54 Lincoln Ball Joint Question

These damn things are running 300 plus for the top ones and 150 for the bottom ones!!!! Anyone have any luck with universal ball joints on a capri or does anyone have any good ball joints they are willing to sell a poor dude with a Lincoln...thanks

 

That is highway robbery, but it has been like that for many years. No help here.

 

Yeah I know...I have the front end ripped apart now and need the ball joints before I can get it back together......seems wrong. There has to be someone on here that has some info on cheaper ball joints somewhere.......HELP!

 

Odd ball car [ie not many around] = rare parts == pay up to play! BTDT and got lots of shirts.

 

Yeah rare but i couldnt p*** it up..looks like ill bite the bullet this time!

 

Are you street rodding or going for original? If rodding the easiest and almost universal joint is the Chrysler screw in ones. Many circle track cars have them, no matter what brand of car, because they can be replaced in minutes. Just weld the bung in where the factory joint was and screw in the joint. IIRC Speedway has the joints with several different lengths and tapers and also reams to convert your knuckle (spindle) to the correct taper if needed. The socket to fit the joint is also available. I think you could do the whole conversion for the price of a top one and have joints you can buy over the counter. Rock Auto has ball joints for $5.26 for a 1976 New Yorker which should weigh about the same as your Lincoln.

 

Thanks coil..Ill look into that!

 

A friend has a 54 and the control arms and ball joints look similar to the 54 to 56 fords and Mercs.

 

I have a spare set, but not up to selling at the moment. I've seen many NOS ones on e-bay for $175.00. I also believe that Kanters rebuilds them. I think they are the same from 52-57, and I believe the Ford/Mercury one are much smaller. Hit up RBroadster on here, he may have an extra set.

 

If you really wanted to do that, first be sure the shafts are the correct diameter, AND taper, to fit into the spindles!

Second, due to the way they are made, you can't. You would have to make a plate to weld to the A frame, to weld the bung for the Chrysler joint to. The Linc joint is extended out from the A frame with a 3 bolt casting, doesn't bolt to any flat area of the A frame.

Welding like this, you'd better have someone very good do it, it could be your life when suspension parts fail!

 

Yeah true...I am sticking with the stock front end....trying to keep this car as stock as possible!

 

Are the cosmopolitan and the capri ball joints the same???? Anyone.....
?

 

Why you holding on to those ball joints??????? Hmmmm????

 

I dont believe any of the major parts are interchangable from comsos to capris. But I'm glad to see this thread, I'm going to be rebuilding my front in as well.

 

Ball joints should be same. Cosmos were just a less chrome and other little goodies model. But the frame and suspension parts should be the same.

 

You may want to check the upper ball joints. They don't get the pressure put on them that the lower joints do.

Also it may be possible to make two separate plates that sandwich the Chrysler (or whatever ball joint with the same shaft and taper) ball joint to make the replacement tuck into the a-arm.

 

Ill look at em again..not sure how to check them out of the car....anyone?

 

52-54 ball joints are the same for both models, 55 lower ball joints have different part no. than 52-54, upper same for 52-55.

 

Why? Because I own them and may need them if I wreck my 53 canyon runner. I tried to help you with some info. I have laid 56-57 parts side by side and don't see a difference. d2, are the factory numbers different? I know that some of the parts were upgraded in the parts book for the Le Carrera cars so the part number changed. Bill Stroppe and Lincoln made race parts and added them to the parts book so they could be legal. One of those were the steering arms off the spindles, the later part number was much beefier. Good luck, Mike.

 

52-54 lower joints have a -A, while 55 has a -B at end of number, which is same for 52-55. I took these numbers from actual Lincoln Ch***is manual.

 

d2, A's and B's will interchange. That shows that the original part was supercedid(sp) or upgraded. I'll look at my Hollanders tonight as far as the 56-57 units.

 

I was just giving you a hard time mike..I do appreciate the info and all the help you guys give me..trust me, it is very much APPRECIATED!!!

 

Thought so, as the pic doesn't show any differences, just upgraded.

BTW: Do you know what the actual taper specs are for those ball joints? It would be good to know the small end diameter and large end diameter of the stem, along with the length of the taper.

 

d2, not off the top of my head. Next time I'm out in the shop I'll grab them and throw the calipers on them.

 

Thanks, really appreciate it. You can PM me with the numbers.