new rig (Black Betty)

[blondejoncherokee]

Started the new steering and just found a toasted pass lower ball joint....

Yeah that will do it . Stay with spicer. Synergy are garbage and stopped making them. I have
Gotten really good and Dana 44 ball joints...

 

[XJensen]

Ah and there is more. Bolt for the pitman arm backed off and it looks like there is play in the shaft. It is leakingbpower steering fluid which explains the noise from the pump and small air bubbles in the resvwhen I pulled it in the garage. This list keeps getting bigger....

 

[XJensen]

Are the upper ball joints going to be a lot easier without the hi steer arms on there or should I just go ahead and bought my new ones up and build my steering

 

[blondejoncherokee]

You need to remove the arms to do the upper ball joints

 

[XJensen]

You need to remove the arms to do the upper ball joints

Dang. I guess I'll mock it all up to build the steering and then I'll do the ball joints tomorrow.

I did plan on a psc box and hydro assist but was going to wait. Maybe I'll just pull the trigger now if I can get it fast enough.

And it looks like I can install the shafts and the hub since all that will be coming off too

 

[XJensen]

This week is going to suck. I need to rebuild the rear 7100s too. Hope the valve stacks and oil get here in time

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Yeah do when you reassemble just do the new shafts and lockouts. Once you've done it a few times you'll be able to rebuild the entire front really fast- bearings hubs and ball joints etc. hopefully your hub bearings are good. As for a steering you might want a stabilizer to "soak up" some of the abuse .

 

[XJensen]

The new hi steer arms clear but mount the tie rod about 1/2 shorter than the other arms. Looks like the sway bar mount will neeed some rework

 

[blondejoncherokee]

1/2 closer to the tubes ? So it's closer to the sway bar mount ? Hopefully you can just grind away some material

 

[XJensen]

1/2 closer to the tubes ? So it's closer to the sway bar mount ? Hopefully you can just grind away some material

Yeah it is and that is the game plan. The arms are also flat and I notched it once already. Notching it lower for the new arms won't leave much of a sway bar mount. We'll see

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I'll come by one or two nights this week. Once I'm caught up its just waiting on the atlas.

 

[Skipper51]

You are really under the gun this week.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Betty is a hot mess.

 

[XJensen]

Betty is a hot mess.

Yes she is. Things escalated fast and I still don't know what I did wrong.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

betty is one loose sloppy beetch.

 

[XJensen]

So I have a 77 ford HP front end with Chevy flat top knuckles. What ball joints do I buy?

what are some good metal on metal ball joints? I had great luck with Napa premiere joints and read good things about them still. Any others?

 

[XJensen]

$200 for a new or possibly reman durango box, f that. I might as well call PSC as long as i can get it this week. Question is do i go big bore or standard trail use? I was leaning towards the standard street and trail if i go this route

 

[#S194]

I'm running XRF ball joints, they're holding up pretty well. They have pretty good reviews on other forums. Only negative I see is that they are knurled, so they open up the bore a little bit.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Id say go with the standard 3 bolt box small bore but get it tapped for hydro...

probably get ball joints for any ford or chevy 44 in the late 70s or early to mid eighties is my guess. should be the same part number. my money is on spicer or anything you can get this week...

 

[knucklehead 61]

$200 for a new or possibly reman durango box, f that. I might as well call PSC as long as i can get it this week. Question is do i go big bore or standard trail use? I was leaning towards the standard street and trail if i go this route

get the big bore & tapped for hydro assist. you will be glad in the long run.