Are there any other make besides the granada that spindles work? Same set ups, just what models are the same? Anyone use something other than Granada spindles?
I think there was a big list in the other pages of the FAQ sticky. If not there, I know it's around here somewhere.
From my experience in gathering parts, granada spindles, brackets, back plates, calipers, bearings, seals, grease cups, brake lines, rotors, reaming the spindles you would be time and money ahead in buying a kit. Someone like Drop N Stop will fix you right up. Probably a kit to fit the spindles on your car now. This has been my experience since I didn't have a donor car
I've searched for them, and read the "FAQ sticky" thread time after time, and nothing saying anything but the Granada.
Give Mr Gulley a call at Drop N Stop (http://www.dropnstop.com/) great guy best price. (818) 572-5302
I believe The Stig used '72 LTD spindles and rotors on his '56. Direct bolt up, no reaming but he did have to use a 1/2" spacer on the lower ball joint to get the castle nut to it's proper position. He's got picks of it here somewhere.
I did use discs from a 72 LTD on my 56. The only thing I had to do to make them fit was use a ½ inch spacer like chopd top said. Here's a link to the thread where the pics are. I found an add on eBay that states the following years rotors are interchangeable. Ford COUNTRY SQUIRE [1970 - 1972] Ford CUSTOM, CUSTOM 500 [1970 - 1972] Ford GALAXIE [1970 - 1972] Ford LTD [1970 - 1972] Ford THUNDERBIRD [1970 - 1972] Lincoln CONTINENTAL [1970 - 1972] Lincoln MARK III [1970 - 1971] Mercury COLONY PARK [1969 - 1972] Mercury GRAND MARQUIS [1969 - 1972] Mercury MARQUIS [1969 - 1972] Mercury MONTEREY [1969 - 1972] Mercury PARKLANE [1969 - 1972]
I used a Lincoln Versailles setup and it is a bolt on except you have to have some washers or a spacer under the nut on the bottom ball joint as the nut runs out of threads before it will tighten down. Found it on carpart.com used parts. It is a junkyard seach.
70s torinos are the same spindle as the ltds. now the only thing to beware of is make sure not to get them off a big block car, there different and wont work. got a set of those hanging in my garage i found out the hard way. and you can use granada rotors on those spindles since rotors for the ltds and torinos are non existent
Hi Guys, Maveric, mercury, monarc ,lincoln Versailles,granada are all basicly the same spindles. Versailles is a direct bolt in because it has a larger lower ball joint hole. All these spindles can be machined to fit 54- 64. fords. 68-72 V8 mustangs disc brake spindles can also be machined to fit 54-64 fords. Mustangs use different rotors and and calipers than granada . All these spindles can be machined with 1 1/2 or 2 1/2drop granada spindles are becoming very hard to locate. I think 72 ford are as hard if not harder. You should all consider mustang spindles preferably 70 and up. They use the same inner and outer bearing as granada. Dave
So Maveric spindles are the same as those on a Granada/Monach? I haven't had much luck locating a Granada locally, but I did find a couple Mavericks at an old junkyard. One of them appeared to have drum brakes though.
Maverick spindle/disc will work just like the Granada - still have to match up the lower ball tapers and tie rod ends - but not a big deal. The drum spindle parts work if you use one of the Wilwood kits specifically for the conversion - they're listed for the 70 - 73 Mustangs. Bucks up but beautiful....
I think the Wilwood kit would probably cost me more than the car did. I think that at this point, I'm gonna try to scrounge up a V8 Ganada for the spindles, engine and trans, and what ever other bits I can use. My other questions is how do you determine how much to ream the lower ball joint hole to achieve the desired drop? Im looking to lower the can about 3". I know that the Aerostar springs lower it about 1 1/2 to 2".
The "pin" of the lower ball joint is about 7/8 shank and 1.5" per foot taper on the older vehicle - the newer lower ball joints (and the old uppers) are near 5/8 shank with the same taper. When you try your lower joints into the new(er) knuckle, you'll see that the lower taper opening will have to be enlarged to get it to fully seat up into the lug on the steering knuckle. The position of the ball relative to the spindle centerline sets the ride height. You will get the greatest amount of lowering when you just open the seat up enough to get a full nut and one heavy washer to grip on top of the lug. The big pin is over twice as strong as the 5/8 on the late model so that isn't an issue - and the ball will then be as far down as you can get it. The photo shows one that is seated well up into the lug - and as a consequence there weren't enough threads to grip the knuckle. Shown is the proper way to address this - use a solid spacer or "collar" to allow tightening the taper joint correctly.
I thought it was the other way, if the spindle sits higher on the ball joint it would lower the car more? That would work the same way as the good old spacers between a-arm and spring pocket...
I've got a Pair of Granada spindles in my garage. I'm not going to be using them. If someone wants them, send me a pm and we can talk prices. Rocky
STRAYCA631 - your correct the higher up the spindle sits on the ball joint shaft the lower your car will go.......in the picture posted above if the spacer was under the spindle then the washer and nut on top of the spindle then you would be lowering the car more(but sounds like the pictured setup IS high as it will go ,and the spacer is there so the nut will tighten all the way without running out of threads)....same theory as putting spacer blocks in between the lower a-arms and spring cup plates, or lowering blocks in between the rear leafs and the rear end.....basically higher you space the wheels(rear end , or front spindles) up into the wheel openings off the stock suspension locations, the lower the vehicle will go...
Greenbird, thanks for the info. I had a feeling that reaming it enough to get the nut and washer on will get me where I want to be, I just wanted to be 100% sure. My other concern was having the spindle that high up on the stud might cause the ball joint to fail, but it sounds like these joints are pretty stout so this doesn't seem to be an issue.
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