Spindle Question

[muckyp]

Can someone help me confirm which spindles I need to order? I believe i have the 73 and up front end on this truck, as it has rubber LCA bushings and 1.25" front rotors. Is there anything else that I need to consider when determining the year model of the spindle needed?

[68shortfleet]

Your picture is showing metal control arm bushings, not rubber. And 1.25" rotors are stock to a 71/72 truck.

Would imagine that you have 71/72 spindles, but I suppose that somebody could have used 73-87 balljoints in the early 71/72 arms with 73-87 spindles. I am assuming that the 73-87 lower balljoints will even fit the 71/72 arms, I know the uppers do.

[lolife99]

Your truck has steel a-arm bushings.

[lolife99]

Figure out what upper balljoint you have or outer tie rod,... and you will know what spindle to order.
Could be 71-72 or 73-87.

I bet your a-arms are original.
They're not 73-87.

[muckyp]

Thanks for correcting me. I knew you guys would set me straight. I thought I felt rubber bushings when I was feeling around on the inner part of the LCA. Not the first time I've been wrong. How can I ID the ball joints for sure? I sure dont want to order the wrong spindles and have to pay shipping twice.

[Tx Firefighter]

You're gonna have 71-72 era parts there.

Let me tell you how I arrived at that conclusion. Keith, confirm what I'm saying here...

1) Your front crossmember is definitely 71-72 as it has the brake line tabs on the front edge of it. 73-87 had the lines going through the framerails. 70 and earlier had the tabs on the rear edge of the crossmember.

2) The rotors have the groove in the center of them.. That's 71-72 there.

3) Steel control arm bushings means 72 and earlier.

The red highlighted words are definite iron clad facts. All three of these facts adds up to 71-72 era front end swap on your truck some time in the past. All of them add up to my conclusion. If it were my truck, I'd order the 71-72 drop spindles and have pretty high level of confidence that I'd be getting the right ones.

[muckyp]

Thanks tx firefighter