Upper Ball Joints / 1957 Bel Air

Cowtown.Nomad · Nov 27, 2021

I think I might be crazy.
I am rebuilding the entire front suspension.
I ordered a suspension package from Eckler's.
I installed the upper ball joint on the drivers side. I went tp tighten the nut on the ball joint shaft and discovered. the shaft was nut threaded enough for the nut to tighten against the the spindle. As I was installing an after market disc brack system. I checked the stock spindle hole depth and the disc spindle hole depth. The after marked was 3/16" shorted than the stock part.
However that difference was not enough to make up for the threaded shaft shortage.
I have read about a spacer for the spindle. Mine did not have a spacer.
I threw away the old ball joints before the new ones arrived. So I can not compare the old Ball Joint shaft lengths.
I have attached photos.
Two of the photos show the difference between the old spindle (dirty and rusted and the Disc brake spindle (newly painted black.
The other photos shoe the rubber boot not touching the top of the spindle and the nut at the top of the threads.
The cotter key when installed will not pass through castle nut groves.
Is putting a spacer (washer)between the BJ and the spindle or between the spindle and the nut safe? I would not think so unless the spacer fit tightly to the tapered shaft and or the threaded area.

Thank in advance for any suggestion or help.
Additionally, I have tried ball joints from Eckler's, MOOG and O'Reilly Auto parts. With the same results.

.

6fingers · Nov 28, 2021

Try sticking old spindle on see if it works. If it does you found your problem.

595544 · Nov 28, 2021

It's not the thickness it's the taper hole is deeper in the Chinese replacement spindle. However you should be able to use a large flatwasher to make up the difference, hopefully.
BTW why did you buy replacement chinese spindles? Old ones bad?

Cowtown.Nomad · Nov 28, 2021

SLIM said:
It's not the thickness it's the taper hole is deeper in the Chinese replacement spindle. However you should be able to use a large flatwasher to make up the difference, hopefully.
BTW why did you buy replacement chinese spindles? Old ones bad?

I purchased a complete disc brake system spindles, booster, master cylinder, calipers and pads. I bought from and individual who was swapping to lowered spindles. I have no idea if they are Chinese. If you look at the photos you can see there is only 3/16" difference. The exposed taped shaft exceeds 3/16". in difference. My old spindles (original?) won't fit either. .

595544 · Nov 28, 2021

Cowtown.Nomad said:
I purchased a complete disc brake system spindles, booster, master cylinder, calipers and pads. I bought from and individual who was swapping to lowered spindles. I have no idea if they are Chinese. If you look at the photos you can see there is only 3/16" difference. The exposed taped shaft exceeds 3/16". in difference. My old spindles (original?) won't fit either. .

I thought those were brand new spindles which would be Chinese CPP spindles. But they're still exactly the same in other words stock 55-57 spindles.
You couldn't tell they're the same spindle?

595544 · Nov 28, 2021

You can use a thick flat washer under the nut to get the holes to line up

Upper Ball Joints / 1957 Bel Air

Cowtown.Nomad

6fingers

595544

Cowtown.Nomad

595544

595544

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