1937-1957 Buick Oldsmobile Pontiac suspension upgrade
(→Springs) |
(→Front suspension) |
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[[image:49_olds_upper_mount_1.jpg|frame|none|Caption goes here.]] | [[image:49_olds_upper_mount_1.jpg|frame|none|Caption goes here.]] | ||
| − | Note in the pictures how the front mount is higher than the rear mount. This sets up the anti dive angle. Up to 10 degrees is fine, as long as the upper ball joint is not in a bind. Be sure the frame is level side-to-side, and has the correct front-to-rear angle that you want. (With 15 inch wheels, the spindle center was 12.5 inches off the ground. The frame was blocked, so that when the lower A was level, the spindle was 12.5 inches up.) | + | Note in the pictures how the front mount is higher than the rear mount. This sets up the anti-dive angle. Up to 10 degrees is fine, as long as the upper ball joint is not in a bind. Be sure the frame is level side-to-side, and has the correct front-to-rear angle that you want. (With 15 inch wheels, the spindle center was 12.5 inches off the ground. The frame was blocked, so that when the lower A was level, the spindle was 12.5 inches up.) |
Even a small error here will be costly. It takes ½ inch of shims to adjust 1 degree of camber. If you need to put additional shims on the rear of the bracket, to increase caster, and can't take enough out of the front to keep the camber static, you will have to cut it loose and start over. Unfortunately, you can't do a full alignment until it is totally finished, and basically driveable. So, get this part right. If you have any doubts, shade towards the positive camber side, as you can add more shims later to move it towards negative. Likewise, move the upper mount to a position about 3/4 inch behind the plumb line for the spindle, to set up at least 5 degrees of caster in the neutral position (neutral being the static position as mocked up, before final alignment). | Even a small error here will be costly. It takes ½ inch of shims to adjust 1 degree of camber. If you need to put additional shims on the rear of the bracket, to increase caster, and can't take enough out of the front to keep the camber static, you will have to cut it loose and start over. Unfortunately, you can't do a full alignment until it is totally finished, and basically driveable. So, get this part right. If you have any doubts, shade towards the positive camber side, as you can add more shims later to move it towards negative. Likewise, move the upper mount to a position about 3/4 inch behind the plumb line for the spindle, to set up at least 5 degrees of caster in the neutral position (neutral being the static position as mocked up, before final alignment). | ||
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For this project, the tie rods only needed to be shortened less than an inch, rather than the 3 inches in the article. This was done by trimming a little off both the inner and outer tie rod threads and the sleeve. No cutting and welding. | For this project, the tie rods only needed to be shortened less than an inch, rather than the 3 inches in the article. This was done by trimming a little off both the inner and outer tie rod threads and the sleeve. No cutting and welding. | ||
| − | Incidently, It looks like the tie rod ends in this project are closer to the Ackerman line than the '55 conversion in the article. The taper in the Chevy arms was a bit small for the Pontiac tie rods, so | + | Incidently, It looks like the tie rod ends in this project are closer to the Ackerman line than the '55 conversion in the article. The taper in the Chevy arms was a bit small for the Pontiac tie rods, so they had to be reamed a touch. |
The CPP drop spindle/disc brake kit uses Chevelle 11 inch rotors and Chevy S10 calipers. In this case, it was cheaper to order the entire kit, then getting the individual pieces. And with the kit, you get a matched set: spindles, rotors/hubs, bearings, brackets, calipers, pads, flex hoses, nuts, washers, and even cotter pins, all for about $500. | The CPP drop spindle/disc brake kit uses Chevelle 11 inch rotors and Chevy S10 calipers. In this case, it was cheaper to order the entire kit, then getting the individual pieces. And with the kit, you get a matched set: spindles, rotors/hubs, bearings, brackets, calipers, pads, flex hoses, nuts, washers, and even cotter pins, all for about $500. | ||
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