A. That depends on the coil springs used, stock or dropped.
Q. How much suspension travel will the truck have?
A. Truck will have complete suspension travel like stock.
Q. Will the truck turn as sharp as stock?
A. Yes, the truck will have complete turning radius just like stock.
Q. Any changes in steering geometry that will make my truck handle differently?
Q. What alignment specs are used?
A. Factory alignment specs.
Q. Are drop spindles as strong as the originals?
A. Our spindles are forged and are as strong if not stronger than the originals.
For trucks with GM clips,...
For trucks with GM clips, Fatman Fabrications offers their new G-Tech spindle with improved suspension geometry over the stock design and a 2-inch drop.
One of the best-known names in street rod suspension components, Fatman has several drop spindles that fit our purposes. For trucks with a clip from a ’67-69 Camaro, ’68-74 Nova, or ’64-72 Chevelles, Fatman’s new G-TECH spindle provides a 2-inch drop for a lower center of gravity, and has the upper ball joint raised 1½ inches to obtain the improved camber curve necessary to properly plant wide, sticky modern radial tires. A 20-percent improvement in skid pad numbers has been observed and the steering arm position has been optimized to eliminate bumpsteer. Any disc brake system that fits the stock spindle will fit these.
Mopar torsion bar clips are...
Mopar torsion bar clips are popular conversions. Fatman offers 2-inch drop spindles that accept either the Volare 11-inch or the Cordoba 12-inch factory disc brakes and brackets.
Volare and Cordoba suspensions have proven to be viable budget front suspensions for trucks, but share a common problem with ride height. To get a low stance, the torsion bars need to be loosened so much that suspension travel suffers, causing a harsh ride from bottoming out. As a cure, Fatman offers 2-inch drop spindles for these front ends.
Via their website, Performance Online offers a complete line of suspension components for ’47-87 Chevy trucks and ’48-64 Fords. Drop spindle kits are available for ’63-70 and ’71-72 trucks.
This is the Performance Online’s 2 1/2-inch drop spindle and disc brake conversion for ’63-70 Chevrolet/GMC/C10/C15 trucks. Stock-height kits are also available.
• Upper and lower ball joints
• High-performance adjusting sleeves
Not only is Premier Street Rods a licensed manufacturer of General Motors ’47-53 Chevy truck cabs and a distributor of street rod parts and accessories, the company also manufacturers their own GM F- and X-body 2-inch drop spindle. These can be used on trucks with Camaro/Firebird or Nova clips.
For those looking for dropped...
For those looking for dropped springs, LMC has those as well.
From a product line that covers Chevy trucks from ’47 to date, LMC offers drop spindles and complete kits with springs and shocks to drop ’60-72 Chevy trucks anywhere from a little to a lot. See the drawings on page 59 for examples.
Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs
Scott’s teamed up with Classic Performance Products to offer a drop spindle that will work with all major manufacturer’s big brake kits on Scott’s Hotrods custom independent front suspensions. Scott’s Mustang II spindle can be used on trucks that have converted to the classic Mustang suspension or custom IFS such as a Scott’s Hotrods suspension.
Bill Smith lays claim to running the oldest speed shop in the country. Speedway has an incredible inventory and prides itself on being able to fill an order the day it’s received. For a Mustang II-based IFS, Speedway offers a 2-inch steel drop spindle as well as an A-body drop spindle for trucks with Chevelle clips.
Speedway Motors’ steel Mustang...
Speedway Motors’ steel Mustang II spindles with a 2-inch drop.
Trucks with clips from ’64-72...
Trucks with clips from ’64-72 GM A-bodies can benefit from these 2-inch drop spindles from Speedway Motors.
Its development of the drop spindle made it possible to lower a truck and still retain the factory ride and handling qualities. Today Western Chassis continues to supply suspension components through a large dealership network. Over the years, the staff at Western has heard it all. Here is a list of frequently asked questions they compiled for us.
Q. Why is a drop spindle a better choice than using a drop spring?
A. By using a drop spindle you will be maintaining a factory ride quality. Lowering springs are usually rated higher than stock springs depending on the amount of drop, taking away from the factory ride. We try to have our spring design as close to a factory ride as possible.
Q. Are drop spindles as strong as OEM spindles?