Steering help for the new guy

[Ghost's68]

Hello guys! I ordered up all new steering parts as well as a drop kit from ECE. Awesome guys over at ECE by the way. Super helpful and friendly. Back to my question. I have 73+ front spindles since the fronts were converted over to discs. How do find out what steering parts I need? Should I order everything for a 73+? And what about ball joints. Is there a way I can tell what year control arms I have. The work was done by a PO. Thanks in advance guys.

[Shady Rascal]

Don't assume you have 73+ stuff since you have disc brakes. You could also have 71-72 stuff and still have disc brakes.

Control arm ID is pretty simple. If they have hex shaped steel screw in bushings they are 72 and earlier. It they have rubber bushings retained by a big washer and nut, they are 73 and newer.

[Ghost's68]

Originally Posted by Shady Rascal

Don't assume you have 73+ stuff since you have disc brakes. You could also have 71-72 stuff and still have disc brakes.

Control arm ID is pretty simple. If they have hex shaped steel screw in bushings they are 72 and earlier. It they have rubber bushings retained by a big washer and nut, they are 73 and newer.

Thank you for the response. I was told by the guys at ECE that I have 73+ spindles based on a measurement taken at the spindle where it connects to the tie rod. here are some pictures

I ordered all new steering parts for a 68 but after speaking with ECE I was told they won't fit.

[Shady Rascal]

Here is what I can tell you definitively from your pictures.

Your front crossmember is 1970 and earlier. The brake hoses mount to tabs on the back side of the crossmember. That makes it an original drum brake truck crossmember. 71-72 crossmember would have had brake line tabs on the front side. 73+ crossmembers don't have brake line mounting tabs at all.

Your control arms are 1972 and earlier as confirmed by the steel bushings.

I cannot speak to whether your spindles are 71-72 or 73+, but if ECE says measure whatever and they confirm from that measurement that they are 73+, then that's a pretty strong recommendation from a historically reliable source.

Your steering parts will need to match the spindles. Honestly, I wouldn't spend a penny till Keith comes along and offers his opinion on the matter in this thread. He's probably one of the best opinions on these exact matters in the country. I've been on this board for 14 years (under a previous screen name) and he's always been correct on these situations.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by Shady Rascal

Here is what I can tell you definitively from your pictures.

Your front crossmember is 1970 and earlier. The brake hoses mount to tabs on the back side of the crossmember. That makes it an original drum brake truck crossmember. 71-72 crossmember would have had brake line tabs on the front side. 73+ crossmembers don't have brake line mounting tabs at all.

Your control arms are 1972 and earlier as confirmed by the steel bushings.

I cannot speak to whether your spindles are 71-72 or 73+, but if ECE says measure whatever and they confirm from that measurement that they are 73+, then that's a pretty strong recommendation from a historically reliable source.

Your steering parts will need to match the spindles. Honestly, I wouldn't spend a penny till Keith comes along and offers his opinion on the matter in this thread. He's probably one of the best opinions on these exact matters in the country. I've been on this board for 14 years (under a previous screen name) and he's always been correct on these situations.

Shady Rascal,... I've seen alot of your posts and feel I don't need to reply when you repy.
You know these trucks and what you are talking about.
I hope you continue to help out with these disc brake and suspension questions.
Maybe you should consider becoming a moderator.
I did that for a while but got burned out after a time.

Pictures are always the best to get the OP the most replies.
I just had a PM from the OP and he noted that the outer tie rods that fit the spindles had been cut and welded to the original outer tie rods.
Now with that said,... you can see it in the picture.

So my guess is his truck has the original 63-70 center link and inner tie rods,. with 71-72 or 73-87 spindles.

This could have been easily fixed with 63-70 conversion spindles and new 63-70 outer tie rods.
But in the process of talking to ECE he determined that he had 73-87 spindles.
So you work backwards to the centerlink.
Replaceing both the inner and outer tie rods and centerlink with 73-87 parts.
What a mess the previous owner created.