Yes, but, even though it's more work, it's a good idea to cut 1/2 coil at a time to avoid cutting too much.Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
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Yes, but, even though it's more work, it's a good idea to cut 1/2 coil at a time to avoid cutting too much.Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
Also those coils were the ones that came with the car when Ford put them in. Wouldn't there be a sag problem?? The shocks that came with them were crap. One was just plain broken, and the other you could push it down with your finger. I am only in my 5th year. Money is tight, and I do all of the work myself. I can get a set of 350Lb shocks for $60., or get them from Dayton for $109. First though i am going to put on the old spindles and see what happens. Then when the new coils come I will pull them apart again, and put on the drop spindles without cutting the coils and see how that works..
Is there any chance that you don't have the correct lower ball joint???or lower arms???
There is a ton of info on these front ends at Heidt's and also shock/spring info at QA-1
The more I look at the 2 pictures in the begining I'm thinking like was mentioned earlier the ball joints don't look like there in the spindel all the way. Or maybe wrong ball joints.
The ball joints are new. I bought both the ball joints, and A arms as a set from Speedway Motors. I will go out and crank on them again to see if they will move any..
There is nothing saying you didn't get the wrong ones It just looks like the ball joint should go in another 1/2 or 3/4 "????
The top of the bolt is only out less than a 1/2". Like I said I will crank them down, or try to. Still I think I need to replace the coils..
Mustang II Coil Springs This guide may help others that have Mustang II front suspensions in the cars.
When you say "out less than a half inch", were you able to get the cotter pin in the crown nut?
Yes there is one in there..
Well i am going to tare into it today. I have read over every post, nad it makes sence to pull out the drop spindles and put the old ones back in. I was wondering if maybe my problem may also be that the spindles were not a name brand. I bought them off ebay. They may have been made in China. I bought the latest Rod and Custom last night and read the article. Still it states that it will lower the front crossmember. It doesn't say by how much though. When I put in the stock ones. It will raise the crossmember. By using the coils I have now, and the tires.. It should lower the body down some in the front. if it goes down to far then I will get the 450 Lb coils, and cut just a little off to lower it some.. Al
Al keep in mind the coils will need a little time to settle so I would be just a bit hesitant of how much coil trimming you do as they will settle down after a bit of time. You can alway's give them a cut later.
Well I started with the drivers side. All went well. That side is done. Then the passengers side. Came apart fine. I put the old spindle back on. Bolted upper in to place. Threaded lower nut on. Got down about 1/2", and it started to spin. Seemed like I was turning it to long a time. Took a look, and the nut hadn't moved. I did manage to get the nut back off. The lower was pressed on. I had to drill it out. I looked around town, but they don't have the complete assembly like speedway motors does. All I could find was just the ball joint.. On speedway I found this Pinto-Mustang II Ball Joint - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop
Hmmmm......not sure why you drilled the lower ball joint out of the spindle. You should have been able to pop it out with a pickling fork or used a puller like in the Rod & Custom article. Unless you damaged it, you shouldn't have to buy another new lower control arm unless it's more cost effective to do so. The lower ball joint is replaceable. The existing one may be riveted in. Just drill out the rivets and install the new joint with appropriate size bolts.Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
Have you compared the size of the lower hole in your drop spindles to the one in the stock spindles? If the drop spindle hole is smaller and therefore not allowing the ball joint to go in far enough, that could explain why your control arms were rubbing on the rims.
I'm sorry.. I drilled out the rivets that held it to the lower A arm. I found it three places now. They are calling it rare. Ball joints with just the two holes are like $16.00. The ones I need, because there are four bolts and sits on a little platform will cost between $45-$67..
Thanks for the clarification. Now, why are you replacing the ball joint? Didn't you say you just bought the lower control arms with new ball joints?Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
Yes. Not long ago I bought new. Both sides upper, and lower control arms with the ball joints installed. On the one I just drilled out. The center shaft will not tighten down. The whole shaft turns when you try to tighten down the nut. I can hold the base, put a vice grips on the shaft and spin it in circles. I would never be able to aply any pressure th seat it. Now I have to buy a new lower ball joint..
Are you saying that the ball joint taper bolt was spinning in the ball joint? Bolt the ball joint back in place on the A-arm with proper sized grade 8 bolts, then seat the taper into your spindle by placing a large socket over the bottom side (protect your zirk or the threaded hole for the zirk) and rap it up sharply with a hammer. Shouldn't take much to set the taper in the spindle, then once your nut gets past the rough spot you'll be fine. Sorry if I am misunderstanding your problem here.Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear. i took a few pictures of the ball joint.. There is a vicegrips on the shaft that moves..
As I said, I'm sorry I did not understand your problem, and that you had destroyed the ball joint. When you get the new one, while the nut will often spin down without resistance it is not unusual for that shaft to turn. It is simply a ball and socket joint, and until the tapered shaft is engaged in the spindle there is only friction to keep it from turning. If the spring is compressed then you can rap the taper into the spindle with a hammer & socket. If not put your floor jack beneath the A-arm end, raise it up into position compressing the spring/shock and then rap the spindle down onto the taper. Regardless, you need to get the taper fit engaged to hold that shaft in place, allowing you to tighten the nut and torque it into place. Speedway has very fast delivery service....
Ok Thanks.. I didn't know that. I thought that the shaft had busted off.. I will order another ball joint. I think I could still just clean up the shaft. Finish drilling out those rivets out. Get a couple of grade 8 bolts and nuts and put it back on??
Did you destroy the grease boot, or just remove it? It is a critical part of the ball joint, holding clean grease in reserve to feed the ball joint as it flexes. If you have or can get a replacement boot, then it seems you should be able to punch out the rivets and re-install the ball joint you have.Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
This makes sense to me Al. Unless you've done something to really damage this ball joint, it should still work as Roger explained.Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
No. Nothing was done there. The boot is a little rough at the top, but otherwise ok. I just have to clean it up and drill out the rest of those rivets. I did notice though when I was taking the droped spindle out. The top of the spindle was hitting the upper arm. When I put on the original ones it never came close. I am hoping that when this is done. The crossmember goes up, and the body goes down some, and nothing hits anything..
As for the drop spindle hitting the upper arm, pic#17 in the Rod & Custom article addresses a possible solution for that.Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
I will hold on to them, but for now I am going back to stock. If it looks to goofy I will go back to dropped, and get the 450 Lb coils..
did you compare the size of the bottom hole on the drop spindle with the stock one to see if that's why the ball joint wasn't seating far enough in?
Seems kind of like the whole works looks different. I will take a couple of pics of them tomorrow morning. No light in the garage right now.
I deceided to get a new ball joint. Comming in from NAPA on Tuesday.. I didn't want to take any chances..
I would like to Thank both jerry clayton, and rspears for your help. I took out the drop spindles, and put the stock ones back on. I left the coils the way they are, and used the wheels and tires I have now. I now have that same pop can plus 2" of clearance under the crossmember. The fender does come over the top of the tire. There is no spacer behind the rim, and the grease fitting is about 3 1/2" away from the bottom of the rim. I ran the car around the block. The road here isn't the best, and it never bottomed out.. Thanks again Guys.. You know your stuff, and how to tell us.. Al
Hey Slantback, glad to hear you got it back together and are happy with the result. RandyR gave you some good pointers, too, especially the references to the R&C article that gives really good pictorials references to go by. I believe you'll be lots happier with the way the car handles raised up a bit.
Yes.. Thank You RandyR as well. For some reason I can't use those drop spindles. The article was good, just wouldn't work for me.. Thanks All of you for your help.. Al
You're welcome, Al. I hope you got the ride height you wanted with the stock spindles. I was just trying to help you figure out what went wrong with the drop spindles because they seem to work fine on my car. Post some pics when you get a chance so we can see how it turned out.Quote:
Originally Posted by slantback37
I can't figure that one either. I would say if you are going to buy drop spindles.. By them from someone you know. A company. I bought mine off ebay for $149. For all I know.. They came from China. They just didn't fit right. The stock ones fit fine. Everything fits. I may in the future cut another half coil out, but for now it works good.. Thanks again.. i will take some pics of it after everything gets bumped back into place..
Here you go. I had to pull it out of the garage, so I took a couple of pics of it..