Datsun 521 Ball Joint Mod - Page 2

Chronicles my work of converting the kingpins to ball joints on a Datsun 521.   

The stand out features of this mod are that it will retain the stock track width and torsion bar suspension.
This is pretty long and mostly about fabbing up a temp jig to transfer the measurements from the first mock up arm.  From here, I'll mock up another arm with the 720 cross shaft and test it.  It's all drilling, tapping, pressing bushings out, some lathe work cleaning up the black pipe.
I'm revisiting the custom upper arm.  I'm hoping to make a shorter arm that will not need the really thick spacers between the cross shaft and the shock tower.  The challenge is that the shorter arm pushes the limits of the ball joint's range of motion.  If I shorten up the suspension travel a small amount, I think it will work.
Just some more eyeballing on the slightly wider option.  It would be much easier, but the shock mount has to be modified either way.  I still don't want to push the track width out, so still no decision yet.
Just trying to get an eyeball on a suggestion that Wayno of Ratsun.net has been on me about.  It would definitely make things much easier if I can live with the extra track width.
Mocked up a mock shock to check the suspension travel limits and the bumpstops.  It looks like I'll need to make a new shock mount to raise the mounting hole a bit.  It will also allow me to move the hole inboard a bit for better UCA clearance and also move it rearward to get the shock back to vertical.
Got the jig finished up and the arms back in place.  The lower is about 1/4" longer now.
I've had to back up just a bit and modify the frame jig just a bit.  I need to be able to tweak the camber without changing the track width.
Part of this one is about the camber setting.  I first took the measurement from the side of the frame rail and couldn't figure out why I was so far off.  Then I took it from the cross members and it was way closer.....so I basically have to undo some of what I did today.
Worked on the UCA for clearance with the shock.  I split up the vids so that it wouldn't be one 30min long vid.
I think the bumpstops are figured out for now.