Need suspension help!!!!

[carls72dart]

Hey fabo, I'm in need of your help! I have a 72 dart that I'm converting from sbp to bbp. My question is about the lower ball joint and the bolts that hold it to the 73-76 disc brake spindle. It is a moog lower ball joint. When I turn the wheel to the left, the lower ball joint bolt bangs against the lower control arm. Is this supposed to happen? If anyone who has done the conversion could take a picture so i can see it, it would be very helpful and greatlyappreciated!!! I tried loading a pic but it won't load. Thanks everyone!!

 

[ir3333]

sounds like your steering isn't centered.When i converted to large bolt discs on my Duster i filed 3/16" or so off the bump stops as well.

 

[Jim Lusk]

The bolt will hit the sway bar tab. The bolt can also be reversed so that the nut is behind the rotor.

 

[carls72dart]

Thanks Jim! I put the bolt in both ways and it hit no matter what. I just want to confirm before I torque & grease everything!

 

[RedFish]

I can imagine a late model ball joint bolt hitting a earlier model sway bar tab. Those sort of conflicts are to be expected. If so, The bolt head is less than the nutted end giving a little more clearance. I've not heard of anyone maching away approx. half the bolt head thickness but again I can imagine it doable.
At the same time... If car is on stands,the suspension is hanging way down, upper bump stops not installed, etc.., conflict may not exist in normal operation stance.

 

[mod5v]

I may be wrong but on my car if I install the bolts with the nut toward the rotor you can't install the rotor with out I hitting the end of the bolt. kind of makes it hard to get the car rolling.

 

[carls72dart]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I bolted the wilwoods on with the nut towards the rotor. I have a 1/4 of space between them. Everything is lined up for now. The engine won't be in until the spring.