Ball joints. Is this safe?

[Super73]

I am trying to get as much upward travel as possible for my truck. I mainly drag race it and need front suspension travel for weight transfer.

I was doing some measuring tonight. At full droop in the front suspension, I have 5 1/4" of travel from ride height. I noticed that the end of the upper control arm comes in contact with the top of the spindle. I decided to pull the ball joint and install it from the bottom of the upper control arm rather dropping it through. At full droop I have 6 7/8" of travel that way.

My concern would be safety in installing them this way. If I run them this way I am going to go get Grade 8 bolts to replace the ones that came with the new ball joints.

The other option I thought about is either to grind down some of the lip on the control arm or some of the spindle in the area it makes contact (there is a semi large bump on the outside of the machined surface that the ball joint taper goes through). If I did modify the UCA I could add some material back on it by welding some plate or something to it above where I would grind.

I would like to get some feedback from others. Do you feel the "sheer" strength of the 4 bolts being G8 would be ok, or should I drop the ball joint back through from the top and massage the UCA and/or the spindle?

Thanks in advance.

[Super73]

Here are 2 write-ups showing what I did on other types of vehicles..

http://www.planetisuzoo.com/articles...p/Spacer_Howto

http://www.expeditionswest.com/equip...uspension.html

[oldspowered67C10]

I really cant see any problem in doing that, especially in a drag racing application. I cant remember for sure, but I dont think the ball joint is a tight concentric fit in the arm when installed from the top anyway.

[SanitysBane]

The uppers go in from the top so that the spindle doesn't have very far to go when thoes little bolts break. Its your call, but you are putting your truck and posibly your life in the hands of just 8 little bitty bolts.

[poorboy]

I've seen alot of lifted 2wd trucks come into my shop for alignments and most have the balljoints that way.

[slammed1]

Balljoint spacers or balljoint risers used to be used alot back int he day for drag racing to help aid in frt end rise.

[Super73]

So the consensus is safe to run...