Should I reuse this spindle?

[axisg]

as a cheap *ss fix for now, hell yes re-use the spindle if you can.

The bearing just rests on the spindle anyways. Knock whats left of the hub and rotor off and you may get lucky to be able to replace the races on the rotor and re-use that too if they are no too chewed up. I too have been too broke for parts so you make do with what you got. This is just something else to "keep and eye on" and replace when you get some $$. Your car is already unfit for highway speeds with the dry-rotted tires so this way you can keep it as a "yard-car" and it's mobile.

 

[pontiacgp]

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

If the metal was heated enough to cause a stress crack the metal would be discolored and if you look online for upgrades for spindles to be used in circle track cars you won't find anything other than spindle savers that deal with the steering arm...those metric spindles are tough and I have never heard or seen one crack in all the years of my circle track experience.

I should also mention that the car owner is a millwright in a forging plant and he know his metals probably better than most and his 16 yo son drives the car so he would not take a chance if he had any concerns....plus we always have a good supply of spindles on hand

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, the thing is that the car's suspension does not use stock springs, they are VERY stiff aftermarket units. I am a bit afraid that there will be more stress imparted on it because of this. I am planning to eventually change the spindles to B body units, and then try to correct the bump steer geometry at the same time. The B body spindles let me use stock 12 in rotors and give it a more favorable camber curve ( when used with the tubular uppers I already have for the conversion). The problem is that I am trying to save up for roofing repairs that have to be done NOW, so any extra cash I have goes to that. It will be another month or two before I can do the conversion because that is how long it will take before I can get things back to normal. I don't really know what I will do. If I replace the bearings, they will be on the car for maybe 6 months at the most, and the car is not my daily driver. Maybe I worry too much, but an accident could do a lot of damage my financial future, especially if I am seriously hurt or worse: injure someone else. I want to just fix it to have the car be drivable in an emergency if my other vehicle breaks down, but I know that I will drive it more than that.

 

[pontiacgp]

as I posted we heat up the rotors to cherry red every weekend a couple of times a nite and never have had an issue with the spindle and if your concerned because you run higher rated springs than normal we ran 1100 pound spring on the right front at one of the tracks we ran at....don't worry about it, the spindle can handle it

 

[Coveted]

Well, the thing is that the car's suspension does not use stock springs, they are VERY stiff aftermarket units. I am a bit afraid that there will be more stress imparted on it because of this. I am planning to eventually change the spindles to B body units, and then try to correct the bump steer geometry at the same time. The B body spindles let me use stock 12 in rotors and give it a more favorable camber curve ( when used with the tubular uppers I already have for the conversion). The problem is that I am trying to save up for roofing repairs that have to be done NOW, so any extra cash I have goes to that. It will be another month or two before I can do the conversion because that is how long it will take before I can get things back to normal. I don't really know what I will do. If I replace the bearings, they will be on the car for maybe 6 months at the most, and the car is not my daily driver. Maybe I worry too much, but an accident could do a lot of damage my financial future, especially if I am seriously hurt or worse: injure someone else. I want to just fix it to have the car be drivable in an emergency if my other vehicle breaks down, but I know that I will drive it more than that.

how stiff, we ran 900 1000 across the front in the oval car, I knew guys running 1100 on the right front.

 

[Bonnewagon]

My guess is you're going to put new bearings in and cross your fingers, knowing you'll replace it when you can. Been there. Nothing wrong with erring on the side of safety.

 

[pontiacgp]

bonne...in my years of crewing on a circle track team there has never been a failure of a spindle except for those who bend the steering arm hitting the wall or another car. These spindles are heated up by the cherry red rotors lap after lap. I've even seen a rotor go white hot from a problem with a brake and the spindle suffered no damage. I agree it's good to err on the side of caution but in this case as long as the bearing race didn't scar the spindle there is no reason not to use the spindle and feel confident about doing so. I've even used a spindle on my car that came off the race car after a season and the rotors off the race car are great to use since they have been heat treated...lol

 

[megaladon6]

the spindles are heat treated, it'll take a LOT more that just a bad bearing to ruin that and the signs will be obvious. even the smallest heat induced crack will have some sort of heat scoring or spotting.

 

[just plain john]

Here's a deal for you. I'll give you a pair I swapped out for dropped spindles, just pay shipping from 77506.

 

[pontiacgp]

that's an awesome offer john....I've read tho how tight the money is for him at this point so I'm wondering if there is any truckers or anyone else making a trip from your area to his area to save on the shipping costs...