Spindle and lower ball joint

[4u2nv]

Got started on my spindle switch out and the lower ball joint won't sit all the way down onto the spindle , will the wait of the truck make it fall into place ????

[andyh1956]

Aftermarket spindle?
Sounds like the stud bore in spindle & ball joint stud don't match.
Try putting the nut on the stud & see if it will pull it in further. Be sure evething is clean.
My son had some bell tech spindles that he had same problem with. Long story short those spindles took a proprietary ball joint from bell tech w/ a longer stud that was no longer available. To the scrap pile with them...

[4u2nv]

Maybe some heat and a impact wrench on it ?????? would pop it down

[catch2otwo]

Originally Posted by 4u2nv

Maybe some heat and a impact wrench on it ?????? would pop it down

I dont think they really need any heat. I've never had to persuade one like that. Are you sure, you dont have a spindle for a different era, like 67-72? I know the 73+ need the 73+ ball joint.

[4u2nv]

Originally Posted by catch2otwo

I dont think they really need any heat. I've never had to persuade one like that. Are you sure, you dont have a spindle for a different era, like 67-72? I know the 73+ need the 73+ ball joint.

Mine is a 82
So what your saying is that anything above a 73 needs belltechs ball joint ???

[sweetk30]

first off what brand spindles do you have ?

what year suspension parts ?

if you have a set of calipers measure the top and bottom of the spindle ball joint stud hole .

then measure the start of the tapper at the last thread and the big end bottom of the ball joint .

get this info and we can help .

and if you need heat to install a ball joint then you got problems . . . .

ball joint and tie/rod ends are tapered seat and drop in and snug tight with nut .

i had a part years ago that was not reamed out the correct depth and i had no correct tapered reamer then to open it up my self to fit . had to fight with the company to believe it was wrong and they sent another and it was correct and bolted in perfect . sent the other back and they said wow must have been goofed up that day .

[sweetk30]

Originally Posted by 4u2nv

Mine is a 82
So what your saying is that anything above a 73 needs belltechs ball joint ???

your mixing 2 posts up . . . . original said all bell tech stuff and that was the problem why it wouldn't fit .

[4u2nv]

Originally Posted by sweetk30

first off what brand spindles do you have ?

what year suspension parts ?

if you have a set of calipers measure the top and bottom of the spindle ball joint stud hole .

then measure the start of the tapper at the last thread and the big end bottom of the ball joint .

get this info and we can help .

and if you need heat to install a ball joint then you got problems . . . .

ball joint and tie/rod ends are tapered seat and drop in and snug tight with nut .

i had a part years ago that was not reamed out the correct depth and i had no correct tapered reamer then to open it up my self to fit . had to fight with the company to believe it was wrong and they sent another and it was correct and bolted in perfect . sent the other back and they said wow must have been goofed up that day .

Belltech spindle with stock balljoints
I will do the caliper thing and see what I come up with

[andyh1956]

Originally Posted by 4u2nv

Belltech spindle with stock balljoints
I will do the caliper thing and see what I come up with

That's XACTLY what my son had that wouldn't work. The spindle was just too fat where the stud passed thru the bore to get a nut on properly.

[sweetk30]

if the tapper is 1.5" per foot like most std auto motive stuff is then its just the amount they open the hole up on each piece .

if you want to try something ONLY after you verify these specs there is reamers out there for doing just this thing . i have taken and opened up a few pieces to take the bigger 1ton spec stuff on my 4x4 builds .