77 c10 lower control arm problem

[Rich77]

Hello,
So I screwed up. I ordered 3/4 ton lower arms for my C10. As far as I can tell, they’re the same as 1/2 ton except for the lower ball joint.

Has anyone reemed their spindle for the larger lower ball joint?
Or
Is there a 1/2 ton ball joint that’s a large OD to fit the 3/4 size?

Any other options?

Thanks

 

[bluex]

I believe where the joint presses in is the same size. You should be able to put a 1/2 ton joint right in there. I've seen people say they do it to run 1/2 ton spindles to make them 5 lug.

 

[Rich77]

I had hoped that was the case but I don’t think it is. I haven’t actually measured it yet, but it looks like the 3/4 body is about 1/4” larger than the 1/2 ton.

 

[bucket]

Are you changing the lower shafts too? My 3/4 tons have had the screw-in type bushings.

 

[Rich77]

The ball joint shaft (pin)? I will if I have to.

 

[bucket]

The shaft where the arm pivots and is held to the crossmember with u-bolts. My C10 has rubber bushings. My C20 has bushings that thread onto the shaft and into the arm.

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[Rich77]

I bought the lower arms complete. I didn’t need to assemble them.
But yes, they are how you describe the C20 shaft.

 

[Raider L]

@bucket,

That sure is a lot more heavy duty than the C10 lower shaft. It doesn't seem like much room for a bushing though. Where does the bushing go, in the end of the rod inside that bushing "nut"? And if that's all the area for bushings is the part past the threads, man that's like nothing. Show me a pic of yours. 'Cause, I don't get it.

 

[Raider L]

@bucket,

I just went on a couple of parts places to look at 3/4 ton lower A arm bushings. I don't know but I didn't see any. I saw arms, shaft nuts, shafts but not any kind of a "bushing" that would go in that tiny little area at the end of that shaft. What do they look like? For what space there isn't, they must not last long for the beating something that small would have to take on the end of that big shaft!

 

[bucket]

I haven't actually had one of them apart in years, so my memory is foggy. The big nut that screws in is basically the bushing. It threads into the control arm, while at the same time threading onto the shaft. As the arm moves up and down, the bushings simply rotate on their own threads. There's no binding or twisting rubber anywhere. They are greaseable and if they get grease on a regular basis, they hold up great.

 

[Rich77]

So the solution that I chose was to ream the spindle to fit the larger ball joint.
I’ve attached a pic of the reamer.

 

[Raider L]

@Rich77,

That's a reamer? How does it work? What do you turn it with? It reams out the lower hole in the spindle for the ball joint bolt, pin? Now, I know you can get longer ball joint bolt, pins, for the 1/2 ton arm but not larger in diameter. That's when you'd be going to a heavier A arm, etc. as in a 3/4 ton truck.

 

[Rich77]

@Rich77,

That's a reamer? How does it work? What do you turn it with? It reams out the lower hole in the spindle for the ball joint bolt, pin? Now, I know you can get longer ball joint bolt, pins, for the 1/2 ton arm but not larger in diameter. That's when you'd be going to a heavier A arm, etc. as in a 3/4 ton truck.

Yes, the lower control arms I was using were 3/4 ton so the ball joint pins were larger OD than 1/2 ton.
I reamed the lower hole in my spindle to accept the larger pin.
I just used a drill press in my shop.

 

[Bill Miller]

I cant even find 1/2 ton lower control arms. So If i use the 3/4 arms and ream out the spindle it'll be good?

 

[mjvaughans]

Bill miller--Did you ream them?