F-Body Spindle on A-Body problem

[jrlegacy23]

I got a set of spindles, brakes, and calipers off from a mid 80's 5th aveish vehicle. I bought a set of new lower ball joints from rock-auto, and new grade 8, 5/8x2 1/2x18 bolts to bolt them together, and I got a set of used magnum force tubular UCA with the bigger ball joint. Eveything seemed to bolt together nicely except one issue:
I had the UCA bolted in, the F-Body spindle bolted to that, and then bolted the lower ball joint to the spindle. Then, when I went to bolt the lower control arm to the lower ball joint I had to loosen the torsion bar bolt all the way out just to get the lower control arm high enough to get the lower ball joint in. If I didn't, the car would lift up before becoming even close to merging the two. I have to take the stock Tbars out anyways for the 1"ers. But, is this common practice, or did I fudge something up here?

 

[dahdgedaht]

I think trying to connect everything while the torsion bar was wound up was
your blunder. I can't see how you where able to do it, especially if you had the lower arm hanging. Unwinding the torsion bars should have been the first step IMO.

 

[jrlegacy23]

Thanks for the info, Thats pretty much what I was thinking, but to get them bolted in, the torsion bar bolt is practically on with 4 threads. I have not set the dart back on the ground yet, so I imagine it will push up a bit and need to be adjusted tighter again. I just have not done a disc brake swap or even lower ball joints on an older mopar before.

 

[mopar340dave]

Yes, normal. How did you take the old one out? floor jack on the lower arm?
make sure you tighten them to about where they sere before y6ou set it down or it will hit the deck! lol

 

[jrlegacy23]

I took them out by unbolting the UCA from the frame because it was all being replaced. I am not gonna tighten them up yet, I have decided to replace the torsion bars with the new 1" ones while I have it up and apart.

 

[mopar340dave]

cool