Switched spindles and now there is interference

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straightlinespeed

straightlinespeed

Sometimes I pretend to be normal
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My 71 Scamp came with the LBJ's on it. I wanted to add a sway bar so I found some LCA's with the 72 down brackets on the outter edge of the arm. Since that is the K-member I have. I swapped my spindles so that the disc's are now in the back, so those would not hit the sway bar. Well I have a different issue.

The front bolt that holds the lower ball joint onto the spindle hits the tabs for the sway bar. So much so that I only got about half the turning radius that I had before. I guess Im curious if others have had this issue? If so what did you do to fix this?
 
I had the same issue. My LCA were the earlier style with tabs outbd. I had a later 73 up sway bar, DC BB k frame. I purchased 73 up LCAs to match the k frame and sway bar. The earlier LCA ball joint bolt hit the outside vertical reinforcement on the sway bar tab. I don't know if you may be able to cut some of the vertical leg and maybe gusset it diagonally or not. From what I recall it hit lower on the tab leg. I didn't have it aligned and it may be a thing of the stop hitting On the other wheel before that bolt contacts if it's aligned.
 
This isn't my vehicle, but a picture that i saved from the internet, from a site i don't remember.
It shows a 73-76 disc brake set up on a 65-72 sway bar tabbed lower control arm.
Don't know if this guy ran into the problem that your describing, or not.

What i would tell you to do is reverse that offending bolt, with the head on the outside, and the nut on the inside.
See if that works, and doesn't interfere with the inner surface of the rotor.
 

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I had the same problem. Using a '68 BB k member and '67-'72 LCAS with sway bar tabs and '73 and up disc brakes in a 1971 Duster. The bolt for the lower ball joint would hit the sway bar tab. I was able to correct this by using a narrower locking nut and grinding a couple threads off of the bolt. Now hits the bump stop on opposite side before hitting the sway bar tab. Hope that helps
 
hemi71x said:
What i would tell you to do is reverse that offending bolt, with the head on the outside, and the nut on the inside.[/COLOR]
See if that works, and doesn't interfere with the inner surface of the rotor.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the pic that is pretty much what mine looks like, LOL. I will reversing that bolt and see what happens.

net383 said:
I had the same problem. Using a '68 BB k member and '67-'72 LCAS with sway bar tabs and '73 and up disc brakes in a 1971 Duster. The bolt for the lower ball joint would hit the sway bar tab. I was able to correct this by using a narrower locking nut and grinding a couple threads off of the bolt. Now hits the bump stop on opposite side before hitting the sway bar tab. Hope that helps
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, if reversing it dont help I will look at doing this.

Jim Lusk said:
As JimV pointed out, turn the bolt around. It should clear.
Click to expand...

The bolt and nut is pretty long, but its worth a try. If anything I will cut the bracket and redesign that one edge. Probably not that easy knowing my luck.
 
The bolt and nut is pretty long, but its worth a try. If anything I will cut the bracket and redesign that one edge. Probably not that easy knowing my luck.
Click to expand...
Are you using the proper length bolts?
The factory bolts are 1 3/4 inch in length.
Rather hard to find them in that length at hardware stores, other than in 1/2 inch increments such as 1 inch, 1 1/2 inch, 2inch.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=291334
 
hemi71x said:
Are you using the proper length bolts?
The factory bolts are 1 3/4 inch in length.
Rather hard to find them in that length at hardware stores, other than in 1/2 inch increments such as 1 inch, 1 1/2 inch, 2inch.
Click to expand...

Im using what came out of the car when I tore it apart. If someone else may have swapped them prior to me owning it I dont know. I have about 3 threads showing past the nut. My guess is they are close to the 1-3/4 length. I will take a measurement when I tear it apart and I will get back to you.
 
swing69 said:
The NUT looks to me to be the issue. TOO thick.
Click to expand...

swing69
That's not a picture of the op's vehicle.
The "nut" hasn't got anything to do with it, as he states he has approximately three threads showing on the bolt.
It would have to be the length of the bolt if it's to long.
Anyway, factory self locking nuts for the LCA bolts are pretty thick, in their design.

Look here, as i stock them, and sell them, from time to time.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=291334
 
Ok, well I have to say Im a complete idiot!

I had tried reversing the bolt as stated and it interfered with the rotor. So that was not going to be a option. I decided to just notch the bracket and make clearance for the bolt. Well by the time I got done I pretty much cut off the side closest to the spindle.

Here is where the idiot part comes in... I had the suspension hanging while checking everything out. After I dropped the car the bolts where not even close to hitting the bracket. They actually raised high enough to clear the top part of the brackets by about a half inch. So I get to go cut new sides, which wont be to hard and reweld them in. Man what a dumb mistake!

Still thanks everyone for your input and suggestions.
 
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