Ball joint help

[bflippinw]

Ok I'm rebuilding front Dana 44 with an existing Chevy disk conversion. When I tore it apart there was no snap ring on either ball joint. Replaced ball joint and there is no room to get a snap ring in either ball joint. Shop manual shows the snap ring on the lower but it's not sticking out enough. Upper has almost enough room to get a ring on but the ball joint is bottomed out like it should be and I would have to take the ball joint out and grind some material off to get a ring in. The joints are spicer from jbg. Next, I torqued the ball joints on the inner c's and pass side felt good but driver side was real easy to turn the knuckle. I looked and the adjuster nut was a lot farther in to achieve the 40 ft/ lbs torque. So I loosened the adjuster to the same depth as pass side- not torqued- then torqued upper nut until I got about the same feel as pass side. Confirmed this with a pull scale-20 lbs- which is within spec. Does this sound ok? The ball joints appear to b pressed in right - I used a ball joint press. Maybe the driver side knuckle is spread open a little. Am I ok without a snap ring? Thanks for any advice. Bob.

 

[bad 68]

The weight of the vehicle keeps the joints pressed in so the snap rings are not needed. The recommended 40# of torq for the upper ball joint sleeve is just a recommended starting point. The important number is the final torque on the ball joint nuts. It's paramount that you achieve at least 75# on the nuts with the knuckles turning freely.
The depth of the sleeve is not important as long as the final numbers are correct.

The knuckle should start out stiff and then free up as the torque on the nut comes into spec. If it starts out free and then stiffens up as the nut torques down then you must readjust the sleeve. If the sleeve doesn't want to turn back out the best way is to knock the entire knuckle back out and then the sleeve will just spin right out. Most of the time the sleeve does not want to turn with the upper ball joint stuck in it.

 

[broncnaz]

It would be better to have the snap ring just for extra insurance if the press was tight and the ball joint is seated all the way against the knuckle then you should be able to get away without them. This has seemed to be a common issue lately. I dont know if the manufacturers have redesigned the ball joints or someone is not following the orginal specs.

 

[bflippinw]

So in the end should the knuckle turn free or require the less than 26 lbs to turn? The 26 lbs is pretty stiif compared to turning free. Figure it's better to be tight then seat in...?

 

[garberz]

26lbs is the max. drag weight. I used eccentric bushings instead of the standard preload sleeve, so I wasn't able to torque them at all. After torquing the upper ball joint it was within spec. So the preload sleeve didn't have any effect. I was able to install the snap rings on my 76' using Raybestos pro-grade Ball joints. On my buddies 74', he bought the Spicer ball joints, and we couldn't get the clearance to install the snap rings.

Mark

 

[bflippinw]

Ok well I'm at 20 lbs pull on both sides so I'm gonna call it good ....?

 

[garberz]

Ok well I'm at 20 lbs pull on both sides so I'm gonna call it good ....?

I'd agree, run it.

 

[bflippinw]

Thanks guys