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Suspension Different height ball joints?

  • Thread starter Thread starter pindude80
  • Start date Start date Jun 10, 2024
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pindude80

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Apr 8, 2024
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Cincinnati, OH
Jun 10, 2024
#1
  • Jun 10, 2024
  • #1
Hey guys, I posted a couple weeks ago about tight steering, steering not returning to center, and a squeak when the steering wheel is turned. We assumed the ball joints were bad. I've been wanting to lower the car so I figured it was the perfect time to do the ball joints and springs together.

I bought a stock k member with new control arms and new ball joints off of Facebook marketplace. The guy said everything was off of his fox body Mustang that he was working on. I installed the new control arms and torqued the the ball joint nut to 100 foot pounds. When I got done torquing the nut I was going to put the cotter pin in and I noticed that I couldn't see the hole the cotter pin goes in. I noticed that the castle nut was only level with the top of the ball joint when it was torqued. I then looked at the original control arm with the original ball joint versus the replacement control arm with the replacement ball joint. I had the original left side control arm and ball joint off and I set it next to the right side control arm and ball joint. The control arm height appears to be the same but the ball stud length is way different. Are there different lengths of ball joints between the years in the fox bodies?

I don't know if the spindles were swapped when it was five lug converted or not or if that would even make a difference? I'm not sure what is going on since these were supposed to have been off a fox body but they don't work with my spindles.

Anyone have any ideas?
 

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nickyb

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever
15 Year Member
Apr 3, 2009
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nevada
Jun 10, 2024
#2
  • Jun 10, 2024
  • #2
I do know when I did the cobra brake upgrade the 1995 spindles needs either sn 95 ball joints or ( what I used) a spacer on my fox body ball joints.
 
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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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#3
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #3
Pretty sure the 94-95 ball joints are a different height than 93 and older Like what NickyB said
 
Last edited: Jun 11, 2024

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes
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#4
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #4
You have SN95 ball joints. They are shorter than Fox ball joints and have the same thread.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
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#5
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #5
Concur

Sn95 (shorter) vs Fox (longer ball joints.
 
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pindude80

Active Member
Apr 8, 2024
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Cincinnati, OH
Jun 11, 2024
#6
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #6
I'm guessing the guy I bought the k-member and control arms from must have had something like Cobra brakes on his car that required the shorter ball joints. I'll go ahead and order a set of fox body ball joints.

Thanks everyone for the replies and info.
 

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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#7
  • Jun 11, 2024
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pindude80 said:
I'm guessing the guy I bought the k-member and control arms from must have had something like Cobra brakes on his car that required the shorter ball joints. I'll go ahead and order a set of fox body ball joints.

Thanks everyone for the replies and info.
Click to expand...
I am guessing he had 94/95 5 lug spindles on his car... You might want to make sure those lower A arms are correct....
 

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes
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#8
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #8
79-93 Mustang/Capri front control arm length: 13"

84-86 Mustang SVO front control arm length: 14"

94-04 Mustang front control arm length: 14.23" (from Jack Hidley at MM)

I always thought the 99-04 were longer than the 94-98 but one of the guys on foureyedpride says they are all the same length via a conversation with Jack. The reason that grabbed my attention is that the guys on a T-Bird site say the 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar LCA's are the same length as the 94-98 Mustang LCA's. I know for a fact the 83-86 Thunderbird/Cougar LCA's are identical to the 79-93 Mustang LCA's as I use the Mustang LCA's on my T-Bird.
 
Last edited: Jun 11, 2024

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
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#9
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #9
I took this pic a whole back showing FOx vs SN95 control arm differences. Left is a 99-04 arm, and right is a 1993 OEM arm. I have the lower extension set where the sprng cup is, but the distance is about 1" more outboard than Fox. I don't have a reference (or measurement) on the balljoint but it's about the same.

Moving the spring cup out about 1" does actually affect how the car rides due to leverage. Because the spring is further out, SN95 cars ride on softer springs, which translates to a (slightly) softer ride.

Of course now we are going a little bit off-topic.

 
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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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#10
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #10
Off topic can be good.... Have I told you the one about the Camaro?
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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#11
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #11
limp said:
Off topic can be good.... Have I told you the one about the Camaro?
Click to expand...
 
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AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes
Founding Member
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Jun 11, 2024
#12
  • Jun 11, 2024
  • #12
This one?

 

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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#13
  • Jun 11, 2024
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AeroCoupe said:
This one?

Click to expand...
LOL... Do you really want to start this?
 

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes
Founding Member
Oct 28, 2001
5,784
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Claremore, OK
Jun 11, 2024
#14
  • Jun 11, 2024
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No but I had to post that. That other thread got completely derailed.
 
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LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air
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#15
  • Jun 11, 2024
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Follow MEEEEEE!!!

 

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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Jun 12, 2024
#16
  • Jun 12, 2024
  • #16
AeroCoupe said:
No but I had to post that. That other thread got completely derailed.
Click to expand...
LOL... I need to keep those on the NastyZ28.com website....
 
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