I have a 55 chevy 210 4 door wagon and want to build into a g***er that i can drive on the street. i just want to know if any of yall have tryed ball joint spacers on your cars to lift them up nose high,and if they handle bad or not. i just don't want to go with the straight axle just in case i want to change the car later on in life. this is not my car mine is the same color just weathered and worn out (wish it was)
Helped a friend put them in his '56 Chevy. You'll need to go to heavier springs like the 58 409 springs. You'll also need very skinny front wheels and tires, as anything wider than 4.5" or anything with much more than 3" of backspace will make the tire rub on the upper control arm when you're done. The bump that's welded and rivetted on the outter edge of the spring pocket has to come off too, as the ball joint spacer will hit on it once it's done and not allow full lift with the new springs. After all that, it does handle fine, but the ride is a bit stiffer than it used to be. But it's a street g***ert, so you'd expect it to be a bit harsh on the ride. His still '56 rides way softer than my Austin g***er!
The ball joint spacers do not lift the car at all. They provide clearance between the upper control arm and the frame with the longer heavier springs.
double post but anyway heres the other http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6405843#post6405843
It's hard to tell here but I putt 'em in the front of my last '55 back in '67, along with a set of '63-409-station-wagon-with-air-conditioning front springs. The stiffest Chevy made back then. The ball joint lift kit from Honest Charlie raised the front end just over three inches and with the heavy springs, the front end didn't move up and down at all and I felt every pebble I ran over! Oh...and the kit raises the upper A-arm till it sticks nearly straight out, so you'll need a reversed rim in front or you'll be slicing into the tires. Good luck! Bill
The Jalopy Journal
