B-Car Spindles - Cost-Effective Front Suspension Upgrade

Hot Air

E85 and S.E./Carolinas Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 11, 2002
The actual parts needed and the install is covered in the link below. Thanks Car Craft Magazine.
Big-Brake Upgrade For GM A/G-Bodies- Car Craft Magazine


To take it a step further, you need some great wheels and tires to go with the new suspension. A little know fact is that the GM B-car spindle conversion will permit the use of a complete set of GTA 16" diameter x 8" wide wheels on your G-body. Since the B-car spindles move the front wheels outboard slightly, you can now use a set of GTA rears on the front and we all know that the GTA fronts will fit the rear! So, for ~$400, you can go to the GTA wheels. Then just find a set of sticky tires and you are ready to cut some curves with a better camber curve, wider wheels and tires. No, it is not as great as a Hotchkis or DS front suspension but the cost is way less!
Conrad
 
Natch.

The B-body spindles create a ton of bumpsteer. There are much better options available now.
 
This comes up from time-to-time but I never experienced it. Not a problem for my GN.
Conrad
 
Even UNGN has said with his upgrade to the B body spindles he gets and he runs up to 180 MPH in the Texas flying mile. You could use a bump steer correction kit but I don't know how well that would work with the longer spindles since you change the location of the rod in relation to the center ink.
 
Even UNGN has said with his upgrade to the B body spindles he gets and he runs up to 180 MPH in the Texas flying mile. You could use a bump steer correction kit but I don't know how well that would work with the longer spindles since you change the location of the rod in relation to the center ink.

The problem is the steering knuckle on the B-body spindle is too long and juts out too far in front of the spindle. Typical bumpsteer correction kits go between the lower control arm and the spindle in an attempt to get the steering arm back in parallel with the LCA.

With the B-body spindles, that doesn't work, because the misalignment is happening in a different plane. It doesn't just make the bumpsteer worse, it screws up the car's turning radius and Ackermann. For normal street driving, it probably isn't a big deal, but if you spend any time with the car at the limit, it would be twitchy and unpredictable, and likely chew up your tires.
 
I have B spindles on my T-type and Stock spindles with tall balljoints on my 2+2.

The T-type handles fine, but the Bump Steer from the B spindles is WAY noticeable compared to the stockers on my 2+2 that has very little bumpsteer.

I'm most likely going to rebuild the T-front end with Blazer spindles and tall ball joints.

I love the 12" brakes, but hate the bumpsteer.
 
Interesting idea but you can also buy a special center link that has a slot where the inner attaches which would make better sense to me. It's also rebuildable but a little pricey to me.
 
Do any of you know if 8.5" 10 bolt B body axles out of a 1973 impala/caprice will fit into a stock diff of A 1978 elcamino,are they the right length? I'm trying to upgrade the 7.5 10 bolt with A Torsen Zexel out of a 02' F-body which is 28 spline.i can't find any GN/442 stock axles or afford a pair of Mosers !help would be greatly appreciated !
 
Not unless you cut them down and re-spline them. There's no option other than going to a parts store and getting new ones for a G body with 28 splines, or get used off the board.
 
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