Dropped Spindles

[jy211]

Who makes or carries 2" dropped spindles for a 68' camaro?

[Travis B]

Superior spindle
They have a web site
http://www.superiorspindles.com/

[David Pozzi]

Do a search of our old posts, there has been a lot of discussion on dropped spindles and they create lots of problems!

[Travis B]

Do a search of our old posts, there has been a lot of discussion on dropped spindles and they create lots of problems!

This is true if you are looking for all out performance you don't want a drop spindle! of course that is not what superior or anyone else that sells them will tell you!

[sinned]

Actually from an engineering point of veiw you want dropped spindles as they allow the CoG to be dropped with changing the FVSA/FRCH. This allows the spring drop to used as it should be and fine tune those numbers. The problem is the all of the dropped spindle builders are forgetting about the steering linkage.

[jy211]

the car is gonna be a weekend driver more than anything else. Would I still run into these issues then? Would a drop spring be a better idea?

[tripower]

How does this play out with the B-body spindle conversion on A-bodies?

[baz67]

the car is gonna be a weekend driver more than anything else. Would I still run into these issues then? Would a drop spring be a better idea?

Yes, springs would be better. You can also get a higher rate for better handling as well.

Dennis, on a first gen you want to change the geometry with springs. The stock geometry sucks on a first gen. By using a dropped spindle you keep the same crappy geomtry. It may be different on A or B bodies, but on early F bodies it is not.

[sinned]

Dennis, on a first gen you want to change the geometry with springs. The stock geometry sucks on a first gen. By using a dropped spindle you keep the same crappy geomtry. It may be different on A or B bodies, but on early F bodies it is not.

All early Chevy chassis' have the same factory ailments and raising the spindle pin has the same impact. You need to raise the spindle pin first than combined with a taller spindle, the "G" mod, taller ball joints, shorter coil springs, or a combinations you can properly "fix" the geometry. If you only use the spring to drop the chassis to an appropriate level the LCA pivot drops below the ball joint center line which ruins the FRCH and RC migration properties.

How does this play out with the B-body spindle conversion on A-bodies?

This has been discussed in detail in other threads. Basically the height of the spindle is near perfect...the problem is with the pin height and the steering arm. The pin height can be worked around; the steering arm cannot and ruins this spindle from the "swap" aspect.

[David Pozzi]

Here is one problem, the drop spindles lower your steering arms 2" and put them into your wheels or sidewalls depending on wheel width and dia.

[sinned]

Yep, I totally agree. My hope is that someday, someonw will build a modular dropped spindle to fit the "F" and "A" body chassis through the use of different bolt on steering arms. For now all the available dropped spindles have really screwed up steering geometry via improperly designed steering arms.


If any vendors are listening....a 9" mod spindle with a 3" total pin drop and bosses for bolt on steering arms/brake brackets would sell like hot cakes.

[baz67]

Denny, while I was doing all of the measurements on the first gen chassis I did them at a typical drop that a 2" drop spring would do. That had the lower pivots slighly higher than the lower BJ. That corrected geometry pretty good when used in conjuction with the Guldstrand mod. Now if you add a 2" drop spindle that would put the chassis to low.

Lets look at it your way by raising the spindle pin first and than using lowering springs to get better dial in geometry. Lets take out the steering arm clearance issue and deal only with a raised spindle pin and spring drop. I am only speaking of a first gen chassis because that is the only one that I have looked at this closely. Drop the spindle 2" to lower CoG, true and a good thing. Then use springs to dial in the geometry. The problem with that is you will run into either fender to tire or subframe crossmember to ground clearance issues before you can get as good of geometry if you just went with dropped springs. You can agree or disagree, but this is what I have measured.

If someone was to go your route and change pivot points and make custom spindles than what you say is the best way. However, most people are not as brave are willing to go are far as you have.

[sinned]

Denny, while I was doing all of the measurements on the first gen chassis I did them at a typical drop that a 2" drop spring would do. That had the lower pivots slighly higher than the lower BJ. That corrected geometry pretty good when used in conjuction with the Guldstrand mod. Now if you add a 2" drop spindle that would put the chassis to low.

I'm curious, did you make all your measurements with all stock but new components? The biggest mistake guys make is taking measuremnts on old components, then when you order a 2" dropped spring or whatever the numbers don't come out correct. 4" of drop over new stock parts doesn't seem that low.

[Chevy350]

Dennis,
If one should use the B-spindles on a G-body, could maybe using the B-body pitmanarm and idler with the G-body centerlink (The B is probably too wide?), and relocate the steeringbox and idler (up/down/forward) correct some, if not most of the bump-steer/loss of turning radius? Of course, not taking into consideration the amount of fab work required. In essence, just trying to copy the B steering on the smaller car.

I have a complete '79 G-body front suspension (minus frame) up in the attic, and my brother's '77 Caprice to measure on - I'm just considering posibillities for now, dreaming up a Malibu 2dr "track car" project later on (With the wider disco-Nova LCAs, and on a budget)

[sinned]

If one were willing to do that much fab work wouldn't it be easier to design a spindle that doesn't require all that steering linkage redesign.



Steering linkage is much more difficult than it seems, 1/2" too long or too high at any point can result in a worse condition than the tall spindles alone.

[jy211]

Yes, springs would be better. You can also get a higher rate for better handling as well.

So who makes 2" dropped springs for a 68' camaro with a big block??

[USAZR1]

So who makes 2" dropped springs for a 68' camaro with a big block??

http://www.coilsprings.com/

[chicane67]

My hope is that someday, someonw will build a modular dropped spindle to fit the "F" and "A" body chassis through the use of different bolt on steering arms.

We're there dude.

Although the drop isnt as much as most would like (I think a combination of spring and spindle is the best route to lower anyway, not to mention to correctly set LCA position) the AFX spindle has the modular ability to do just this....... and we are in the middle of chassis specific considerations for accerman and bumpsteer correction in the F and A platforms..... (thanks to our Squirrely counterpart, Shane.)

[jy211]

http://www.coilsprings.com/

3-4 week lead time...

anyone else offer dropped springs?

[Travis B]

Cut off wheel........ Try one coil should drop 2in to 2.5! do this until the others come in!