Lower ball joints

[Darren]

Hey guys I am replacing my front end parts on my 68 Dart with Moog parts,  my dart has disc front brakes that were already installed when I got the car,  I think the front brakes are off an 78 aspen, do I order the lower ball joints for a disc or drum front brake set up?  thanks

[kawazuki8097]

A F M J disc spindles should use the 73-76 A lower ball joints

[Darren]

So if I have disc brakes on my Dart, I must have disc brake spindles? I just want to be sure before I order anything,   thanks

[redfastback]

if they are single piston calipers, order 73-76 a body disc brake lower ball joints.

[doug 371]

small bolt patern or big?

[doug 371]

sorry nevermind

[Darren]

Thanks guys, for the upper ball joints, I heard there was a small and a large? is there a way of telling which I have?   will both of them fit in the same upper control arm?

[doug 371]

order upper and lower bj's for 74 valiant with disc brakes...done

[Darren]

I understood that the upper ball joints from a 73 or newer car has the big ball joint? What I have on my Dart are the smaller ones.

[doug 371]

big bolt patern or small...guesing they are off a 78 aspen isnt helping...if it has bigbolt brakes u have the big balljoint...if its smallbolt,its small joint

[mischiefdart]

I understood that the upper ball joints from a 73 or newer car has the big ball joint? What I have on my Dart are the smaller ones.

BBP single piston caliper brakes whether they are FMJ or A-body spindles use the lower and upper ball joints for '73 to'76 A-bodies. They are larger than the '72 down upper ball joints. They are the same size as the B and E body upper ball joints. The '73 up lowers have a different steering stop than the earlier ones. If you have the small uppers you may have the wrong upper control arms on your car. C-body uppers are larger than the B-body ones so I would measure what you have and compare it to a known stock upper and see. Check the tech pages for some good info.

[Darren]

 Doug I am just trying to figure out what parts I have here, If I would of ordered large upper ball joints, they would of been wrong, The guy who had the car must of a mix of parts. What is a good donor car to strip, but still keep my 68 k frame.  Thanks  Darren

[doug 371]

darren if u have the big bolt brakes and spindles the only upper control arm and ball joint that fits it is 73 up big joint...now like i asked big bolt or small bolt pattern?

[Darren]

Doug if you are asking if I have big or small bolt pattern, I have big bolt (5x 4 1/2) now if you are asking if I have big or small bolt pattern brakes, I don't know, I can take a pic of my parts, Ball joint, spindles, control arms, If this would help.. Thanks   

[440+6Scamp]

A quick way to tell what size upper ball joint you have is to see what size wrench fits the castle nut.  Off the top of my head I want to say the big ball joint will take a 7/8".

[doug 371]

Doug if you are asking if I have big or small bolt pattern, I have big bolt (5x 4 1/2) now if you are asking if I have big or small bolt pattern brakes, I don't know, I can take a pic of my parts, Ball joint, spindles, control arms, If this would help.. Thanks   

pic would be great

[Darren]

Doug I will take the pics today   Thanks

[william]

I don't think the suspension is from an 78 aspen,
I think it has a transverse torsion bar .
Not much would interchange.

[Darren]

Here are a few pics of what I have

[Darren]

A few more of the rotors

[Cudadust]

The rotors look good but thats no guarantee it is compatiable with the other parts.  Is there another car around so you can compare the parts?  The larger parts will generally be for the big bolt pattern and the small parts for the small bolt pattern.  Also check the casting numbes usually cast on each mopar part, these numbers can be used for cross reference.  Did not notice a caliper adapter picture they are the key item for those large rotors. The after market has the tubular UCAs If you get stuck there.   

[redfastback]

those are 73- up disc spindles, 10.78 unicast rotors(bbp).  all bbp 73-up stuff.  the calipers are single piston.  the way to tell bolt pattern is to measure from the back of one stud to the center of another.  all 72-earlier a body discs were 2 piece hub/rotor design.

[doug 371]

that upper balljoint looks like a small 1 though?

[doug 371]

does that upper bj stud fit the spindle ok or is it loose in there? are these the parts that were on ur car? u will need big upper balljoints for that spindle. the big bj only fits the big bj control arm

[redfastback]

to know for sure, go to the store and have them order a 68 a body disc upr balljoint and a 73 a body disc upr balljoint.  same with the lowers.  then you'll see what you have.

[Darren]

I had all these parts on my 68 Dart, and worked fine.   The upper ball joints are the small style,    I have a big style ball joint,  and the stud will not fit in to the spindle. 

[doug 371]

well now i'm confused darren, cause i can see that thatis the small upper bj and a big joint spindle...they not supposed to go together

[Darren]

I will take a pic after and post it, thanks 

[Darren]

Doug how can you tell that the spindle is a big joint?

[doug 371]

the smallbolt disc spindle has a way longer neck toward the top, and has the dust shield holes pattern upside down compared to the 1 u have shown