Ball joint taper.
 

Can anyone help. I plan to use the BMW e36 front uprights and would like to know are the tapers on the bottom ball joint are the same as the advised Maxi ones. How about more common ball joints like ford etc.

I'm probably wrong but most ford bottom joints use pinch bolts in the upright with a notch in the pin. The idea of using the maxi ball joint is that it has a simple bolt pattern on the base and a nylock to bolt it on with. Although having said that the bmw mini outer ball joint is very simular to the maxi ball joint. You may or may not have to drill and ream the holes out to take the different tapper.
mini ball joint the one on the left ebay number 390085644762.

Ford FWD use pinch bolt
Ford RWD use a nut on top.

Usualy,.....

TT