Truck Drop Spindles for Four Generations of Chevy/GMC

Time keeps ticking away, and what were once considered tired old work trucks are some of the hottest new projects among automotive enthusiasts. Wilwood has made drum to disc brake conversion kits for old cars and trucks almost since the beginning, but we went a step further with our ProSpindles. We applied our engineering skills to modernize these old pickups' handling, looks, and stopping power.

Our newest ProSpindles will lower the front of two-wheel-drive1988-98 Chevy C1500 and GMC Sierra trucks 2-inches, plus Suburbans, Blazers, Tahoes, and Yukons based on the GMT400 chassis. Also recently released, a 2.5-inch drop for two-wheel-drive Chevy C10 and GMC C15 trucks 1963-1987, which also fits SUVs and vans with the same front suspension design.

1963-66 Chevy C10/GMC C15 - The Modern Pickup

Many people consider this generation of Chevy/GMC truck to be the first modern pickup truck with car-like style and amenities, beating Ford and Dodge to market. At first glance, the 1960-66 Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks may all look similar, but the earliest models, 1960-62, used a torsion bar front suspension with a unique frame and A-arms. By 1963 though, conventional coil springs were under all four corners (though leaf springs were optional on the rear), in a design that stuck around for ten years and two generations of trucks.

The coil-sprung nature of these trucks always made them easy to lower and modify, but now Wilwood's ProSpindle does it while improving the handling and mounting big modern brakes. Dropping a truck with just springs changes the payload capacity and the suspension geometry, leading to bump steer and other issues, but a drop spindle does not. If you want to get it low, and most trucks have ride height to spare, start with the spindle, then drop it another couple of inches with springs or bags.

Just replace your 1963-66 style ball joints with the later 1971-87 style, and spindle 831-15931 will bolt on. As an added benefit, besides the drop, these all-new castings are stronger than the originals ever were. Choose Wilwood 12.19", 13.06" or 14.00" diameter rotors (in five or six lug hub), and six-piston calipers, and your truck will be a better cruiser, hauler, or tow vehicle than when it left the factory.

1967-72 Chevy C10/GMC C15 - The Action Line

In 1967, the smoother styled Chevy GMC pickups debuted, but under that new skin, they were still very similar to the earlier generation. Dubbed by Chevy the "Action Line" at the time, these trucks are now very popular with the custom crowd, but they are still very capable as work vehicles or towing your toys on the weekends. Nothing is cooler than towing your muscle car or hauling your Harley chopper or Triumph desert sled, with a period-correct truck in matching paint.

For two-wheel-drive 1967-1970 Chevy C10 trucks and GMC C15 trucks (and related SUVs) order spindle 831-15931 then choose your five or six bolt hub disc brake kit.

Builders of 1971 and newer trucks have been begging for a better option than the factory spindle with integral caliper mount for years. Ironically, the best option was using the earlier drum brake spindle, with a disc brake conversion kit if you wanted to upgrade. Wilwood solved the problem with ProSpindle 831-15932 designed to lower your truck, preserve the payload capacity, improve the handling, and mount our big Superlite or Aerolite brake calipers and 12"-14" discs.

1973-87 Chevy C10/GMC C15 - The Square Body

The 1973-87 Chevy and GMC trucks, which are affectionately known as "Square Body" trucks to hobbyists, is one of the all-time great truck designs. As popular as this truck is, then and now, it is incredible to consider it was never offered as an extended cab, and the only crew cab versions were huge one-ton models. This truck platform moved back to conventional leaf springs at the rear, but the front suspension hardly changed from the design first used in 1963. The factory front spindle on these trucks still incorporated part of the caliper mount, limiting what brakes you could use, though Wilwood did engineer upgraded calipers.

Square Body trucks straddle the line between the classics and full modern amenities. It is relatively common to find these trucks with air conditioning, power steering, and power brakes from the factory, but base models still featured three-speed column shifted manual transmission. At introduction and up until 1984, the base engine was the 250ci straight-six dating back to the 1960s, but for the final year in 1987, electronic fuel injection was standard on a much more modern slate of engines. No matter what year you have, ProSpindle 831-15932 has you covered.

1988-98 Chevy C1500/GMC Sierra - GMT400 “Old Body Style”

The all-new for 1988 Chevy and GMC trucks were as radical a departure from the previous models as the 1960 C10 was from the earlier solid axle trucks. Hobbyists have confusingly dubbed this the "Old Body Style" or "OBS" to differentiate it from the 1999-2007 "New Body Style" or "NBS". These trucks may have debuted in the late 1980s, but they looked ready for the 21st-century from the get-go, with smooth styling and minimal chrome.

It seems hard to believe today, but this was the first generation of Chevy or GMC truck to offer an extended cab, a body style Ford and Dodge had introduced in the 1970s! The handling and powertrain on these trucks was a giant leap forward from the Square Body, but things can always get better. The Wilwood ProSpindle lowers the front 2-inches and mounts our big six-piston calipers, upgrading the truck for big power upgrades and modern wheels and tires.

These Wilwood ProSpindles for the GMT400 trucks have all the provisions for mounting the factory ABS sensors, which were standard on 1995-98 trucks. Wilwood's brake kits are engineered to work with the ABS and factory master cylinder. Ask your Wilwood dealer for ProSpindle 831-15933, then choose how big you want to go with your brake package.