Balljoint compatablility

[Tree-50]

coming into the final stretch of my bag parts collection and I'm stumped.

Truck is a 68 and 6lug drum. Going to be swapping to discs but haven't decided what kid i'm going with, now to my question:

mcgaughey has a 71/72 drop spindle or the 73-87 drop spindle, will I need to pair my balljoints to the particular year spindle or will my 68 ball joints fit into either one of them just fine?

[lolife99]

Spindles and balljoints have to match.
Get 63-70 spindles.
Every spindle company offers them.
DIRECT bolt on.

[Tree-50]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Spindles and balljoints have to match.
Get 63-70 spindles.
Every spindle company offers them.
DIRECT bolt on.

Thanks for the reply, though I'm still confused, mcgaughey offers these options


65-70 drop spindle (65-70 balljoints?)

71-72 drop spindle (71 or 72 ball joints only?)

73-87 drop spindle (any of these years ball joints?)


Whichever I get I just need to make sure the ball joint is the in that year range? any advantages of one over the other? I remember seeing something about the the 73-87 having bigger holes somewhere, maybe that was crossmember or something...

[lolife99]

Get the 65-70 version from McGaughys. If you don't you'll be changing outer tie rods also.
Look at summit or Jegs with free shipping.
I like Belltech
But CPP western chassis or McGaughy's is fine too.

[lolife99]

Spend a little time reading this,...
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=444823

[Tree-50]

oh wow, THANKS for that. I feel dumb now, I read that thread more than once but never noticed the actual breakdown of parts and differences.

/thread

[michael bustamante]

if you go with 71-72 drop spindles you will have to change the lower ball joint and the outer tie rods. same with the 73= drop spindle.
if you like the 63-70 spindles you dont have to change bj or tie rods

[SoCoC10]

I pieced mine together. 73-84 junkyard lower control arms Car Quest upper/lower ball joints, inner/outer tie rods and adj sleeves,CTS 2.5"spindles $178 off EBay,CCP 2" front and 5" rear springs, shock relocator brackets $260, McNaughty Track bar $99 all from Summit Racing. All 4 KYB GR2 shocks $62 off Amazon. Using POL brake lines and matching perportioning valve. I'm guessing $800 into the drop and disc brake conversion.