Finally broke my spindle

[jimnightingale00]

Yup, Everyone said I'd do it eventually. I broke the driver's side link pin spindle at the BOR jackpot race last weekend. It was a clean break too.

Since then I have put a stopper in the brake line, which was ripped in half, and have welded the spindle back on minus the brake on that side. Now at least I can move it around the garage as needed.

?? Combo Spindles ??

I get the 'jist of what they are and what they do. They are said to be much more durable.

So here is the question:

Does anyone out there have a bug or buggy in northern Utah that has these on that I can come take a look at? I need to talk about brake selection, bearing components, source of spindles...

Please give a shout to:
[email protected]

All others please reply with what has worked good for you in the past. I want the spindle strength, but don't really want to change all of my running gear to 5-wide and change all the drums on the car from 4 to 5 wide. All of this causes about $1,500 in cost to go the cheap route and more like $2,500 if I use the good U.S. built stuff.

Does anyone out there know of a way to get combo spindles, disk brakes, and maintain the 4 bolt wheel lugs?

Thanks

Let the roasting begin...

[TimS]

Glad to see you over here. I don't have the answers you seek, Jussumguy (Richard) I bet knows a lot about 'em.

I hope folks help you out. Welcome! And thanks for racing. It was fun.

How long did the original spindle last?

[JUSSUMGUY]

Jim- I have combo spindles that you can come look at. I'll send you an email.

[BAJA-IT]

I have a set too, they are not on my Baja, so easy to take a look at.

[JUSSUMGUY]

Jim- we like pics. Please post some pics of your baja.

[dustymojave]

Jim must be the owner of that white and red Baja that raced Sportsman class at Jackpot starting 1 car ahead of Tim in his 1600. Seeing his car on the side of the trail and the way it was sitting in Tim's video, I was sure he had broken a spindle or an arm.

I believe Tweeds Combo spindles use ball joint backing plates. Their spindles are not as good as say Fodrills, or the original Wrights. But they are WAY stronger than the factory spindles. Rick Crumb of Crumco promotes the use of Latest Rage made in China forged combo spindles. I have been quite impressed at how they last and the hits they will absorb.

I am a past Champion offroad racer and have been involved in the sport for over 45 years. Cars I've built for others have won their class in the Baja 1000 and Championships in SCORE and other organizations. I like to do things right. But I love offroad racing and know 1st hand how tough it is for the common man to afford to do this. My championship came out of my back pocket. And it has always been a VERY shallow pocket. Any involvement in offroad racing is a good thing to me. I won't roast or otherwise make fun of you Jim. We might disagree on some things and I may make suggestions you disagree with. But I'm not here to make fun of others.

Now the question comes up...Since your car has 4-lug hubs all the way around, does it have a link pin beam or ball joint?

Those pics the other guys asked for will answer my question and many others that will follow if we stay only in print dialog without pics.

[no1clyde]

Dusty Jims car has a link pin front end even thought he is using 4 lug brakes, and yes his is the red and white Baja Bug. I looked at it, we at check point 1 had a spare off his that was a 4 lug and after the race I went and looked at his car knowing he never came by our check for the last lap. The spindle was a clean break and a stock spindle and I wanted to see it as my play buggy has stock spindles on it. I don't race but do abuse my car at times

Ed

[Steve Arndt]

From my understanding it is possible with the right bearing selection to retain stock drum brakes if the combo spindle has the backing plate bolt pattern like mentioned (ball joint).

I'm looking at similar upgrades but I want to retain the speedometer hole. I may weld the ball joint stub and backing plate flange onto a modified l/p spindle. My other option is trying to machine a combo spindle for the speedo hole.

[BAJA-IT]

Yes Jim is running 4 lug all around, he has disc brakes on the front. He came by my place last night to look at the combos I have.

Any body know what bearings he would use to make the 4 lug disc brakes work with the combos?

[jimnightingale00]

here is a trackside image during recovery.

spindle.jpg

At least I hope it posts...GRR

[JUSSUMGUY]

I don't know what disc brake set up he is running or what bearings he has in there now but if he has stock link pin bearings in there now it seems to me all that would be required would be to change to the proper bearings for a combo spindle. I have some combo bearings( in an old drum but I can remove them) that could be borrowed and he could bolt his disc brake adapter onto Camerons or my combo spindles( I have 2 sets, both are off the car) and put the bearings in his drum and see if it all fits.
What disc brake set up is currently being used?
It really would be wise to change to wide 5 as that is the most commonly used wheel and makes it much easier to borrow from a fellow competitor or friend. Perhaps all that is needed to change to wide 5, other than wheels, is some new front hubs or perhaps the existinbg hub can be re-drilled. Rear could use high quality wheel adapters.

[bajaherbie]

i have the LR forged king pin spindles..... bought them before they came out with the LR forged combo spindles.....

[woodsbuggy1]

I am not sure how you could make that work without custom hubs. I am running combo spindles with KP drums, the bearings and races are easily available for that swap. But with 4 lug (BJ) the outer bearings and races are too small to accommodate combo spindles.
Good Luck
Kenric

[TimS]

Yes Jim is running 4 lug all around, he has disc brakes on the front. He came by my place last night to look at the combos I have.

Any body know what bearings he would use to make the 4 lug disc brakes work with the combos?

Well, he was running LP spindles (right??), so the discs much have LP innards even though they are four lug... wouldn't it just be the same as going from LP drum to combos?

Here are some bearing numbers... http://www.racereadyproducts.com/spindl ... dle-parts/ Verify these, though. The king pin bearings I bought here were 1/64th off. You could probably also cross reference and find these cheaper.

[JUSSUMGUY]

I'd like to know what discs are being run up front. That is the key. There is no way of running a BJ drum and a combo spindle that I know of and as woodsbuggy said. But if he is using say a CNC disc brake set up it is entirely possible that his hub could be 4 lug and fit a kingpin spindle. If this is the case then I think all he needs to do is get the proper bearings for a combo spindle, as Tim posted, and of course the combo spindles