Castle Nuts - Front Suspension - not tight/seating

[rrrose]

I have a question/concern. I think I have done something wrong but I cannot find anything wrong.

I have UCA and LCA, spindles, hubs, shocks and brakes all put together and torqued down in the front end.
My issue is the castle nuts for spindles to ball joints didn't need any wrenching. I turned the nuts on with my fingers, stopped when I could get the cotter pins in. The lower one especially is just a lose fit of the spindle to the ball joint. Both sides are exactly the same.

Any suggestions on what I am missing? Will it all tighten up when I adjust the shocks?

Here are the pictures




Thanks in advance says Ron hoping he didn't do something stupid and have to break that red thread lock.

[wareaglescott]

Can you not tighten them down and still put the cotter pin in?

[mach'er]

My lowers came with spacers, just like it looks like yours did (based on that picture). I had to go get my own spacers for the uppers to make it work.

Give this thread a read... It sounds like you’re having the same issue.

[rrrose]

Can you not tighten them down and still put the cotter pin in?

Hey Scott,
Problem is I can twist on the castle nut with my fingers really easy. If I twist down until the nut seats the cotter pin is actually above the nut, not in the groves.

[DaveS53]

Solution is simple. Use washers or spacers until you can torque the nuts to spec and get cotter pin lined up.

[wareaglescott]

Solution is simple. Use washers or spacers until you can torque the nuts to spec and get cotter pin lined up.

yep this

[rich grsc]

You HAVE to tighten the spindle nut to the correct torque setting.

[rrrose]

Got it thanks all. I knew it wasn't right and they had to be torqued to setting, I just couldn't figure out what might be wrong. Nothing really wrong other then to know to just add more spacers than came with the kit. I will pickup some spacers tomorrow and get that part finished up.
I thought I had put things on upside down or backwards and it just wasn't registering with my brain.

Thanks again
Ron

[Itchief]

Ron

I had to use a c clamp to pull the ball joint down onto the taper so that it would not turn when you tighten the castle nut

You could also use a large pair of channel lock pliers

Rick

[Railroad]

Hardened washers!

[michael everson]

You could just drill another hole.
Mike

[Erik W. Treves]

Make sure that steel spacer is tapered or large enough to go all the way down the low ball joint shaft.... disconnect the spindle from the lower control arm, and slide the spacer on there and make sure it slides down PASSED the threads. there were a few of these spacers that were not and you would end up torqueing the spacer to the ball joint and not the spindle. Then get the appropriate amount of washers in there to make the cotter pin.... my .02