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TRI-FIVE TOTALLY TUBULAR COIL-OVER IFS WITH ORIGINAL OFFSET DISC BRAKE KIT

Kevin Aguilar . October 21, 2022 . All Feature Vehicles
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If you’re looking to make an upgrade and take your Tri-Five project to the next level, check CPP’s control arms and coil-overs plus brake kit. We provide the steps for the installation and show you how it’s done on a ‘55 Chevy Bel Air.

1. With the vehicle securely supported, via jack stands or on a hydraulic lift, the stock ’55 Bel Air front suspension is disassembled and removed, leaving just the bare framerails. The engine and transmission can remain in place because their weight can be of assistance when “loading” the coil springs or coil-overs for installation.
2. With the vehicle securely supported, via jack stands or on a hydraulic lift, the stock ’55 Bel Air front suspension is disassembled and removed, leaving just the bare framerails. The engine and transmission can remain in place because their weight can be of assistance when “loading” the coil springs or coil-overs for installation.
3. Prior to installing the CPP Totally Tubular control arms, the single-adjustable QA1 conical spring (designed to set the upper end into the stock coil pocket) coil-overs are assembled using the optional thrust bearing kit.
4. Prior to installing the CPP Totally Tubular control arms, the single-adjustable QA1 conical spring (designed to set the upper end into the stock coil pocket) coil-overs are assembled using the optional thrust bearing kit.
5. Next, the supplied wheel studs are installed into the billet aluminum hubs. Each one is torqued to 90 ft-lbs for 7⁄16-inch studs (100 ft-lbs for ½-inch studs).
6. Both front and rear wheel bearings are hand-packed thoroughly with high-temp grease. If you do this step by hand, you know each bearing will be fully and adequately packed with grease.
7. The rear dust seal is carefully installed using a dedicated seal installer or a softer compound hammer. Regardless of which you use, avoid damaging the seal in the process.
8. The stock upper control arms attach to press-in studs, those will be too short for the CPP control arms’ large billet cross shafts, and will need to be removed and replaced with the supplied hardware.
9. The CPP lower control arms also use dedicated Grade 8 hardware to install onto the Chevy cross member.
10. CPP offers a wide variety of spindles for Tri-Fives, from its proprietary modular drop spindle to the new school 2-inch drop with integrated caliper brackets. This application uses the original replacement cast-iron spindles.
11. Initially set up with the 450-pound springs set at the lowest position with the shock adjusted to the softest (-) setting, the coil-overs are installed into the shock tower.
12. Using a floor jack, the lower control arm is carefully compressed, enough so that the spindle can be attached to the upper ball joint once the coil-over shock has been installed onto the lower arm.
13. Using a floor jack, the lower control arm is carefully compressed, enough so that the spindle can be attached to the upper ball joint once the coil-over shock has been installed onto the lower arm.
14. The spindles use OE-type steering arms from CPP, as well as their large caliper disc brake brackets, which accommodate 11-inch rotors. With this setup, the wheel offset is “not” affected as is often the case with disc brake kits on vehicles originally equipped with drums.
15. The spindles use OE-type steering arms from CPP, as well as their large caliper disc brake brackets, which accommodate 11-inch rotors. With this setup, the wheel offset is “not” affected as is often the case with disc brake kits on vehicles originally equipped with drums.
16. The Original Offset wheel brake kit accomplishes its stock track width characteristics by using individual forged billet aluminum hubs (rather than integrated brake rotor hubs).
17. Just as with a rotor hub, however, the bearing preload is set the same: the spindle nut is hand-tightened (approximately 10-12 ft-lbs) as the rotor/hub is spun forward until the bearings are seated. Once properly tightened, the axle nut is secured with a cotter pin. (Always back the nut off, don’t overtighten, if the hole doesn’t line up.)
18. Just as with a rotor hub, however, the bearing preload is set the same: the spindle nut is hand-tightened (approximately 10-12 ft-lbs) as the rotor/hub is spun forward until the bearings are seated. Once properly tightened, the axle nut is secured with a cotter pin. (Always back the nut off, don’t overtighten, if the hole doesn’t line up.)
19. The ’55 is getting CPP’s optional rotor upgrade, which equates to a zinc-washed, slotted and cross-drilled slip-on rotor.
20. The calipers are CPP’s GM large-bore (2 15⁄16 inch), in optional red powder coat finish. When installing, it’s important to ensure the pins are aligned perpendicular to the rotors, that the bushings move freely and the outer O-rings are not pinched or pushed out: Caliper alignment is crucial to attaining a proper brake pedal feel/operation.
21. The calipers are CPP’s GM large-bore (2 15⁄16 inch), in optional red powder coat finish. When installing, it’s important to ensure the pins are aligned perpendicular to the rotors, that the bushings move freely and the outer O-rings are not pinched or pushed out: Caliper alignment is crucial to attaining a proper brake pedal feel/operation.
22. With the brake kit installed, control arms buttoned up, etc., the last remaining item to address is reconnecting the steering.
23. CPP’s complete linkage kit features everything necessary to connect each spindle to the Bel Air’s 500 Series power box, including billet tie rod sleeves to upgrade from the old pinch-tube adjusters.
24. CPP’s complete linkage kit features everything necessary to connect each spindle to the Bel Air’s 500 Series power box, including billet tie rod sleeves to upgrade from the old pinch-tube adjusters.
25. Before sending the ’55 off for an alignment, a 1-inch sway bar was installed and the brake system was properly bled. Initial test driving also allowed a chance to dial in the coil-overs and bed in the brake rotors.

Source

Classic Performance Produts
378 E. Orangethorpe Ave.,
Placentia, CA 92870
Classicperform.com

 

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