Well I finally got the slim nuts from Belltech for my lower ball joints. Here's some pictures of the final setup. I hope this works. I have hotchkis front sway bar, stock control arms, springs, shocks, rotor diameter, calipers, and wheels. I had to get longer sway bar endlinks, use a slim nut on the lower ball joint, and trim the lower ear for the caliper mount to make these spindles work. Hope this helps and let me know what you guys think of the slim nuts.


https://www.f150online.com/galleries...0048&anum=6163
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...0050&anum=6163
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...0049&anum=6163

 

Does the slim nut lock on in any way?

 

gLAD TO see it worked out. I hope to find time to tackle mine this weekend.

Did you take it for a spin yet? How is the ride?

 

Used a chisel to score the threads. Hopefully that will work. I haven't driven it yet while I want to take it to the alignment shop right away because it's way off and shop I use is booked till tuesday morning.

 

Does not look like it.What roads do you drive,I won't be on them!that nut WILL work loose,thats why the factory put a cotter pin thru nut.Do you think they want to spend an extra .2 cents X 4 X how many vehicles?Stan

PS I figured a way to make them work with the stock nut and still use the cotter pin,But you have to send them to me.and send 75.00 to do it.I had a similiar problem on the rear suspension on the lightning[IRS spindle].works great at 160mph.

 

Stan
do you think I will run into these issues with 22 in rims and using all stock suspension components with the spindles? I plan to tackle this over the weekend.
Thanks
Tom

 

If Red Rocket is running the stock 18 inch size by running the 22 you will have 2 more inches to work with than he does.Stan

 

Looks good...Where did you get the longer end links and Do you have a pic of how much you had to cut off your caliper?

On the use of the jam nut on the ball joint that is very dangerous without a locking device.

If it were mine, I would drill a hole through one of the corners of the hex and safety wire it to the spindle and be done with it....

Another solution would be just to drill a hole through the nut and stud and pin it, the only problem with that is that the holes wouldn't be in the same place if you ever had to take it off and put it back on.

 

This seems like the best solution. I'm getting the whole safety wire setup (pliers and nut-drilling jigs) anyway for my upcoming suspension rebuild.

 

My Red..,
Glad to see you worked it out. Do you have a close-up picture of the lower portion of the installed spindle?

I would also like to see how much had to be trimmed for the calipers to fit.

Thanks,

TB

 

did you have to ground the caliper to get it to fit onto the spindle or was it hitting the wheel after the install (don't think that is possible but I am still clueless about the suspension stuff)

 

The whole spindle stan or just the bolt/nut?

 

can we get some side shots to see how good the truck looks lowered?

 

the nut situation.looks very scary.That is a jam nut[lock nut] not a nut to be used for clamping.

 

That nut will come loose without either pinning, safety wire, or at least Red Loctite. Also it looks like that may be a grade 2 jam nut. That means very soft and weak. Look and the bearing surface (top ot bottom) there should be a series of dash marks around the bearing surface of the nut. If it does then it is either a grade 5 or grade 8 depending on the number of marks. If there are no marks it is a grade 2 which is completely inaddiquit for that application. Borderline dangerous to drive. Hopefully you have an extra nut to look at. If not take the time to remove the wheel and check your nuts.