Should I reuse this spindle?

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Yesterday I obliterated a wheel bearing. It got so hot that it shot the dust cap off in a ball of flaming axle grease before I realized there was a problem. When I stopped, the rollers were no longer and the bearing was glowing red hot from all the friction. Now my question is, is it unwise to reuse the spindle after this happened? Will the heat have weakened it to a dangerous point? I haven't taken the rotor off yet ( and do not know if I can), so I am not sure if the rotor ate in to the spindle or not. Obviously this would only apply if the spindle appeared to be in good condition and the outer bearing could be removed. Normally, I would change the spindle without thinking about it, but I am very broke right now so I am open to suggestions.

 

[just plain john]

There's no way that I personally would use it. I understand being broke, but if you drive it you might be broke AND broken up. Can't find a spindle in the boneyard? Should be pretty cheap there.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, let's just put it this way: I can't afford the gas to drive to the junkyard, let alone buy the part. The $85 towing bill put me behind the 8 ball, so to speak. If it is unsafe, I won't drive it for a few months. I am just looking for a few opinions as to if it would be OK.

 

[DRIVEN]

Is it going to break? No one can say for sure. I have a tendency to be a cheap-*ss but in a case like this I might spend the few bucks to replace it. At my local yard a spindle is $20 -- that's a small price to pay for peace of mind. You've spent countless hours and dollars on your car. It would be a shame to risk all that over a $20 part.

 

[robwkamm]

if it didnt cut into the spindle and you see no heat damage ( blueing) i would run it.

 

[DRIVEN]

glowing red hot from all the friction

 

[pontiacgp]

I wouldn't be worried about the spindle at all. We ran stock spindles and rotors in our G body circle track car and the rotors were glowing red hot from braking ever race we ran and we had to actually tape the dust cap on so it wouldn't fly off when it got extremely hot. Just use a good quality grease and you'll be alright.

 

[Bonnewagon]

A guy at work had a Nova that happened to. The bearings actually welded themselves to the races. He brought it in to show us. The shop put new bearings in and sent him on his way. He went for years that way. I myself would not trust it after getting that hot.

 

[pontiacgp]

bonne....we've had rotors that got so hot they crack but never had any issues with heat affecting the spindle. We bent a spindle in a race and heated it up cherry red to try to bend it back into shape so we could get some kind of acceptable toe in the car. Those spindles are pretty tough and unless the bearing race has damaged the spindle there isn't a problem using it.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Yeah but there might be a crack you can't see, so it's a gamble.