1971 vega ball joints

[Teal23t]

I have replaced the top rivted to bolt in and the bottom using the tool to pop out and new one in...my problem when i tighten the top one to the rotor housing i will call it the A arm seems to rub on the top part of the rotor.i put the ball joint thru the top should i have put it up thru bottom which would give more space between arm and top of rotor housing using proforged 101-10300 car still has jacks under A arm at this point could that also bind it also.Thanks Bob

[Smiley]

Have any other parts been changed besides the upper and lower ball joints ?
the upper control arm should be behind the rotor.
The ball joint bolt flange sits on top of the control arm.

31172048-EB1E-45E8-8D93-6B3544AA391F.jpeg

[Teal23t]

THANKS Smiley for your help...nothing was changed and after fighting with the spring compressor haha Ill get some pics tomorrow and take another lQQk its rubs on part of the rotor bracket as you tighten up castle nut .

[283vega]

Could you have flipped the spindle 180 degrees. In other words do you have the caliper bracket in the front instead of the back ? ? Up side down ?

[Teal23t]

Thank Brain...Its the right way cause its lines up with tie rod.im gonna get pics tomorrow.keep a look out for new post Thank you...i will check all again to make sure.

[Smiley]

pictures would help

[Teal23t]

So I rechecked this morning I have the bottom ball joint castle nut set to about 25 foot pounds which seems pretty tight right now .then went to the top and if I tighten it too tight the A-frame will hit the top deck portion of the rotor set up as pointed by my finger but if I loosen it up a bit then it turns freely back-and-forth . Should I assume I should just leave it there and put Carter key through haven't touched the other side yet but the set up is the same on that side .short of grinding the top of the ledge section on the rotor set up should I just leave it at that and call it done

[Smiley]

The ball joint nuts need to be torqued to spec.
The parting line ridge is quite high on your spindles, i would dress it down flush.
At ride height there should be a gap between the spindle and the upper control arms.

[chevyart]

are you you have the right ball joints for the top. i think the top ones are larger then the bottoms and the early bottoms(71thru 74) are somehow smaller than the 75 and up lowers. maybe , somehow you got the small ball joints that belong on the bottom. art.

[Smiley]

uppers are the same all years
75 and up lowers have larger threads than 71-74
Uppers bolt in, lowers press in so you can’t mix them up.

[Teal23t]

Now I'm wondering I did not check--is there some kind of bump-stop rubber grommet when you lift the top arm--that could be very worn, that would be making the arm come down closer to the spindle. And what is the torque recommendations that you used. You also said to maybe grind some off the top of spindle.

[Smiley]

The shocks limit the downward travel.
The "bump" stops limit the upward travel like when you hit a bump.

What springs did you put in it ?

[Teal23t]

I did not put the shock back in at this point. I have the spring compressor still in the spring but the tension is basically off the spring at this point.
I honestly don't know what spring is in the car -- it came with it. Do you think putting the shock back in will bring it to the proper level? I left the shock out until I really find out what's going on. At this point it's still sitting on the jacks under the A-frame. Thanks for all your help. Will be back on tomorrow.

[Smiley]

Take the ridge off the top of the spindles and put the shocks on.
If the engine is out there may not be enough weight to pull it down on jack stands.

[Teal23t]

thanks for your help, the motor is out and at machine shop .in the coming days i will take ridge down and put shock back in and see what i come up with.Now if i remember correctly i will have to take pressure off spring using = (compress spring) to pop up that top A frame also to take ridge off spindle...