Old or New Bolts for Lower Ball Joint?

[Lets Roll]

I'm thinking about using my old bolts with castle nuts instead of the new coarse ones with brake kit. I like the oem ones better they just feel of better quality even with age. What would you do?

 

[dadsbee]

OLD steel.. not the offshore junk in gold

 

[moparnation74]

Original steel bolts all the way

 

[Bill Monk]

OLD

 

[YY1]

if it ain't broke.....

 

[Bb70charger500]

Old!!!!

 

[eldubb440]

new, old style castle....... if available

at least replace the cotter pins

 

[moparnation74]

new, old style castle....... if available

at least replace the cotter pins

Careful with the new castle nuts....they are a cheaper grade steel and I have had some spin when torqued to spec....

 

[eldubb440]

Careful with the new castle nuts....they are a cheaper grade steel and I have had some spin when torqued to spec....

I should have specified American made

 

[moparnation74]

I should have specified American made

These were proclaimed American made.....

The motor mount to block bolt kits are just as bad......

Plenty of old hardware available just a matter of getting it together and restoring it.......if you have the time.....

 

[Kern Dog]

The "old" bolt in that picture does not look like the bolts that I have seen used. If you are referring to the bolts that secure the LBJ to the spindle/knuckle. Those, in my experience are 5/8" diameter, fine thread, approx 2 3/8" shank with a crimp nut, sort of like a connecting rod nut. They are an interference fit and need no castle nut or cotter pin.

 

[moparnation74]

The "old" bolt in that picture does not look like the bolts that I have seen used. If you are referring to the bolts that secure the LBJ to the spindle/knuckle. Those, in my experience are 5/8" diameter, fine thread, approx 2 3/8" shank with a crimp nut, sort of like a connecting rod nut. They are an interference fit and need no castle nut or cotter pin.

That is an original fine thread bolt and correct castle nut for the lower ball joint........

 

[Kern Dog]

What car, what year? I am mostly familiar with A-Body brakes and their parts.

 

[moparnation74]

What car, what year? I am mostly familiar with A-Body brakes and their parts.

Not familiar, lol.....

B body brakes......60's and up...........My thread displays these bolts perfectly.....

 

[Fran Blacker]

There's a shorter shoulder on new bolt, fine threads are stronger. Do you have a Fastenal near by if you want new bolts.

 

[Kern Dog]

What car, what year? I am mostly familiar with A-Body brakes and their parts.

I wrote that because every car that I have owned or bought to fix up and sell have been fitted with some variation of the 73-later disc brake parts. Those use the bolts that I described. The Aspen/Volare, Cordoba, etc use the same as the 73-76 Dart/Valiant.

 

[Kern Dog]

 

[moparnation74]

I wrote that because every car that I have owned or bought to fix up and sell have been fitted with some variation of the 73-later disc brake parts. Those use the bolts that I described. The Aspen/Volare, Cordoba, etc use the same as the 73-76 Dart/Valiant.

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...y-father-my-69-gtx-restoration.127388/page-31

Scroll down the page Mr so interested in correct type rebuilds.......

 

[YY1]

I found 5/8 fine thread bolts at ACE hardware.

...but I'd use the ones the OP already has.

I needed different length bolts to put M body brakes on a 66.

 

[kiwigtx]

I wrote that because every car that I have owned or bought to fix up and sell have been fitted with some variation of the 73-later disc brake parts. Those use the bolts that I described. The Aspen/Volare, Cordoba, etc use the same as the 73-76 Dart/Valiant.

The OP was asking about what he should use to correctly repair his car - use the original correct hardware, or the new hardware which looks different to the original. He was not asking about using an old clothesline, a ballpoint pen and some rusty soup cans to build a hotrod like MacGuyver would.