Drop Spindle Disc Brake Kit Track Width?

Ask AndyCategory: BrakesDrop Spindle Disc Brake Kit Track Width?
Admin Access Staff asked 5 years ago

The description for this kit says:

NOTE: All lowered link pin to ball joint type spindles on the market today will move the wheels outward towards the fender of the car by approximately 1″ per-side, making the front end wider.

This is not a ball join type spindle as this is a link pin kit. For this kit, I want to clarify; is this 1″ wider PER SIDE or 1″ wider in TOTAL? An EMPI kit on the market says 5/8″ total width increase. So, I’m trying to understand why this one appears to be so much more. I’m planning to buy a kit and prefer AC Industries but want to minimize width increase.  I don’t have a narrowed beam but will run smaller tires (145’s) on 4.5″ rims.

Thanks.

1 Answers
Michael Glass answered 5 years ago

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for your interest in our product. On all the link pin style disc kits with lowered spindles on the market today, all of them use a link pin spindle back and convert the spindle point to ball joint.

When you use a lowered spindle, there is an added width of approximately ½” per side. This is the case whether the spindle is a link pin or ball joint and also for both drum and disc spindles. This is due to the physical geometry of the spindle. Simply put, when the spindle point is raised, there has to be material there to support it.

Next, when you change the spindle point from a link pin to a ball joint style, the center line of where the wheel mounts onto the drum or rotor in comparison to the inner and outer bearings is now different. On a ball joint drum or rotor, the wheel mounting flange is closer to the outer bearing thus adding to the wheel track making wider. This is clearly evident when you compare the distances of the wheel mounting flange to where the grease cap installs on the link pin drum and a ball joint drum.

The difference of offset between a 113405615A (1958-1965 front link pin drum) and a 131405615A (1966-1967 5 lug front ball joint drum) is approximately ½”.

The difference of offset between a 113405615A (1958-1965 front link pin drum) and a 111405615B (1968-1977 4 lug front ball joint drum) is approximately ¾”.

Take either of these offsets and add it to the ½” of the lowered spindle and you get the total positive offset per side.

Bruce, to answer your question directly, our AC Industries 498680 is a link pin spindle, that converts the spindle point to a ball joint style point. The rotor is based from that of a 113405615A ball joint drum. As stated above and on our web site, this adds approximately 1” total to each side.

These are the simple facts of the physics and geometry of the VW front end. If any other company is suggesting otherwise, I would question as to how they got their total offset measurement and exactly which parts they used to accomplished it!

I hope that has cleared up any misconceptions.

 

Thanks,

Andy