopefully NOT you! (ouch). the tapers differ on the spindles/balljoints, for all these yrs trucks.....once again, talk with your local parts man, & get it right best of luck, crazyL

[5150]

Okay guys I'm getting confused but let me run this by you

Went to Advance a few minutes ago and wanted to see Upper and Lower Ball Joints for 70,71-72, and 73 model Chevy trucks. On the upper ball joints they all three were different. the 73 was 2 7/8 inch long from the shaft, the 71-72 was 2 1/2 inches long, and the 70 was also 2 1/2 inches long but the thread on the 70 was much shorter.

On the lower ball joints they pulled the 70 and the 71-72 were the same as the 73 models were. Again the 70 lower ball joint was shorter then the other. So correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like I need the 70 model ball joints since my problem is the castle nut goes down too far on the ball joint shaft.

When replying PLEASE try to confuse me even more

[el curioso]

I personaly would swap all four ball joints and swap them for the year of spindle that I purchased.

My $.02

[screamin_c102]

Originally Posted by el curioso

I personaly would swap all four ball joints and swap them for the year of spindle that I purchased.

My $.02

short and to the point.
Its worth it to just put in '70 ball joints to match your '70 spindle and be done with it.

[69 longhorn]

3rd that! after that, that suspension is L

[5150]

Okay, another question. How much of a PITA is it to get the lower ball joints out?

[screamin_c102]

Gotta press?

[5150]

nope

I guess there's probably some sort of rental tool I could get my hands on though.

[el curioso]

Try calling a local machine shop they did mine for 15 bucks. They even cleaned the control arms for an extra 10 bucks. Ready to paint and install goes much smoother without that grime around.