[Christ]

So the F250 that member 6Speed had is now mine, and I want to lower it... the rear is easy as pie, but ghe front uses Ford's twin I beam setup. DJM /used/ to make a bolt in set of beams good for 3", but they're now discontinued. Another option would be updated 87+ knuckles and the still produced DJM parts, but that's in excess of $800 worth of parts for a relatively mild drop and no additional benefits.

Can someone with knowledge on the subject please explain to me why Ford used ball joints in a solid beam type suspension arm? They can't articulate at all, because the mount points are locked in relationship to each other.

With the exception of easier steering effort, there is literally zero function that ball joints perform which is necessary to the I beam Ford uses here.

All that said, is there any reason that I can't replace the ball joints with custom bushes and hardened bolts, since they have no need to articulate? I realize that there will need to be a provision to allow the parts to slip for steering purposes, but otherwise?