Ok I think Ive got this figured out.

[IMG]local://upfiles/87172/219B761175DB45EA8E2150AE0B637027.jpg[/IMG]

 

Here Is the truck.

[IMG]local://upfiles/87172/FF35076929354173B4A08A68E4EE4101.jpg[/IMG]

 

Everything that I have read has said to ream out the tie rod hole and put the tie rod in from the top. Any particular reason that you didn't?

 

Well I believe the reason everyone thought you needed to ream the tierod hole and go in from top was so the tierod would clear the strut rods. But it turned out to be a non issue.The other reason I left them on bottom was because there just wasnt enough material in the spindle to maintain the proper taper of the hole without going to a larger tierod end. In other words you would end up with a hole that is shaped more like a hourglass than a cone. However the 87-90 Dak spindles use a smaller tierod stud so they could probably be reamed to mount from top for use with the larger van/truck ends. My spindles are 91-96 Dak. I havent had any bumpsteer issues.

 

Ramblebee is correct if you buy 97-90 spindles they can be machined so that the tie rod can go in from the top, but for simplicity I would have ordered the 91-96's so there would not have to any machine work done.

 

Okay, to clear up my confusion....

You can use a 1987-90 spindle, but it needs to be reamed out from the top.

Or

You can use a 91-96 spindle and do no machine work at all, but the tierod will connect from below.

Is that right? Doesn't really make any sense to get the 87-90 spindles if that is the case. Can I use the stock tie rod ends on the 91-96 spindle?

 

There was a tierod end change on the Ram trucks around 79. I havent actually seen a 87-90 Dak spindle but I do Know that the 72-78 Ram tierod end are same taper dimensions as 87-90 Dak. I know that the 91-96 Dak tierod ends are same taper as 79-93 Ram. So use 87-90 spindles on 72-78 and use 91-96 spindles on 79-93 and you shouldnt need to change tierod ends or modify the spindle, just mount them from bottom and go. You may have to go with a longer adjusting sleeve but that should be all.

 

Thank you VERY MUCH for this extremely valuable information. Thank you thank you thank you thank you.

 

Yes, thanks Ramblebee. I followed the thread on the other site, and I'm sure glad someone went through all the time and trouble to figure this out for the rest of us.
A BIG attaboy to Ramblebee![sm=hail.gif][sm=hail.gif]We're not worthy.

 

Does the fact your using pocketed arms in conjunction with the spindles have any effect on the tie rod angle? Be less parallel to the lower cntrl arm coming in from the bottom with spindes only?