65 Barracuda Disc Brake Conversion Help Needed
- Thread starter 68HAVOK
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chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
That is a reason I am using the original Kelsey Hayes they are made to fit. It appears mixing and matching has put your centerline for your wheel out at least 2 inches from stock. Now you are wrestling to try and bring that wheel back in those 2 inches.
Yeah but, my point is why is there a gap at all? That caliper bracket bolts to the machined face of the spindle right? So, how is that different from the drop spindle to the stock disk spindles? The only way that changed from the drop spindle to the stock spindle is if the drop spindle has the bearings riding further out from the body of the spindle, which would mean a different track width. The drop spindles are based on the stock spindles, so, that dimension shouldn't be any different. And, at least on the drop spindles I ran on my Challenger, it wasn't, because I swapped from drop spindles to stock FMJ spindles on that car without a change in tire clearance. And I would have noticed, because there's no extra tire clearance on that car.
The difference he's dealing with is no where near 2" per side. If it were his tires wouldn't even still be inside the fenders. The difference between the KH's and the stock 73+ disks is listed by the factory as .7" per side. Wilwood claims the offset change on this disk kit is 0".
Stating the obvious, but something's not right. I can't tell from the pictures, but something isn't right with the install. Missed a step, brackets aren't seated on spindles correctly for some reason, something. Gonna have to take it back apart and measure some stuff. That bracket looks way too close to the rotor.
Are you sure those are '74 A-body spindles? 70-72 B/E body disk spindles look the same but use a different inner diameter on the wheel bearings. You can actually install a '73+ rotor (and the Wilwoods I bet) on the earlier B/E spindle but it doesn't locate properly on the spindle.
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vntned
Well-Known Member
Why did you pull the drop spindles?! They are not the problem.
The tire clearance problem was from trying to run to tall of a tire. These early As do not have the same giant wheel wells of the later As. You simply cannot run an early A, with stock fenders, that low with 25"+ tall tires.
Put the drop spindles and all back on, and go buy a pair of 24"-24.5" tires and your rolling.
You're way overcomplicating this problem.
The tire clearance problem was from trying to run to tall of a tire. These early As do not have the same giant wheel wells of the later As. You simply cannot run an early A, with stock fenders, that low with 25"+ tall tires.
Put the drop spindles and all back on, and go buy a pair of 24"-24.5" tires and your rolling.
You're way overcomplicating this problem.
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It's hard to tell from pictures without measuring the diameter of the spindle, but those do look like 73+ spindles. Which means there shouldn't be any difference in how those caliper brackets mount. I think that gap is an install problem not a parts problem. Is your car at a shop?
Well, that's not entirety true. If the car wasn't sitting that low it wouldn't be as much of an issue. I agree the tire height probably needs to change, but the track width appears to be too wide as well. There isn't a difference between the drop spindles and the 73+ disk spindles for track width, that shouldn't change between those two so that would still need to be addressed. But unless you're slamming the car on the ground you don't need the drop spindles. Increasing the torsion bar diameter allows you to drop the car with the adjusters and the geometry is better.
Well, that's not entirety true. If the car wasn't sitting that low it wouldn't be as much of an issue. I agree the tire height probably needs to change, but the track width appears to be too wide as well. There isn't a difference between the drop spindles and the 73+ disk spindles for track width, that shouldn't change between those two so that would still need to be addressed. But unless you're slamming the car on the ground you don't need the drop spindles. Increasing the torsion bar diameter allows you to drop the car with the adjusters and the geometry is better.
vntned
Well-Known Member
I get what you're saying, and I don't disagree.
If you don't want the car to be low, then by all means use stock spindles and keep the Tbars turned up. If you do want low, regardless of if you use drop spindles or adjust the Tbars, your fix is gonna have to be appropriately sized tires on the right offset wheels.
You know, probably better than most, that wheel and tire dimensions are very crucial on a lowered car!
If you don't want the car to be low, then by all means use stock spindles and keep the Tbars turned up. If you do want low, regardless of if you use drop spindles or adjust the Tbars, your fix is gonna have to be appropriately sized tires on the right offset wheels.
You know, probably better than most, that wheel and tire dimensions are very crucial on a lowered car!
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
72bluNblu you say he is only dealing with .7 difference I say it is more by looking at what he has in the pics but I am not here to argue. He has stated he had drum spindles with a hub he bought to adapt it to disc with the hub spindles. I could care less I was just trying to figure out the abortion he has with the mixed up parts. carry on but my bet where that wheel sits it is more than .7 out.
Car is at a shop. My buddy's. I don't have room at my house to do the work.
Not even the right set up. Drum spindles are gone. The pictures you're referring to were with PST 2" drop spindles (based on the '73+ disk spindles) and a wilwood kit, the current spindles are regular old '73 up disk spindles with the same Wilwood kit. Hardly a mismatch of of parts. Just a 73+ disk spindle with a brake kit. The wheel should not sit more than .7" out per side, unless the factory was lying about the track width of the SBP and BBP A-bodies in the TSB or Wilwood is lying about the offset on that kit.
Yeah that doesn't look right at all. Looks even worse than before, and the track width shouldn't have changed any between the drop spindles and the '73+ spindles. What was changed other than the spindles? Because something else besides the ride height appears to have changed. Maybe it's the angle of the pictures, or maybe the alignment is totally off. I don't like it though, something doesn't seem right.
Did your shop figure out why the caliper brackets weren't fitting, or did he just shim them?
Something is funky. There shouldn't be any difference in how those brackets mounted between the drop spindles and the stock 73+ spindles. I could see a small difference from spindle to spindle, maybe a washers worth, because of production tolerances etc. But not as much as was there in the picture.
Yeah. I feel ya. I am going to have it double checked by the shop that does the alignment. Seems odd to me. My buddy did a Wilwood conversion and he said he had to use the washers as well. If it is indeed needed I'd probably have some spacers machined to rest my mind. Can't have too many washers stacked up. There are 4 on each bolt right now. Each .035 inches... but it has been test driven and he said it feels good. We shall see. It was pulling to the drivers side with the drums and the front end squeaked like crazy over every bump. Now there is no noise at all I am told now. Sway bar is back on now too.
Just an update. Been a long time. We have been driving the car for a few months now and all seems well. Got the car aligned and it drives straight as an arrow. Think I'm just gonna save the drop spindles for the next project and when the time comes for new tires rethink the wheel/tire set up.
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