Safe to ream out ball joint holes in spindles on 65 Skylark?

[NoMoneyZ]

When putting my Skylark front end together I noticed that when torquing everything down I cannot get enough threads tight on the upper and lower ball joints to put the cotter pin through the castle nut. The hole in the balljoint shaft isn't all the way visible. I'll take some pictures to show exactly how it sits. I'm using stock spindles and stock lower control arms, but I bought SPC upper control arms from SC&C with the one piece "Nascar" style tall ball joints on the uppers and tall ball joints on the lowers.

[dontlifttoshift]

Machine the castle nuts. It sounds like you only need a little bit. Find someone with a lathe and face .060" or so off the botttom of the nut.

[Apogee]

You can ream the spindle, but Donny's solution is much simpler and easier without the need for a special tapered ream.

[Vegas 69]

you can ream but you have to use a tapered bit

[Rod]

a correct ball joint reamer is usually about 60 to 100 bucks, you must keep the same taper other wise you reduce the contact point and stress the ball joint and i have seen them snap because of the wrong matching taper, Donny's idea is free you could even use an old belt sander to reduce the nut height, a little at a time

[astroracer]

A good front end shop should have a tapered reamer. Ask around. I borrowed one when I opened up the bottom tapers on the van spindles.
I would rather see you open up the tapered hole then shorten the nut. Getting the shank to seat correctly at the proper depth is important to keep it from rocking in the taper.
Mark

[hotrodalex]

Have you checked to see if they fit well when not installed on the control arms? Could have some binding or alignment issue that is making it difficult to get enough thread showing. Quick and easy way to isolate the problem.

[NoMoneyZ]

I'll take pictures this weekend. My concern was that the balljoint shaft wasn't seating far enough into the spindle, unless that's how the tall balljoints are designed. I appreciate the responses. I'll try to pull the upper arm off the car and see if there is any binding.

[dontlifttoshift]

Ream the spindle....and then what? His spindles are junk when/if he goes to different ball joints.

Now if the new balljoints are the wrong taper for his spindle, that's a problem that needs to be corrected by installing the correct ball joints.

[Rod]

yes pictures, and there tall ball joints ....is that what you said

[NoMoneyZ]

Yes, they are the tall ball joints. I ordered everything from SC&C the upper control arms are the SPC and the ball joint came installed. The lowers are stock and I had the new balljoints put in those. I spoke with Mark I believe for about an hour figuring out what I would need for my car. Was supposed to be a bolt in and go; it may very well be that I am just being paranoid but better safe than sorry.

[NoMoneyZ]

So it seems I may be over-reacting, after looking closer and pulling back the boots a little; I can see that the ball joint is almost completely seated to the taper. My problem may very well be that when I painted the spindle I got some por15 in the hole for the ball joint shaft. I think if I pull it apart and give it a good sanding I should be fine. The lowers just fit and get past the hole for the cotter pin. Now if I pull it apart and there is no por15 creating an issue then I'm in the problem with not being able to put a cotter pin through. Here are some pictures anyways.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/11/th_IMG_1213_zpsz3sdhjv7-1.jpg (http://s96.photobucket.com/user/darkstar02496/media/IMG_1213_zpsz3sdhjv7.jpg.html)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/11/th_IMG_1218_zpsj2isdkm0-1.jpg (http://s96.photobucket.com/user/darkstar02496/media/IMG_1218_zpsj2isdkm0.jpg.html)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/11/th_IMG_1219_zpsud6t2ogw-1.jpg (http://s96.photobucket.com/user/darkstar02496/media/IMG_1219_zpsud6t2ogw.jpg.html)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/11/th_IMG_1217_zps0srp3f8o-1.jpg (http://s96.photobucket.com/user/darkstar02496/media/IMG_1217_zps0srp3f8o.jpg.html)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/11/th_IMG_1220_zpskbmh1nuq-1.jpg (http://s96.photobucket.com/user/darkstar02496/media/IMG_1220_zpskbmh1nuq.jpg.html)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/11/th_IMG_1221_zpscnsr2xnm-1.jpg (http://s96.photobucket.com/user/darkstar02496/media/IMG_1221_zpscnsr2xnm.jpg.html)

[dontlifttoshift]

If you remove the washer, does the nut bottom out on the threads or on the spindle?

If threads, machine nut and use the washer.

If spindle, remove washer.

[Rod]

remove the washer please....i only add washers if the cotter pin is to high on the castle nut.....you may need to find different thickness of washers...I use old Baer brakes shims/washers to get the thickness correct

[dontlifttoshift]

Rodney, you have to watch it, though. There are mismatched applications out there where the nut would bottom out before it is tight, in that case the washer/spacer is there to prevent that.