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Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:47 pm

well now that i reeled you in with the picture bait please help. i have a full bodied 1973 bug my front lower ball joints are sloppy on my bj beam its cut and turned and has hook and rod limiters on it and my steering box is shit and i run large tires (31/10.50/15s) so my question to everyone is should i fix the balljoints and keep replacing them as they go bad (dont know what to do about the steering yet thinking gm saganaw)or should i convert to linkpin? i have a linkpin beam stock with arms and spindels but thats it and ive seen disc breaks kits for 220 that work but convert it to four lug but that would be good cause then i wouldnt need to get new rims but would the kit come with spindel nuts and dust caps or would my old ones work ,and i can weld and fab so cut and turn no prob please help me as you can probley already see im very confused.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:28 pm

Well first off are you aware that the ball joints have to be pressed-in in a special way? I mean, even though the hole in the trailing arm is round and the ball joint is round, they have to be facing a certain way (at least thats what im told, my friend also said that the ball joints will just keep breaking if theyre not done right, sounds like your problem). You can also get radius ball joints, they can handle more angle, which you need since your beam is cut and turned. You can also buy trailing arms with the ball joint already installed. i think Chirco has them.
I think the 31x10.5 you have on the front are awfully big. i dont think i have ever seen/heard of a baja with 31x10.5 on the front. Some 700x15 are prime for a baja, especially if your playing in mud (which is what it looks like). The skinnier tires cut into the mud so they dont ride on the top and get understeer. My 235/75-15 are a little too wide and i get understeer bad when i get in the mud.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:30 pm

Oh yeah, i use a stock steering box and i beat the crap out of my bug. Its held up just fine. id suggest just getting a new box. Then again the rack and pinion are a lot stronger.