Spindle won’t budge

[Drswiger]

I just replaced the stock front UCA and lca as well as the stock spindle with a CPP tubular LCA a Ridetech tubular UCA and a Belltech 3 inch drop spindle. Stock front springs. After I have it all back together, I can’t pivot the spindle. I mean it is tight as hell. Even turn the key while it on jack stands and it’s hard as hell to turn!
Can anyone tell me what is wrong?

 

[Drswiger]

Disconnected the tie rod and I can move it ok but when the tie rod is connected it won’t budge with the key on. Haven’t mounted the rotor and tire yet

Shouldn’t I still be able to pivot the damn thing ?


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[PrairieDrifter]

Disconnected the tie rod and I can move it ok but when the tie rod is connected it won’t budge with the key on. Haven’t mounted the rotor and tire yet

Shouldn’t I still be able to pivot the damn thing ?


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Ok the second post helped clear it up. It will be very hard to turn by hand, at the spindle, without the tire mounted. It's sometimes difficult even with the tire mounted.

This is normal.

 

[Drswiger]

I feel like a moron but I guess you can only generate minimal torque just with the spindle. I just thought I should be able to move it

Will post some picks of what I’m doing. It’s kicking my ass!


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[Drswiger]

Only got one side 95% done

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[Drswiger]

Some more

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[Rusty Nail]

Fancy...

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I feel like a moron but I guess you can only generate minimal torque just with the spindle. I just thought I should be able to move it

Will post some picks of what I’m doing. It’s kicking my ass!


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All new and unsettled parts doesn't help you much either lol

 

[Rusty Nail]

@pduffyd maybe could help

 

[TPISly-C10]

different brand on lower and upper arm can be the problem?

 

[Raider L]

@Drswiger,

Unless you disconnect the tie rod from the link you won't be able to over come the steering sector. You are connected to the steering sector so unless the engine is running, even then you still have to turn the steering wheel to get it to move. Like you said when you disconnected the tie rod and it was fine, then it's fine. If you connect the tie rod then you are hooked into the steering and of course it won't move. I'm sure if someone has or is working at a front end shop they will be able to tell you what they do when they are aligning your front end and they can swing the tire back and forth to check the alignment.

Boy I'll tell you, that Belltech sure does look like about five times more spindle than your truck needs. That thing looks like it belongs on some 4x4 than your light duty pickup. I love tubular control arms. I wish I had the cash to get it done on my truck. I'll guarantee you I'd do it in a heart beat!

But @TPISIy-C10 may have a valid point though. Why did you choose to use a different lower control arm?? Either one, i.e. Ridetech or CPP would have been a great arm for both?

 

[Drswiger]

It actually came to shipping. I had ordered cpp and the damn UCA was back ordered. I then got the ridetech in line three days. Hoping it doesn’t cause an issue.


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[pduffyd]

Did you replace the idle arm and pitman arm also?
If you did they maybe out of alignment a bit causing the ball joints on the idler pitman to binde, as they dont pivot like a tie rod end.
I had this problem when I converted to power steering.
To solve the tightness in the drag link assembly i disconnected the tie rods from the drag link, and loosened the bolts holding the idler arm bracket just enough so it could move a bit to unbinde the movement of the drag link, then retightened the bracket bolts. You may need to do this on the steering box end too.
You only need to be a couple of degrees out, for these arms to bind on their ball joints.

 

[Drswiger]

Thanks for the info


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[pduffyd]

Just a thought thats all, hope it helps your problem.
To get the drag link in the right area. I disconnected the pitman arm and made sure that with no load on the drag link ( I supported the end near the pitman arm with my hand) that it would move freely, and would be at the correct position when I reconnected to the pitman arm. Then I knew that there was no loading on the joints of the idler pitman arms. It should be able to be moved by hand once its reconnected, well mine is with the borgeson 800 box i have installed, its stiff but if its out of alignment you cant move it by hand.