Spindle onto Ball Joint issues..., Any tips? Options

[aggiezig]

We started putting together the front end tonight. Other than a few curve balls, most of the reassembly has gone off without a hitch. We got stuck with the drivers spindle and called it a night. The ball joint shaft does not want to slide into the spindle no matter how much we beat on it to persuade it.

I made sure that there was no powdercoat in the hole where the ball joint slides in. I can only get it to go about 1/8" in and that's using a sledge and wood block to beat up on the control / a-arm while holding down on the spindle / strut. The passenger side slid in with minimal effort, so not sure what's going on here. It's acting like the ball joint shaft OD is slightly too big. It's a brand new Lemfoerder BJ.

Am I missing something here? Is it possible I got a "bad" ball joint? I'll measure and post the OD with my calipers tonight. I'm not sure how to get out of this predicament other than trying another new joint.

Any feedback appreciated.

[falcor75]

Are these all new parts to you or have you just changed out the balljoints for new ones? If nothing else take the strut out of the car and put it in a vice and mount the balljoint where you can easily see and check the fit. Then mount the strut with balljoint back on the car.

[rgalla9146]

Are these all new parts to you or have you just changed out the balljoints for new ones? If nothing else take the strut out of the car and put it in a vice and mount the balljoint where you can easily see and check the fit. Then mount the strut with balljoint back on the car.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
When you can see the issue properly you will be able to remedy it.
Removing the strut is not too difficult and can be done without bleeding the brakes.
To do so will require cutting a slot in the bracket on the strut.....with the line still
attached.