Will ranger's front upper ball joint fit into Aerostar's spindle?

[suibuliu]

Hi Guys,
I have a 95 2WD Aerostar, and I am planning to build a kit car type of car using its engine, axle and suspension, I am planning to fabricate the front upper/lower control arms, but using Aerostar's tall spindle. Aerostar's upper ball joint is ugly, it has 4 rivets and the shape is quite large.

I noticed that later ranger (around year 2000) has this "regular" upper ball joint that is pressed into the control arm end, but still uses a "cross/horzontal" pinch bolt to fasten/locate into the spindle, much like the way the upper ball joint is fastened into aerostar's spindle.

The question is: will Ranger's upper ball joint shaft fit into Aerostar's spindle hole? I was in the junk yard yesterday, and found out that a 98Explorer's has similar upper ball joints, but its ball joint shaft seems too thick for Aerostar's spindle. There is no Ranger in the junk yard for me to check...

Are Ranger and Explorer from similar years share the same upper ball joints?

Thanks!
Suibu

 

[bobbywalter]

are you considering using the rbv whole upper unit? or just a balljoint?

the a star front is definitely overlooked for projects.

 

[bobbywalter]

errr...


i can not see them being interchangeable in any event though

 

[suibuliu]

bobbywalter,

Thanks for the reply, I am just using the ball joint, and spindle. I will make the upper control arms and lower arms.

 

[bcost882]

am i to understand you want to use a diffrent ball joint because it is ugly..... well you could take the aerostar spindle into the autoparts store and see if it fits in there

 

[suibuliu]

am i to understand you want to use a diffrent ball joint because it is ugly..... well you could take the aerostar spindle into the autoparts store and see if it fits in there

well, ugly is only one reason, the other is: I cannot press aerostar's upper ball joint into an arm, it has to be riveted to its only arm.

But bring the spindle to an autoparts store is a good idea, I may just do that.

Thanks!

 

[Duane867]

I would have to assume that this is remedied the same way other after market parts manufacturers have remedied riveted ball joints. Sending you directions to grind out the rivets and sending nuts and bolts with the replacement ball joints.
My old 87 cavalier is the same way. Had a crow foot pattern rivet style ball joint.
The replacement from any seller requires the grinding off of the rivets to remove the old part and replace the new with nuts and bolts.

A bigger question for you might be why are you not using a mustang II front suspension set up for a kit car instead of the aerostar ?

 

[suibuliu]

I would have to assume that this is remedied the same way other after market parts manufacturers have remedied riveted ball joints. Sending you directions to grind out the rivets and sending nuts and bolts with the replacement ball joints.
My old 87 cavalier is the same way. Had a crow foot pattern rivet style ball joint.
The replacement from any seller requires the grinding off of the rivets to remove the old part and replace the new with nuts and bolts.

A bigger question for you might be why are you not using a mustang II front suspension set up for a kit car instead of the aerostar ?

Duane,
That is a good point, I may have to use mustang II, the reason I am thinking to use the Aerostar's spindle is: I have them, I will use its engine and rear axle. It is like a one-donor-car thing. But if the aerostar spindle does not work, then I have to use spindles from other cars.

Another one is: I was in the junk yard, and saw this 2004 Crown Victoria, the front spindle is really small and looks like alloy, so should be tight. And it has 5 bolt pattern, I bet it is the same 5x114.3 as the aerostar.

So maybe that is another option I can take.