If your tie-rods are tight and it drive OK, you may not see much gain in swapping over. The problem with the old style
ball & socket joints is the balls get egg shaped over the years and the shafts get worn where the sockets (cups) ride on them. The springs keep everything tight, but as you turn the springs are working harded on the egg portion of the ball then easy up in the straight ahead portion.
The new style are smoother operating since they hold grease better (longer)on the pressure points. As far as safer, who knows, but Chevrolet changed them for some reason.
You can buy a replacement end for the ball and socket joints you have now, its a direct bolt in. They have a straight shank with a collor so no taper reamer is needed. If you go to really later model, then, yes they are tapered and you would need a reamer to match the hole to the tie-rod shaft.
Shop around for the replacement joints, the prices vary quite abit from vender to vender. You can find NOS joints on E-bay for good price as well.
Joe
Joe
Last edited by cletis; 03/10/2010 5:17 PM. Reason: deleted ebay link
