'63 valiant retrofit ball joints

[RJG]

I purchased new upper and lower ball joints for my daughters '63 Valiant, but the parts don't match. The shape is correct but the lower ball joints on the car are threaded where it bolts to the frame, but the new parts are not (they are designed for a through bolt and nut).

Also the upper ball joints on the car are very similar but they are a larger diameter then the new parts I purchased (both the old and new are designed to thread into the frame) .

The car has been retrofit with disk brakes sometime in its past, so I am assuming somebody also changed out the suspension with that of a later car.

The auto shop is showing the same part number for all the 60's cars, and the pictures don't answer the question either. And they say the part number for the drum setup is the same. I think they must be wrong or missing something.

Can anyone give me input as to what year and make of vehicle would have these slightly different parts.
Thank you FABO

 

[65 Dartman]

The car has been retrofit with disk brakes sometime in its past, so I am assuming somebody also changed out the suspension with that of a later car.

Was it swapped the late 65-72 Kelsey Hayes 4 piston calipers or the 73-76 single piston calipers? Chances are the suspension was swapped to one of the two. You would need the parts for the appropriate suspension

EDIT: I missed the parts about the ball joint is larger - sounds like you need both ball joints for the 73-76 suspension

 

[RJG]

Was it swapped the late 65-72 Kelsey Hayes 4 piston calipers or the 73-76 single piston calipers? Chances are the suspension was swapped to one of the two. You would need the parts for the appropriate suspension

EDIT: I missed the parts about the ball joint is larger - sounds like you need both ball joints for the 73-76 suspension

Thank you for that. I will head back to the shop and check that out.
RJG

 

[RJG]

Thank you for that. I will head back to the shop and check that out.
RJG

By the way, I know the disk pads are from a '71 Dart, but I expect the discs don't neccessarily have to match the ball joints, since the parts shop showed the same (wrong) part number for that car also.
RJG

 

[65 Dartman]

If the pads are from a 71 Kelsey Hays caliper then logically speaking you should have the small ball joint set-up but if the upper ball joint is the large one, they may have used a ball joint spacer to mate up with the disc spindle? Pictures would be helpful to figure out what you actually have.

 

[jefflock]

Are they aftermarket disc brakes? Some aftermarket brake kits still use the original sbp drum ball joints and spindles. One of my darts has a kit from Wilwood that is this way.

 

[65 Dartman]

Pictures would be very helpful to figure out what you have!

 

[RJG]

Pictures would be very helpful to figure out what you have!

OK, the uppers are from '73 and are good to go. But the lowers are not. I believe a previous owner, for some unknown reason, slightly over-bored the holes in the hub assembly and then tapped the holes on the lower ball joint arms. All of the years that I have seen so far require bolts with nuts. So now I either have to over-bore the new lower ball joints for a larger bolt, or tapp them.

Interestingly, The shop keeps being sent a different length for the drivers side (it's an inch shorter). But both my cars have the same length lowers for each side, which is 9" from front bolt to tie rod o/c.
I will get pictures if this isn't resolved shortly.
Thanks again for all the input.
RJG

 

[RJG]

OK, the uppers are from '73 and are good to go. But the lowers are not. I believe a previous owner, for some unknown reason, slightly over-bored the holes in the hub assembly and then tapped the holes on the lower ball joint arms. All of the years that I have seen so far require bolts with nuts. So now I either have to over-bore the new lower ball joints for a larger bolt, or tapp them.

Interestingly, The shop keeps being sent a different length for the drivers side (it's an inch shorter). But both my cars have the same length lowers for each side, which is 9" from front bolt to tie rod o/c.
I will get pictures if this isn't resolved shortly.
Thanks again for all the input.
RJG

So, I am going to buy the socket for the upper ball joints. To determine the correct size, is the measurement across the flat (side-to-side) or corner to corner. I ask because the new ball joint measures about 2 9/64 corner to corner and there is a socket available in that size. But I would have thought the dimension would be side-to-side.
They are the slightly larger ball joints for '73-'76
RJG

 

[RJG]

So, I am going to buy the socket for the upper ball joints. To determine the correct size, is the measurement across the flat (side-to-side) or corner to corner. I ask because the new ball joint measures about 2 9/64 corner to corner and there is a socket available in that size. But I would have thought the dimension would be side-to-side.
They are the slightly larger ball joints for '73-'76
RJG

Across the flat the ball joint is 1 7/8"