Ok, I thought I'd start my own thread on this so I can post up all the info I've got. I bought 1.12" torsion bars from Firm Feel a few months back and found I ran out of adjustability on my t-bar adjusters. Fortunately for me Magnumforce finally came out with their 2" drop spindles to solve my problems without having to re-index my torsion bar anchors
. I was waiting to install them until I got all the parts for my 11.75" rotors...
Here's most of what you need.
I also got new wheel seals (the ones for the 11" rotors won't fit!), new dust caps and 1 new spindle washer/nut/lock. Would have got 2 but the parts store was out and today was my day!
The quality on the drop spindles is pretty awesome.
Hats off to Magnumforce on this one, they look much stronger than the Fatman fabrication spindles previously offered, and for less $ too! You'll notice the lower ball joint mount bolts are different, they have a flush mount head and take a 3/8" allen wrench. I recommend a socket set up for this though, the locking nuts including are seriously tough, and take a good amount of torque to get tightened. I didn't have this one, so I had to run to the parts store.
The rotors are from rotorpro's on eBay for a '77 Cordoba, shipped quickly and look to be good quality. For some reason one had an unfinished burr on the inside of the rotor (on the inner side of the bearing race) that I ground down. The other had been finished already, probably the same way I did it. Must have missed one! The 11.75" caliper brackets are the pin-style so I could retain my calipers, although the slider type calipers are stronger and have a little less flex. They are also harder to come by...
One thing I noticed is that with the 11.75" brackets you can now get at the caliper bracket bolts without removing the brake line to the caliper.
Here's the rotor mounted... (yes, I know my car is dirty, it was raining the other day)
You'll also notice the spindle relocates the caliper perpendicular to the ground (at 9 o'clock position) vs the original that has the caliper at an angle (at about 10:30
). The top of the spindle is thicker, so routing the brake line is a little more interesting. Maybe its my braided stainless lines, but it was a little harder to get them clear of the spindle itself. You'll also need to have 15" rims, I seriously doubt any 14's will work. I have around 1/4" clearance from the outside caliper to the inside of the rim with the 11.75" rotors
The whole operation is pretty easy, if you get the spindle washers/nuts you only have to undo the upper and lower ball joint bolts. I left my calipers attached and just undid the caliper bolts, no biggie as my rotors were already brand new. The Magnumforce spindles use a '73 and up spindle pattern, mine were '72's, which is why I did the rotor upgrade too, I had to buy new rotors anyway.
As you can see below, its a pretty impressive drop. The pictures don't tell the whole story either, as this is 1 full turn on the adjusters less than the full drop. I only had the smallest bit of tension (basically right where the adjuster bolt seated in the cup) on the adjusters before because of the large t-bars.
And here's the before and after shots. Yes, my car is very dirty. I'm washing it tomorrow!
I wanted to get the spindles and brakes done today!
Before
After!
Before
After!
