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The Last Word on Mustang II Spindles
Classic Performance Products’ All-New Corvette-Style Modular Mustang II Uprights
BY ROB FORTIER
Photography & VIDEOGRAPHY BY TAYLOR KEMPKES
Photography & VIDEOGRAPHY BY TAYLOR KEMPKESU
nderneath a Mustang II or Pinto from where they originated, Mustang II–type spindles are perfect! For decades now hot rodders have been using them with great success under a variety of non–Mustang II vehicles. The potential problem(s) enter(s) the picture when you mix performance-based ½-ton (or larger) trucks and large-diameter wheels with spindles/bearings that were never meant to carry such a, well, heavy load. Under more extreme braking conditions, the spindle “pin” can flex, and with that flex the rotor too will flex, ultimately causing the brake pads to “knock back” against the caliper which, in turn, causes the driver to release and depress the brake pedal to re-engage the pads. This amount of pin flex can vary depending on the quality of the Mustang II spindle, as well as the size of the brakes and wheels/tires they’re trying to stop.
Classic Performance Products (CPP) has finally come up with the solution—they’ve literally taken one of the best spindle upgrades to the next level by not only increasing wheel bearing size but by completely eliminating the spindle pin from the equation. How so? Simple: CPP has integrated C7 Corvette sealed-bearing hub technology into a Mustang II spindle, dubbed the CS Upright Spindle, which is available in stock height or 2-inch dropped. Additionally, with the inclusion of convenient hub and caliper spacers, the new CS spindles offer the ability to adjust the track width for either the typical Mustang II wheel mounting location or narrowed ¼ to ½ inch per side.
Unlike your traditional pin-style wheel spindles, these pin-less uprights come with sealed-bearing hubs (available in both entry-level and high-performance versions), which not only make installation as easy as can be, they also eliminate having to set bearing pre-load. And the icing on the CS spindle cake is the ability to use any Corvette-based aftermarket performance brake kit from CPP’s Pro Series six-piston 14-inch kit to any Baer, Brembo, and, as you’re about to see, Wilwood Corvette upgrade brake systems on your Mustang II-style frontend!
1-2. Classic Performance Products’ (CPP) new Corvette-Style (CS) Spindle kit is the be-all and end-all for Mustang II–based IFS systems! With their C7 sealed bearing hubs, “pin flex” is completely eliminated, allowing the use of larger-diameter wheels and a host of aftermarket performance brake kits. And with their unique spacers, track width is adjustable! Also notice the “huge” difference between the CS (gold) and MII bearing sizes!
3. Installation on your typical Mustang II front suspension is remarkably simple and straightforward. We’ll begin by installing the supplied ½-inch (red Loctite coated) wheel studs in CPP’s high-performance sealed-bearing hub (it’s also available in an entry-level version).
4. To properly torque them down, we use a vise-secured brake rotor as a “jig” to hold the hub in place.
5. As mentioned, the CS Spindle will accept any aftermarket Corvette upgrade brake kit, including Wilwood’s six-piston caliper and 14-inch two-piece rotor assembly.
6-7. Since we’re eliminating the spindle pin altogether, we’ll obviously have to swap out Wilwood’s Mustang II hub, as well as the hat, for their flat Corvette hub adapter plate; the rotor will be reused.
8-9. And just as it is with their Mustang II hub assembly, the attachment process requires sequential torquing (along with the use of red Loctite); safety wiring is highly recommended.
10-11. With the old Mustang II spindle safely removed, and both upper and lower ball joints confirmed, they’re good to go another round. The new CS Spindle is bolted right in place.
12. Don’t forget: Cotter pins are your friend—use them to your benefit … and safety!
13. Before installing the C7-style high-performance sealed-bearing hub into the CS upright, the “standard Mustang II offset” spacer is set onto the backside of the mounting flange. (For a ¼-inch narrower track width, these are not used.)
14-15. Using the supplied socket head Allens, the new hubs are installed and torqued down.
16-17. To accommodate the standard hub offset, both caliper bracket spacers are used “behind” the Wilwood billet caliper bracket, as shown.
18-19. To align the rotor with the standard offset hub and caliper bracket, the suppled rotor spacer is used.
20. With brake pads loaded, the Wilwood calipers are slipped back onto their respective rotors (held in place with lug nuts till the wheels are reinstalled) and locked down accordingly.
21. The CPP dropped CS Spindles feature integrated steering arms that accept the Mustang II tie rods already in use, so no steering linkage modifications are required.
22. And there you have it: in just a few hours’ time, our Mustang II IFS is now CS Spindle equipped and ready to perform.
23. Guess it makes sense that an LS-powered Bumpside receive Corvette-based performance braking, right?!
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