Lower ball joint hurting steering Knuckle. Really need help

[alaskadan]

Sorry not the case here. I have a syncro, and I should've thought about that. It's a bushing that goes into the bottom of the upright that the ball joint goes into. .

[MarkWard]

Are both sides rubbing? Looking at the last set of pictures, it looks
like it might be better to clearance the upright. Lots of material there.
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[Vanagon Nut]

From Van-cafe web page for 84 - 85 Vanagon here:

http://www.van-cafe.com/page_768_318/ball-joint-front-lower-press-in

Part of this comment relates to the Syncro but may apply?

"These joints are sometimes slightly longer (a few more threads) and it has been found when used on a syncro (4 Wheel Drive) model with 14" alloys that they may be too long and may scrape the rim. There is at least 1/8" of extra metal beyond the threads, and we recommend grinding a portion of this area away on some models with 14" alloys to improve clearance. ...... "

Also, is wear at tapered hole on the lower ball joint adaptor a possible cause of issue? I can't imagine a ball joint getting so worn that it enlarges that hole but maybe?

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[drj434343]

I encountered this contact when I lifted my 83.5' Westy using GW springs and totally rebuilt suspension. Using the GW upper ball joint did not solve the issue, but shaving the top of the lower ball joint shaft by about 1/8" inch did give me the clearance I needed. Later, I switched to the Burly upper control arms, which brought the spindle vertical enough that I wouldn't have needed to shave the ball joint shaft.

I think the contact comes from the lifted geometry changes.

[Fiorenzo]

[Fiorenzo]

[Fiorenzo]

[MarkWard]

Instead of grinding the ball joint, you could clearance the area on the suspension where it is rubbing. Reads like you have decided to cut the ball joint down.
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[Wildthings]

You could easily cut off the tang on the the top of the stud. Its only purpose is to give you something to grab onto when installing the stud into the eye and it is hardly necessary as if you load the suspension the stud will lock into the eye and not turn anyway. Grind 6 to 8mm off the top of the stud and be on your way.

[Christopher Schimke]

Too much caster angle will pull the wheels forward which angles the spindle/upright into a position where the tip of the ball joint can come into contact with the upright. It looks to me like you have a combination of too much caster angle combined with the stud on the ball joint being slightly taller than normal.
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[Fiorenzo]

[Fiorenzo]

[spatiald]

Pinging this old thread as I am having the same issue after rebuilding the front end with all new bushings and replacing shocks and springs, upper and lower ball joints. The springs are the GW zero lift - though I understand there may be a bit of lift added.

I imagine this is fairly common after completing the dreaded front end rebuild. Would be great to hear if anyone else found the issue to be caster angle. Or if other problems were found to be the source.

I have an 83.5 and the LBJ I installed was lemforder. I'll grind off the end if I have too but want to make sure this is not indicating another issue.

[Wellington]

^^
Since you just did the job, any chance you have the old ball joint kicking around? A quick measurement will tell you if the stud is longer.
It has come to the point that I will evaluate a new part prior to installation no matter the brand, just to be sure it is "the same"

If the shaft has a slightly smaller taper, it will go in deeper and protrude further, if the shaft is a tad longer....
and then proper alignment.

[spatiald]

Unfortunately I do not still have the old ball joint and I'll start grinding away here soon.

FWIW, I just messed with various adjustments to caster (radius rod) and camber (UCA bolt). Neither seem to make this work so grinding is increasingly seeming to be the right answer. I'll reply back here if I'm able to make either of those work.

[grant111]

I had the same problem indicated in the photos and used a thin cutting wheel on my die grinder to remove 4.3 mm (the unthreaded top portion of the lower ball joint shaft). Problem solved.

Perhaps the problem is a combination of the ball joint shaft being a bit longer and the mounting point in the knuckle being widened from use allowing more of the ball joint shaft to penetrate.

My Vanagon is a 1985. I added 1986 knuckles and used a GW 1.5" lift spring with the extension. It could also be possible that the lower limit / geometry of the early Vanagon is different from later Vanagons.

Either way - after fretting the whole weekend - I'm moving to the next hurdle.