drop spindles

[yellowGT]

wondering if you could use a taper reamer and open up the taper hole on a 71-72 drop spindle to make the 81-87 ball joints and tie rods fit? Has anyone tried it?

[68 longbed]

why not just use later ball joints on your control arms?

[lolife99]

x2^

[yellowGT]

so ball joints from the 71-72 control arms will go in the ca's of a 81-87?

[lolife99]

yes

[lolife99]

Tell us what you have (everything),...and what you are trying to do.

It seems lately we have a bunch of questions that could be easily answered if we had all the info.

All 1/2 ton uppers and lowers are basically the same. 3/4 ton uppers are the same as the 1/2 tons.
Its the 3/4 ton lowers that are the odd balls. The ball joint hole for them is larger.
You should be able to swap out ball joints and tie rod ends,... but we need a little more info to accurately help.

[yellowGT]

here we go... over some time i have bought three sets of lowering spindles for my trucks. I bought the correct ones for my 84 swb so we can take that one out of the picture. The other two sets of spindles are for 71-72 but the trucks that they are going in I have done the 5 lug conversion on already. I slapped in front suspensions from mid 80's trucks so the spindles will not work now. So thats why I ask. There for a while I was thinking about selling them and buying the correct ones to keep it simple but I just cant ever find them for sale from someone.

[lolife99]

Great explanation.
That's what we need to know.
Now you have two choices;
1) sell what you have and get the correct spindles.
2) swap balljoints and tie rod ends.

Ok,... there is one more thing.
You need to check and make sure which "thickness" of rotor you have.

They come in 1.25" thick. (which will work with your 71-72 spindles)

And they could be the "light duty" version which are only 1" thick. (these won't work on your 71-72 spindles. And neither will the calipers)

[yellowGT]

thank you lowlife99 you have been of great help. Been said that I might have to sell the drop spindles I have cause all the trucks I have have the 1" rotors.