[Seadog]

Installing new control arms on a 65. When I tighten the spindle nut barely part hand tight the cotter pin hole lines up between slots in the nut. Even if I torque to the high end of the range the hole is covered too much for a pin to go through.

Should I try a washer to see if that changes things?

Oh, and those new control arms don't take much grease before it starts oozing out of places. What am I doing wrong?

 

[cmefly]

Misread your post

 

[myfirstcar66]

I have found that spinning the hub / rotor while tightening the spindle nut helps seat things, gradually torque to spec, maybe a little more, then back off only to the first bit of a notch the pin can slide through.

 

[cmefly]

I have found that spinning the hub / rotor while tightening the spindle nut helps seat things, gradually torque to spec, maybe a little more, then back off only to the first bit of a notch the pin can slide through.

+1 This will work for you.

 

[awhtx]

Are you asking about the spindle nut that holds the wheel hub and bearings on the spindle or are you asking about the castle nut that attaches the lower ball joint to the spindle?

 

[GT289]

^ yeah, that’s my question too.

ex-Global West GM
1991-1995

 

[myfirstcar66]

Well, if it's a castle nut on a suspension component, same applies. Perhaps even a cotter pin of a different gauge...

 

[awhtx]

It is acceptable to put a washer under the castle nut on a ball joint to aid in alignment. If it were mine I'd just tighten the nut until the next slot in the nut aligns with the hole through the stud.

 

[Seadog]

Sorry for the confusion. This is about the ball joint. When I tighten the nut no matter how tight, I can't seem to get a slot aligned with the hole. I will try the idea of adding a washer to see if that works.

 

[Knapper]

A picture would help.

 

[GT289]

Installing new control arms on a 65. When I tighten the spindle nut barely part hand tight the cotter pin hole lines up between slots in the nut. Even if I torque to the high end of the range the hole is covered too much for a pin to go through.

Should I try a washer to see if that changes things?

Oh, and those new control arms don't take much grease before it starts oozing out of places. What am I doing wrong?

What this means is the taper isn't quite correct either on the BJ or on the spindle.
As awhtx mentioned, you can place a washer prior to installing the nut, so that when things are tightened the cotter pin hole is at the correct height to line up with slots in the nut.... to accept the cotter pin.
Not a common issue, but it does happen.

The factory upper control arms suck, if that's what you're talking about. They either take grease when new because they have poor tolerances and then ooze it out everywhere or they don't take grease cuz they're tight...... either way they will squeak at some point in the future. (they have lots of other bad attributes as well, like they're wimpy, they have poor geometry, the motion ratio is improper, etc.)

ex-Global West GM
1991-1995

 

[22GT]

IIRC, the ball joint nut should be tightened to a certain minimum torque (look in the manual). If the cotter key is not aligned, tighten until you can insert the cotter pin (no more than that).

 

[64-1/2 first.... 66 now]

Might be a little extreme, but you could separate them turn the stud a bit then reassemble.

 

[Seadog]

Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[degins]

I occasionally have a customer that has problems with the taper size of the ball joints on aftermarket control arms (not the taper on the spinde).