Ball joints and backing plates

Hey everybody...
just a couple of quick (hopefully) questions.

1. just replaced my passenger upper and lower ball joints. used a pickle fork to separate them. when i installed the new upper, theres a small (quarter inch, +/-) gap between the top of the knuckle and the bottom of the, uh, "C". Is this bad? its pressed in all the way, and theres no gap on the lower one.

2. how necessary is the backing plate, really? ive read on a couple of other forums (detomaso pantera, and some ford site) that it isnt, and theres a company that offers backing plate eliminator kits for chevys, i believe (just a little ring thats the same thickness as the plate). I only ask because i kind of deformed my plate while trying to get the hub off and now it rattles (couldnt pound it back quite plat enough, i guess).

anyway, thanks for your help
BTW, i did use the search function already (sort of), but its pretty difficult to get it to work correctly on my phone... sorry if i missed something obvious.

Do the bolts on the upper and lower joints tighten up fully? It should be fine. There is a gap on the stock one too.

You can take the rotor shield off. Its thin enough you don't even need a spacer.

yeah, the castle nut went on fine, far enough to get the cotter pin in. cool, that makes me feel way better. also, sweet. im glad i can ditch that rusted plate.
thanks for the quick response!

NO,there should not be a gap,the joints press tight to the "C".

From the way I read it there is a gap between the knuckle and the ball joint.

could i have bent the top part of my knuckle down (or the top part of the "C" up) separating the joint with the picklefork? i feel like there was a small gap on the original that was just covered up by the dust boot. ?
also, now that ive changed them, ive noticed that somethings popping when i turn and brake (at the same time). its fine when i just turn (minus the backing plate rattling a little bit on the rotor) and when i just brake, but when i do both, it pops. yeah.

ill take a picture after work today.

Talyn said:

From the way I read it there is a gap between the knuckle and the ball joint.

Click to expand...

correct. i can see a little bit of the shaft of the joint. not the base.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/frigidrebellion/2door/IMG_1890.jpg


this isnt mine...i just found this on a different forum.
the upper in this photo looks like mine. my lower doesnt look like this, though. mine is fully seated.

Heres mine.

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CovingtonPeoples said:

Heres mine.

Click to expand...

It didn't work.

Second attempt.

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Thats normal,your good to go!

cool, thanks!