Tie rods for disc brake conversion

I put disc brakes from a 76 maverick on my 72 maverick and the tie rods from the 72 fit fine and everything looks OK. According to auto parts stores the tie rods are different for the 75-77 mavs than the 70-74's. Do I need to put ones on from the 76 or will the 72's be OK?

 

You need the 1976-1977 tie rods (1975 with disc brakes will also be the same as 1976-1977). The taper size is different.

 

Hmmm.. I better check my tie rods too, I've been driving it for 3 years with 76 disc brakes and 71 tie rods... I didn't know there was a difference...

 

Yep, gotta watch the taper in the hole in the steering knuckle. That's a big thing with using the Versailles front spindles, you have to use a bushing in those to adapt the tie rods to them.

 

alignment

When I get the front end aligned do I tell them to set it to the 76 specs?

 

The specs will be the same. Your alignment does not know if it has discs or drums.

 

I don't know anything about "taper", but the drum-brake tie-rod ends can have longer shafts, so the hole for the cotter pin will be too high when installed on the disc brake spindles (too far above the castle nut). I experienced this when I converted my '73 to '75 spindles & discs.