Just wondering what would be the best material to use to fabricate a spindle. I was thinking it might be a good way to make mounting 6th gen brakes and wheels if I fabricobbled a fresh spindle around the 6th gen hub. or possibly even control arms around a 6th gen spindle. I am a welder by education, but a parts salesman by profession. I weld almost daily so Im not worried whether I could weld it and it be safe, just whether mild steel is strong enough or would I want to use chromoly.

 

Most spindles are made of forged steel or forged aluminum.

 

They always seemed like cast steel to me. I meant more aftermarket type spindles and a arms. I was thinking chromoly. Im going to move forward with it sometime in March, just waiting for a 6th gen to hit a junk yard.

 

GM spindles used to be forged back in the 60's. One piece.
Sometime around 1970 they went to cast iron with a pressed in steel bearing shaft.

 

I've seen aftermarket spindles made of plate steel.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/afte...ing-1-8-a.html

I don't understand why they don't make them to accept an LSx wheel bearing and caliper though...



-- Joe

 

If I was to build a spindle, I would stay with mild steel. Chromoly can be brittle if welded improperly and in a hard impact more likely to break than bend.

As for the hub. It would be easier to build the spindle to work with the later unit hub assemblies, however the older servicable tapered bearing floating hubs these cars came with and far stronger and more reliable.

 

I dunno. Maybe stronger. But they need to be serviced, its a PITA to do rotors, and the brakes kinda suck compared to the newer stuff.

I'd rather have it setup for LSx or C4 brakes.

-- Joe

 

I didn't mean the stock 10.5" brakes, just the floating design of the hub. As for service its a bit messy because of the grease, but rather replace a rotor hub assembly any day than some of the newer press in hubs. And even a good quality stock rotor can last 100k miles so its not like it needs to be done often. Either way its all beside the point, I said if "I" was going to make a spindle, and these are my recommendations.

 

I intend to make it fit the 6th gen camaro hub, i have two sets of front rotor and caliper take offs, and a set of 20s as well. should stop reasonably well, and hopefully not nee the spacers to run the 20s. i sell car parts for a living but went to school for weld, and thats where i make my play money.

 

Fabricobbled spindles would be skookum as frig

 

It's been a long time since I've heard slang like that. You from central BC by chance?

 

I assumed drugs..

Learn something new every day.

-- Joe

 

I'm pretty sure that was a cross between Chucky2009 and Uncle Bumble**** AvE (If you don't know what I'm talking about search Youtube)

 

Because they suck if you do more than just daily drive. Last I looked they were trying to get SCCA to let 4th gen owners to allow them to run a conversion spindle so they could get a tapered roller bearing.
Even the C5/C6 unit hubs suck, and the replacements are worse. There is one company that makes a worth while replacement, but I forget which one

Yeah, if you used Chromeoly, you'd have to get them treated after welding

Gentlemeeeeeeeen! Welcome to the empire of dirt. Today we have a treat especial

 

I don't do SCCA or any of that, but I own Corvettes and 4th gens, and I like the way they stop, handle, etc vs my thirdgen. The brakes are nice, easy to do, and the wheel bearings are cheap, and again easy to do. A few bolts, done. Packing bearings on a thirdgen is a messy pain in the *** lol.

But again, I'm not an SCCA racer. Just a guy who likes driving on the street, and would rather do knock-off rotors and pads than the silly thirdgen type.


-- Joe

 

glad to see a fellow AvE fan on here, chucky copied AvE on it

 

You know it takes more than a welder to create a spindle. Takes real engineering skills that most people don't have. This isn't just a statement.... it's a legitimate warning.

I think Kore3 is the place that somebody was thinking of earlier.

Your 3rd gen spindles can be modified to accept modern brakes. Call Scott at http://bigbrakeupgrade.com and he'll take care of that for you. Kore3 might make you a hub with the 6th gen 5x120 bolt pattern if that is the direction you really want to go. http://www.kore3.com/

 

For the record, kore3 will modify the hub any way you want. Different pattern, offset material ect. It's a much safer way to go than making a new spindle. Besides, they will outlast any modern unit hub.

 

Agree 1000%. Some stuff is just not worth risking life over.

 

Here's one made from mild steel and a forged snout pressed into it.

 

Is that an exhaust pipe dumping on the brakes and tires? Please tell me no.

 

No.

 

I would imagine is a brake cooling duct

 

Nothing mild about those struts!

 

I thought that was pretty obvious

 

Tell us more about these spindles? Don't post a pic like that and leave us hanging details!

 

The tierod mount being on an angle like that seems a bit off.

 

I like building things (a bit off)

 

It's hard to post things on this sight. As you can see of the 6 posts 2 are criticizing what they saw. If they asked about what they were seeing I would be glad to explain. I'm not sure the reason for the hostility, but it seems odd.

 

Yeah I don't understand that either we are all here to learn and make these cars better not bash peoples ideas but talk it thru logically and with respect. Feel free to PM me I am always open to learning something new.

 

It's done that way so it can be welded 90* to the plate.

The bore is at an angle (as evident by the tie rod itself) and it's probably machined at the same angle.

-- Joe

 

Actually the the lower plate is at a 13 degree angle to the upright, that is the same as the original spindle. It has to be that way to keep the LBJ in line with the upper strut mount. There is a slug welded where the outer tie rod mounts and like you say it is bored to get the angle right. In the pic the suspension is at full droop and it makes the angle look a little worse.

 

Run that by me again. The plate that the hub presses into, whats the relationship in degrees between that and the plate the tie rod bore is in ? They look almost 90* ?

-- Joe

 

The upright is 90 degrees to the ground (minus any camber) and the lower plate is 13 degrees off of that. The 13 degrees is to account for the KPI or king pin angle, that keeps the LBJ pointing at the the upper strut bushing. The LBJ and the outer tie rod end are on different planes. The LBJ is 13 and the OBJ is vertical. The pic is not showing the angle very well I guess.

 

You're the guy who put tone rings on the front hubs, to make ABS work from, (I think) a C4? If so, I like your work

 

He knows what he's doing, that's for sure.

I wouldn't try making a spindle. I'd pay good money for custom ones the way I want them though.

-- Joe

 

Sorry guys that wasn't me.