Will 78 Camaro chassis work with 57

[chevynut]

Drop spindles are junk I don't really understand your or anyone else's reason to keep using them.

Rocky, now that I've AGAIN taken the time to explain why dropped spindles are better than dropped springs, why don't you explain to me why you think dropped springs are better? I forgot to mention the bump steer issues with the dropped springs.

All you do is call them "junk" but I don't recall you ever giving a good technical explanation why you think the dropped springs are better. And please don't whine about me "bullying" you.

I think too many guys are using 2" dropped springs based on bad information and don't know the detrimental effects on their suspension geometry. By the way, I've never used dropped spindles on any car myself.

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Cnut I already showed you on paper why in the case of a trifive chevy drop spindles are not a wise chose if your goals are to improve the handling of the car. Using drop spindles leaves the roll center in left field and does not correct the suspension issues. Not here to argue in a perfect world perhaps the lower arms should he horz but installing a drop spring in a trifive does not make the arm go up hill enough to effect the roll all that much. The car also needs stiffer springs as do all performnce cars including your c4 setup than what a stock trifive spring has. If your goal is to slam your trifive in the weeds and look cool then drop spindles are the ticket. I believe there are a few companys that build performance drop spindles with there arms. Chassis works I belive but the price point is so high not in the price point of this conversation. Cost as much as your complete chassis lol.

Do you know what spring rates the stock C4 cars had? I read pretty intersesting story about that topic yesterday. Seems like customer feed back after the 84 year made GM soften the ride abit.

depending on your customers year selection might be quit different from anothers using stock equipment lol. Big changes in spring rates.

http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/...84-96-z51.html

[markm]

Let me get this right you guys like the stance of that blue Nomad, it reminds me of a buddies unrestored 210 wagon with wore out springs.

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Let me get this right you guys like the stance of that blue Nomad, it reminds me of a buddies unrestored 210 wagon with wore out springs.

LOL!!! Can you believe a person would take a beauty like this


and do this to it lol.

[Rick_L]

mark, do you use snow tires on your cars?

[markm]

No need I have two 4x4 GMC trucks and a 72 K/5 Blazer. I still have a pair of stock 56 wheels I bought in the early 70s for my 56 for that purpose. I would have to pull the axles and turn the register down for them to fit now.

[chevynut]

Cnut I already showed you on paper why in the case of a trifive chevy drop spindles are not a wise chose if your goals are to improve the handling of the car. Using drop spindles leaves the roll center in left field and does not correct the suspension issues.

Rocky, the dropped spindles aren't what puts the instant centers in "left field" it's the angle of the upper a-arms. I think you're not understanding what you're doing to your front suspension. Raising the upper a-arms with lengthened upper balljoints moves the instant center of the front suspension from WAY outside the car on the same side as the a-arms to a point on the opposite side of the car. Simply adding dropped springs does not fix that problem, because the spindle stays the same length and the relationship between the upper and lower a-arms doesn't change. I'm betting the instant center with 2" dropped springs is still out in "left field".

With the lower a-arm level, the instant center is at the same level as the lower a-arm pivots and the distance away is controlled by the upper a-arm angle. With the instant center at that level, the roll center will ALWAYS be above ground. By raising the spindle on the knuckle you get lowering of the car WITHOUT adversely affecting that geometry.

What you've done with dropped springs is caused the lower a-arm to angle down like the upper a-arm. That will put the instant center LOWER than it will be with a level lower a-arm. I haven't laid it out to be sure, but the instant center could very well be below ground, which will put the roll center below ground.

The net result is that you save a few bucks on the dropped spindles, but you've screwed up your suspension geometry and moved the roll center away from the CG. You keep saying your suspension will be "close" to a C4 but it's nowhere close to being comparable if you do that.

Not here to argue in a perfect world perhaps the lower arms should he horz but installing a drop spring in a trifive does not make the arm go up hill enough to effect the roll all that much.

Yes it does. Lay it out. How much do you think is detrimental? I've searched the net about this and there's a lot of info on not having the lower a-arm level, and the negative effects of that. To me, dropped spindles make a lot more sense.

The car also needs stiffer springs as do all performnce cars including your c4 setup than what a stock trifive spring has.

Of course. The tri5 springs are really soft. With the lower a-arm dropped like you're doing, you need to use a stiffer spring than you would otherwise need. If you don't mind the harsh ride, maybe that's ok. But it doesn't address the tire scrub and the bump steer issues it creates. And you lose some camber gain as well, his already weak even with the slightly taller balljoint.

If your goal is to slam your trifive in the weeds and look cool then drop spindles are the ticket.

Drop spindles drop the car 2" which is the same as you say you're doing with 2" drop springs. The dropped spindles just don't screw up the geometry.

I read pretty intersesting story about that topic yesterday. Seems like customer feed back after the 84 year made GM soften the ride abit.

That doesn't surprise me as some of the early cars had very high spring rates, a lot higher than necessary.

Bottom line is that your claim that dropped spindles are "junk" is unsubstantiated, but cutting springs such that the lower a-arm is 2" higher at the balljoint than the pivot causes a lot of detrimental effects.

[chevynut]

Let me get this right you guys like the stance of that blue Nomad, it reminds me of a buddies unrestored 210 wagon with wore out springs.

We can't help it that you're stuck in the 60's. Have you even driven a car newer than 1980? Maybe you don't even know what a modern car's supposed to handle like.

[chevynut]

Rocky, how much have you actually dropped your car? It doesn't look that low to me. I mean by measurements, not what you did to it.

The stock distance between the rear axle and the bottom of the frame is 5.725". I don't remember how to measure the front but there is some measurement between the lower a-arm pivot and the bottom of the spindle, or something like that. How much higher is the lower balljoint center than the a-arm pivot?

I went and looked back at your diagram and your lower balljoint is only .82" above the pivot in that drawing. I thought you said you lowered it 2" with dropped springs.

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Cnut thats were your wrong or misstated above. The drop spring raise the lower arm it points up slightly. With the addition of the taller ball joint and ajustable arm the upper arm is also moved up more because you made the bottom swing upward. Your suspension now has the roll center in the center not in left field anymore and your suspension operates in negative camber from the start of the turn as it suppose to. Using drop spindles drops the car but does not correct the camber and the results are less than desirable. The upper arm does not move upward enough.

My car is right at 2 inches lower than stock based on the factory manual and distance from the lower arm pivot to ground measurement. Remember rule of thumb 1 coil = 2inches drop in height. One coil cut is less than 2 inches at spindle because of the radius so arm does not swing up as much.