SlantedDart
Well-Known Member
Had a chance a while back to make some drop spindles for my Dart. So nice to print a mock up part first before laser cutting and machining.
Drop spindle
- Thread starter SlantedDart
- Start date
-
Nice job!
SlantedDart
Well-Known Member
Thanks, absolutely it could with a few changes
SlantedDart
Well-Known Member
2” drop
Hmm.
So looking at the construction, would it be difficult to modify the spindle so that it had a 1" drop? Or, alter the overall height (make the knuckle itself taller?)?
And, what's the ballpark production cost on a set of these?
I've run 2" drop spindles before (from Magnumforce). The issue that I had was that the bump steer is increased compared to a car with the factory spindles lowered to the same height. And, actually running the car 2" lower is fairly close to the limit on an A-body because of other components (the inner fenders, the header flanges, etc). I came to the conclusion that for a car set up for handling you're better off using the factory spindles with the large torsion bars you'd be using for a handling car anyway, and the resulting suspension geometry is better than both factory and what you get using a 2" drop spindle.
But, a 1" drop with the spindle, coupled with ~1" of drop using the torsion bar adjusters, and possible a slightly taller spindle would likely produce better suspension geometry. And it would be easier to maintain the overall amount of suspension travel - I've kept my travel about the same, but I use tubular LCA's, 1.12" torsion bars and a very short lower bump stop.
A 2" drop spindle is kind of the aftermarket industry standard, but it really doesn't match up with these cars very well. A 1" drop would be better for most folks, whether it be people just looking to lower the car a little bit but retain most of the factory suspension parts or full on AutoX/road race cars looking to be lowered to the maximum while retaining geometry and suspension travel. Someone would have to run the numbers, but something like a 1" drop with a 1/2" taller spindle overall would likely improve suspension geometry for those that care about that kind of thing while also lowering the car enough for folks that care about appearances but also don't want to leave their headers behind on the closest speed bump.
DionR
Well-Known Member
I suspect a 1" drop would cause the OTR end to interfere with the wheel, even with an 18" wheel.
Might be something you could check since you have a car with 18" wheels while mine is still in my imagination.
BTW, there is one guy I know of that built 1" drop spindles because he came to the conclusion the geometry was better. He lowered the LBJ 1" and left the top alone, so technically it was a taller spindle. I messed with my geometry layouts and couldn't duplicate his results though. He claimed it gave him a RC close to 3" above the ground, which is what I couldn't match.
autoxcuda
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2007
- Messages
- 9,519
- Reaction score
- 5,043
I suspect a 1" drop would cause the OTR end to interfere with the wheel, even with an 18" wheel.
Might be something you could check since you have a car with 18" wheels while mine is still in my imagination.
BTW, there is one guy I know of that built 1" drop spindles because he came to the conclusion the geometry was better. He lowered the LBJ 1" and left the top alone, so technically it was a taller spindle. I messed with my geometry layouts and couldn't duplicate his results though. He claimed it gave him a RC close to 3" above the ground, which is what I couldn't match.
Was that Bob Reed's dropped spindle design? Red 68 and Black 67 Barracuda fastback.
one of the versions, yes.
i has the 1" off the top and + 1" the bottom on the roach for awhile as well as the 2" bottom only (for a much shorter time).
DionR
Well-Known Member
That's who I was thinking of, yes.
I thought it was always just a 1" extension on the bottom. Didn't realize other ones were tried.
Last edited:
there were a couple of flavors. it's been 20+ years on it, give or take, but the 2" was a problem straight away due to the ID of the stock rotors.
my 69 fastback aka The Roach, mule'd a bunch of **** at the time as a rolling test lab.
DionR
Well-Known Member
In a handling package, assuming the geometry could be made to work, I think the biggest drawback to a dropped spindle is the OTR interference with a deeper wheel. Pretty sure a 2" drop removes the option to run a 17x8 +30mm wheel which means a fairly narrow wheel if you want to keep the tire under the fender. I would guess that a 1" drop would remove the option for an 18x9 +35mm wheel as well.
If the geometry was better somehow, probably with a 1" drop and stock or taller upper segment, I think it would have to be combined with an aftermarket steering arm that brings the OTR back up to the stock location, relatively. There used to be an idea to run a later B-Body (or something similar) LCA and steering arm to improve travel. With the balljoint pressed/screwed into the LCA, a custom steering arm might be do-able.
Or maybe ream out the OTR hole in the steering arm and put it on top?
Otherwise, I think a dropped spindle is a drag or cruise only option. Something where a wide front tire isn't required or even not wanted.
If the geometry was better somehow, probably with a 1" drop and stock or taller upper segment, I think it would have to be combined with an aftermarket steering arm that brings the OTR back up to the stock location, relatively. There used to be an idea to run a later B-Body (or something similar) LCA and steering arm to improve travel. With the balljoint pressed/screwed into the LCA, a custom steering arm might be do-able.
Or maybe ream out the OTR hole in the steering arm and put it on top?
Otherwise, I think a dropped spindle is a drag or cruise only option. Something where a wide front tire isn't required or even not wanted.
The 2" drop on an A-body is problematic with the outer tie rod end clearance, yes. Basically you have to subtract that 2" drop off whatever diameter you're running, so say a 17" wheel now has clearance more like a 15" wheel does for the OTR. I ran those 2" drop spindles on my Challenger, which oddly enough because of the differences in body style actually do just fine with a 0 offset wheel. So I was running 17x9's with a 5" backspace and did not have much in the way of extra tie rod end clearance. They cleared, but I would bet the maximum backspace was probably between 5.125" and 5.25". That should remain the same regardless of body style, although with an A-body that significantly reduces the tire width you could run up front, at 5.25" of backspace a 245 is about the best you can do.
On an A-body a 1" drop spindle would probably limit backspace even with an 18" wheel, but it depends on how crazy you're getting with wheel widths and backspacing. My 18x9's are +35, my brake kit pushes them out about 5mm. But yeah, I don't think I have an inch to give up there. It's hard to say because you'd have to watch the corner of the OTR,
Thing is that the tie rod clearance is rim design dependent, so some wheels may work better than others. And there are other options, you could run a Hotchkis steering rod kit and swap the large tie rod ends for heims which would definitely change the clearance to the wheel.
On an A-body a 1" drop spindle would probably limit backspace even with an 18" wheel, but it depends on how crazy you're getting with wheel widths and backspacing. My 18x9's are +35, my brake kit pushes them out about 5mm. But yeah, I don't think I have an inch to give up there. It's hard to say because you'd have to watch the corner of the OTR,
Thing is that the tie rod clearance is rim design dependent, so some wheels may work better than others. And there are other options, you could run a Hotchkis steering rod kit and swap the large tie rod ends for heims which would definitely change the clearance to the wheel.
DionR
Well-Known Member
Pictures don’t work?
yeah, it's an ongoing thing. seems the new update threw a wrench into other operating aspects of the forum.
Dang it! I posted them like 3 different times trying to get them to show up on my end.
It’s just a couple of pictures of the tie rod end on my car. Basically showing that I have some room, but yeah, probably not a full inch.
-
Similar threads
