Joined: Sat Dec 10 2005, 04:28PM
Location: United States
Posts: 4954
I think the lowers are the same all the way up to 78. I believe the only difference is the bushing size. Sorry (Edit) on 2nd thought, you are correct up to 73. You could use the later ones though. The BALL JOINTS are different. I think they thread in like the uppers
Budds as I recall are completely different <span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Mon Apr 17 2006, 10:23PM ]</span>
Joined: Wed Apr 05 2006, 02:29PM
Location: Detroit
Posts: 10
71F3 wrote ... I think the lowers are the same all the way up to 78. I believe the only difference is the bushing size.
Budds as I recall are completely different
Bushing size- how? The inside diameter is different? Or...?
I have a set of Budd ones, and they don't outwardly look different when I glance them over, but I haven't taken the spindles/control arms/etc apart on them to compare them side by side to the originals.
Joined: Sat Dec 10 2005, 04:28PM
Location: United States
Posts: 4954
I know the 59 had the same sized hex but had a larger bushing than the 62 The mane difference here is the ball joints thread in. Then it was changed in 65 to the bolt on ball joint. But actually, I have installed 62 lowers into a 68. Worked very well and the ball joints were half the price
I'm sorry, I didn't answer your question. I believe they went back to the thread in ball joint. There may have been a bushing change as well, but I would have to look that up to confirm <span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Tue Apr 18 2006, 08:20AM ]</span>
I used the Budd LCA's when I swapped my Budd's for 73's on my SF. The ball joints are unique to the Budds, but the LCA is the same from disk to drum through 73, IIRC.
Joined: Wed Apr 05 2006, 02:29PM
Location: Detroit
Posts: 10
Ended up using LCAs from some random disk setup I have (Presumably a '70-'72, can't tell), and found a set of uppers sitting dismantled in my garage separately. I have no idea where the hell these things came from, they're just there.
Budd was the manufacturer of the disk brake system used on the 65-68 C-bodies. They're a 4-piston caliper that was pretty good, but are prone to having the pistons lock up if they aren't maintained well over the years. That's not the big problem, though. They're EXPENSIVE to repair. Reman calipers are $150/ea, the specific lower ball joints are at least $150/ea, and the NOS-only(*) rotors are $300+/ea. (*) The Imperial Club is having a run of rotors special made, and I think they're "only" $190/ea or so.
So, that's the magic on the Budd brakes. Here's a pic of the filthy units I removed from my Fury:
Notice how the LBJ wraps around the pivot of the LCA, with no bolts visible from the back side. Funky.