question about stock spindles and the balljoint mods

i posted a question about my 01 crew not laying out all the way on the 24s i put on it. right now it has stock uppers and lowers with a different ball joint in the lower and stock spindle. it seems to be maxing out the upper ball joint and not laying out. it is barely touching the brake booster. i talked to michigan metal works and he has a awesome front end kit for a really good price, its just i dont have the money to change the whole thing around right now. i'm still looking for a cheaper direction to go in.....would 2" drop spindles help me fix the camber and get me laid out?should i move the upper a arm mount location?adjustable upper a arms? thanks for all your help. i guess since i'm new to the forum i cant post pics.

Edited: 2/12/2011 1:19:55 PM by Chopped Mazda

Just moving the uppers vertically a bit will solve a lot of your issues, a solid 2-3" vertically will solve some camber problems, and binding issues. However you will start having fender clearance issues as well, and it will probably still start to bind espically on 24s.

When i produce my kits, i narrow the track width .750 on each side, then raise the UCA mounts as well. The uppers i produce also get a TON more travel than the stock arms, so i dont have binding issues.





Taylor

I don't believe you're going to be able to lay an f150 out on 24s with stock arms and some changed balljoints. if you don't want to spend the money for arms. you can use the balljoint flip method if you have a machine shop close

never done this but its an old link i have saved that seems to cover it all

http://forum.sportruck.com/showpost.pl?Board=suspension&Number=41404&page=&view=&sb=#Post41404

UNIBALLS in the uppers!

Edited: 2/12/2011 7:51:33 PM by NaviGangsta

The link Layum posted is very outdated. That basic idea has evolved quite a bit. And i dont recommend you use the sportruck instructions anymore. and there is no reason to use a machine shop for the spindle mods.

What you need to do is get these lower balljoints: MOOG PN# K7069, that's off of a 1975-1983 Chrysler CordobaThese balljoints will fit your stock lower arms, but you put them facing up instead of down. Do no use your stock balljoints, they will fail

Then you need some reamers for the spindle so the balljoints will fit. http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Tapered-Ball-Joint-Reamers-10-Degree,29005.htmlJust drill the opposite way of the stock taper. go a small amount at a time, test fitting the new balljoint as you go. Be real careful not to ream to far or you will ruin the spindle.

Then you need to flip your tie rods as well. This will put the angles closer to what is needed, and you wont have to notch the frame. Use this reamerhttp://www.speedwaymotors.com/Tapered-Ball-Joint-Reamers-7-Degree,2918.html then just mount the stock tie rods upside downalso, you have to chop off 3/4" or so of the tie rod so that you can adjust them in more.

Then you raise the upper arms 2.5" Ekstensive makes a bolt up kit, but its expensive.A lot of us have also put the driver side upper on the passenger side, and vice versa. This changes the geometry some, but it makes it where you do not have to tub the firewall and you can use the stock booster.

That is the basic idea, but I suck at writing instructions.

reamers are going to run you like $250new lower balljoints will be $80 or so for the pairI think the ekstensive kit to raise your uppers is like $150, but it's simple to raise them yourself if you can fab at all.

This lays on a 265/35/22 for sure, It is what Im running on my supercrew your short 24" tire will be cutting it close265/35/22 is 29.3" tall255/30/24 is 30.02" tall

And with some custom arms, and a shit ton more work, you can lay on a much bigger tire. My other paperweight of a f150 lays body on a 32.5" tire.

thanks for all the information guys.

You can get the reamer from Snap-on for about $55 with a lifetime free replacement. I've used the hell out of mine. Reaming cast steel and aluminum spindles. I used the exact method to lay an 03 out on 22's...I'm fixing to bag an 02 on 24's in a week or so...

so i did some research. my lowers in my truck now have ball joints that look just like the cordoba ones and they are pointing up alreeady. i guess whoever initially built the truck did this. but the spindles are stock, tie rods are not flipped and the a arms are still in the stock mounts. as far as reamer goes we have everything i would need at work. we have a 750k cnc machine along with alot of other things. government waistes alot of money on things they dont need much.

as far as doing the upper a arm mount should i go 3" instead of the 2.5.

my upper shock mounts are welded onto my upper mounts. should i relocate them on the new ones or put them in another location on the frame? anyone have any pictures of their upper mounts?

i read the tech article that layumon22s posted. from what i gathered, could i just retaper my spindles for the uppers and tie rods and mount the uppers from the underside instead of the top like it is factory. i would have to put the left on right and right on left of course. and flip the tie rods. has anyone done this? might be a little eaiser than welding new a arm mounts on my frame.

anyone know what reamer i would need for the stock upper ball joint taper?