suspension popping, ball joints?

I just got my 5-speed installed afew days ago and now my front suspension is popping acationally expecally in transition from forward/reverse and vice versa... what does that sound like? I do plan on changing front springs here soon and am thinking about the 1" drop ones which should raise my car up abit (I have it lowered abit to much now... the shock only has about 4" of rod exposed at top to eyelet), and would like to know what I should change while I'm in there so I only have to get it alligned once. Also is it the 67-73 620lbs 1" drop springs that would be appropriate for a small block? do you have to replace the lower control arms or can you just replace the lower ball joints? if thats what is wrong. can you use upper ball joints on the lower control arms? I need to get this car back to a reliable daily driver... would also like to do the UCA drop but I'm still worried as to how I would do that affordably and how to prevent the caps/zerk fittings from hitting the strut tower... to many questions for one post I know but they are intraconnected... Thank you

also who would you guys suggest I order from? Thanks

 

620 lbs coil springs will ride rock hard on the street. The upper control arm drop won't work on a 74...the extra support box is in the way. For a few extra dollars you could replace the lower control arm instead of just replacing the ball joint.

 

I have never seen just the lower bj available. I have only seen the whole lower arm.
Looks like I need to look at my tower in this location. I don't recall seeing that extra plate there. I do have cracks in this area also which were welded at one point. I need to do something better. Maybe I could add this plate if I don't have it?

 

it's a extra support added in later years. what spring rates should be used? Along time ago when I rebuilt my front suspension the origenal control arms had bolts instead of rivits on the ball joints so it looked like the lowers were replaced at some point. but as others have said I can't find lower ball joints by them selves anywhere.

 

Can't tell you why it had bolts but I have looked up suspension parts for my car off and on since I can remember and never came accorss anything different, only complete lower arms.
As for the weight capacity. When I ordered my springs I was asked what engine and if AC or not. They may have asked something else but I was never asked about what weight I wanted. Others might know the differences on that, sorry.

 

Autozone and checker is one thing but I'm kinda looking at the 1" drop springs because when I picked up some stock ones they sat WAY to high... the springs I have right now are for the 4door v8 w/ac although with quight afew coils cut off...

 

Maybe it looked high because the rear need new ones too lol.

 

Before you replace your LCA's/ball joints, check your strut rod bushings.

 

my thinking is...a 1" drop spring... is shorter and stiffer. how would this...raise...the car?
maybe after another cup of coffee i will be able to see it...

 

sounds like a...U-joint/strut rod bushing...popping...

 

Blu, that plate wont weld in on ours. the actual frame rail is shaped differently where it mounts to that piece. i am still tossing around modding one to fit but for now i left it off and just did some extra welds. i will be posting pics here in a minute to my shock tower thread with progress updates..

if it is in the way you can take it off and build up the strength somewhere else. it wouldnt have stopped the crack i received and wont stop anything at the height of the upper a arm or higher sooooo.......

 

Thanks for the info. This issue may someday make me do the Mustang II conversion

 

The Shelby drop will not lower the car. It only improves the geometry of the steering. I think Ford figured out this problem in '67 and made the changes to correct the issue. To drop the ride height you need shorter coil springs.

Goto http://101part.com/coilsprings/ford/maverick.htm and pick a part number...then go to http://classiccarsprings.com/coil-spring-specifications.html to see the spring rate.

 

Strut rod bushings are still polygraphite, I'm thinking of changing them. I do have them tightened quight abit.

The 1" drop springs would still most likely be higher than what I have installed at the moment... of course I'm not sure how to relay what I have installed right now, I have about 4" of shaft shown between the shocks cylinder and eyelet...

If it was the U-joint wouldn't I get vibration at higher speeds? Sence I finished the 5-speed conversion I've been doing 70-80 mph regularly for the last few days and it doesn't vibrate more than it does at 45-50 mph.

I'm going to check the ball joints tomarrow and see how they look. I just want to get everything squared away before I get it alligned... but I am thinking of getting differant springs. I just want to be able to drive the thing without worring about bottoming out or something.
I checked out those sites you posted and according to it I'm running 290.5 lbs/in.

 

Thats whats popping. The strut rod is tearing the frame off the car...or the car is tearing the strut rod off the car