Someone had simply used bolts to hold the cap on to the ball of the radius rod. So I bought the new kit (studs, springs, nuts etc). I went to assemble everything and what should be straight forward has got me stumped. I initially ran the studs in first. Then tried to slide the cap over the stud but it would not get past the middle/thick part of the stud. So I figured the cap went on then the stud through it. I tried that and it worked, but this way, the springs don't do anything. The stud is what is torquing the cap down hard as the middle/thick part of the stud pushes the cap down onto the pan. The spring would simply put tension on the nut. I thought the spring was supposed to put tension on the cap allowing it to float as needed. So I'm stumped, how does this thing go together?

Studs maybe not threaded far enough?

I didn't realize that some ball caps were bronze, the ones I have seen are forged steel.

If that bronze cap is an aftermarket part, I would have no qualms about reaming the holes just enough to allow the cap to slide easily up and down on the studs.

Don't forget to wire the ends of the studs and castle nuts to each other, cotter pins won't work in that location (the studs can still back out).

Allen,

Take a good look as the one that is not all the way in looks cross threaded. Take a bottoming tap and chase the threads then use some carb cleaner to flush out debris. I use a little Loctite to secure the studs. If the aftermarket cap is still a little out of alignment, by all means use a rat tail file to fit accordingly. You are assembling correctly and might have to either use washers behind the nuts to get proper tension on the ball. Hope this helps.

Hank

Your studs are not fully seated yet. Use double nuts to install the studs. You have a long way to go till the nuts are crushing the springs anyway. The springs should be set so there is just some room between the windings but not much. Bronze is what most of the replacements have been made of for a number of years.

Are the studs correct? Did someone re-thread the holes in the pan?

FYI, You should be able to thread the studs into the pan all the way with your fingers. If you can’t, then something is wrong that needs to be fixed.

Double-nutting the studs and torquing them in could potentially cause more damage.

Only IF one has "chased" the c.c. socket threads - I've replaced dozens of studs and they need to "bottom" out - double nuts is the easiest way to install as there is minimal space to utilize a stud installer/remover.

Why not use a genuine Ford cap. I've never ever had one give me problems. Sounds like another poor reproduction to me!

It's not the cap. Look close at the photo, the stud on the left is installed at an angle. Ether the hole is messed up or the casting is bent.

Sorry, I didn't look close enough. I hope the stud wasn't cross threaded, and will be able to be corrected.

Thanks all for the help. After it was mentioned that one of the studs might be cross threaded (I didn't even see that!), I took a look at the bolts that came out and they were fine threaded! So took your advice and ran a tap up there and got things straightened out. Had to drill out the cap a bit to get the studs through...odd but whatever. Then ran the new studs up, they snugged up perfectly and all is right with the world. Now on to my radiator hose issue and my too short exhaust stud issue! Thanks for all the help!!!

The original, correct studs are 3/8" coarse that thread into the socket and 3/8" fine that the castellated nuts thread onto.

Yep