you can see in the second pic that the tie rod receiver on the spindle is too high would the 73 to 79 radius arms allow more space so i dont have to cut my tie rod ends

 

Radius arms should not matter. Is one of your I-beams bent possibly?

 

no they are not bent they are fine. The 73 to 79 radius arms are very different looking and have a rounded shape to them

 

the axles are the same as my 72 axles the only thing that i didnt get with the front end was the radius arms and i dont want to go through the hassle of pulling my truck apart again and pulling the truck at the pick and pull apart if im still going to have to have the tie rods cut and welded.

 

Are you using the stock steering linkage or the linkage from your donor?

 

the steering linkage is the original 72 ive gone to napa and looked at a new drag link and they are the same up to 79 so that is not it.

 

When I did the swap I usd the parts from a '79. I had to use the whole '79 steering system; drag-link/ tie rod assembly, power steering box and pitman arm, and the '79 steering coloumn.
The point where the tie-rod end attaches to the spindle is higher up on the disc brake spindles vs the drum brake spindles. The disc brake tie-rods attach from the bottom vs the drum brake tie-rods which attach to the top of this point. If you can go look at an original drum brake front end and compare it your newer disc brake set-up, it might make more sense. Hope this helps.

 

This one is kind of baffling, I have done this swap using both earlier and later radius arms and neither had any issues. Like the above post mentioned, you are inserting the tie rod end from the bottom, correct. The castle nut will sit on top of the steering arm.

 

Sorry, that's incorrect. Not only is the draglink different, but so is the outer tie rod end.

D3TZ-3304-A .. Draglink

1973/79 F100 2WD & 1975/79 F150 2WD.
----------------------------------------
D2TZ-3304-C .. Draglink.

1971 F100 2WD from serial number M00,001, 1972 F100 2WD.
------------------------------------------------------------
D2TZ-3A130-B .. Inner Tie Rod, from draglink to sleeve.

1971 F100 from serial number M00,001, 1972/79 F100 2WD, 1975/79 F150 2WD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
D3TZ-3A131-A .. Outer Tie Rod End, from sleeve to left spindle.

1973/79 F100 2WD, 1975/79 F150 2WD.
---------------------------------------
D2TZ-3A131-B .. Outer Tie Rod End, from sleeve to left spindle.

1971 F100 2WD from serial number M00,001, 1972 F100 2WD.

The adjustable sleeve connects the inner tie rod to the outer tie rod end.

D3TA or D5TA = ID number prefixes found on 1973/79 F100 2WD & 1975/79 F150 2WD spindles.

If the ID number prefixes are not either of these two, it's a 1972 or earlier spindle.

 

ive got a new drag link and inner and outer tie rod ends and it isnt mating up so i think im just gonna get them cut and welded and call it done. the tie rod ends do go thru though and are long enough to get the castle nut and pin in so im good there.

 

Man I wish I was there to check it out in person because the only time I've had that issue is when the truck has been lowered. I have dropped I-beams on my 66 and had to use relocators. Other than that, the stock linkage has always worked (I always use the linkage out of the donor). Good luck

 

Yeah I dont get it either. I feel like im the only one in the world that has run into this and it simply amazes me.

 

It doesn't amaze me, if you are using 1972 parts.

When converting an F100 to disc brakes, parts from 1973/79 F100, 1975/79 F150's are necessary.

Using a 1972 draglink, and its outer tie rod end will not work!

These 1972 parts ARE NOT the same as 1973/79 parts, despite what you said NAPA claimed.

See post #24 for the CORRECT info that was taken verbatum from the 1973/79 Ford Light Truck Parts Catalog.

 

who cares about the drag link and tierod ends the damn reciever is higher than the radius arms no matter what tie rod, drag link or any oem stearing system is used it will never bolt up. The angle is to much even with a longer pitman arm it would still scape the inner of the top of the radius arms.

 

If there's no other way around it, call AIM and get their tie rod relocators, better than cutting and rewelding linkage. There site is:

www.truckin.net