is there any way to use the calipers from a 76 m.c. for the disc swap without going to an aftermarket A arm. could i get the monte's upper & lowers or should i sell them and get 69-72 g.m.?
thanks, neil

Neil,
You might want to check out Dave's website (http://free.hostdepartment.com/d/dreinecke/Chevelle/chevelleindex.html) for his tall spindle swap.

Good sight with lots of info and insight into the swap.

Joe

thanks for the reply Joe, however Dave's link didn't seem to work. Any other way to that site?

This is the "Tall Spindle swap". Very Common.

You will need 76 lower ball joints, machined to fit your stock lower arm. Call a couple machine shops in your area. Probably $20-40 + ball joint.

Longer tie rods, Maybe offset control arm shafts (depends on how much frame sag you have). Upper ball joint is a bolt in, you will use a 76 upper joint as well.

Dont ask my opinion on this bad swap, it screws up the front end geometry.

DG thanks for the reply. you make it sound relatively easy. if you were in my position, having acquired the spindles & calipers for about $150, would you do it or say what the heck i saved some on the spindles why not get the g.w. or spartan a-arms and stop being so cheap? right now i'm looking

Q ship explain to me why this is such a bad swap. i'd really like to get as many opinions as i can before i dive into it and i really want to get started. is the geometry so screwed up that it would take 1-1/2" in shims. come on if you have something to say...... thanks neil

I have the tall spindle setup on my 70 Chevelle with stock upper/lower arms. I need to change the lower ball joint.

The previous owner did the swap, but did not use the correct lower ball joint.

I could eliminate the 1/2" stack of shims with the offset control arm shafts. I will when I replace the lower ball joint.


You will have another ~150-175 in Rotors, Calipers, bearings & rubber lines. But this is a better swap than drums.
DG

Originally posted by firemaneil:
Q ship explain to me why this is such a bad swap. There is bumpsteer and ackerman issues with the tall spindle swap. Most will tell you on here that the benefits out weight the negatives, but IHO do the research and make an informative decision graemlins/beers.gif

Joe

OK, now I am really confused! Several members on this forum and suspension-oriented companies like Global West tout the tall spindle swap as the greatest thing since sliced bread for A bodies but this bumpsteer and ackerman thing keeps popping up. What is bumpsteer and ackerman? Is there a website that explains these issues?
cheers graemlins/beers.gif

Go here and look at the Ackerman and the Rack and Pinion sections;
http://www.stockcarproducts.com/techindx.htm

Basically, Ackerman is the difference in the amount the front wheels (outer and inner wheel in the corner) turn while turning. From the info I've read I believe the longer arms on the tall spindles will increase the amount the inner wheel turns compared to the outer which usually isn't a bad thing. The Ackerman "problem" only exists while turning.

The bump steer is the amount the wheel will change direction or "steer" when the suspension travels even though the wheel is being held straight. The naysayers have never given any actual numbers that show the bumpsteer with a stock suspension is any better or even worse than the tall spindles. Personally, I believe both versions of the front suspension have bump steer issues so you don't gain or lose here. Qship, if you want to provide some actual data I'd like to see it.

The "F Body Spindals For Chevelles" post has some info on this right now.

Peter