Front Spindle
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 1,659
From: Summerville SC
Front Spindle
I am rebuilding the front end of my '78. Put all new races & bearings in the hubs and installed them per usual way, tighten up to 12 ft/lbs, back off nut until LOOSE, then hand tighten, back off till the hole & nut line up. Worked fine on one side, but not on the other. Serious drag, I could only spin the hub one time around. I thought I had a race in crooked, so I took it out and did it all over. Could not find anything wrong with it. Still had the same problem. I then switched hubs from side to side, and the one that was PErFECT on the r side ( would spin 2 or more times), now had a seerious drag on it when installed on the left side. I know now that there is an issue with the spindle. SO before I take everything apart and replace the spindle, is there anything I need to look for that could be causing this? I did not note anything when I took them off the car, but everything was loose and worn so I don't think I would have noticed it. Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
Your spindle is bent! Vette must have been " curb-shotted " at some point in its life. My friend Dave Herlinger at Corvette repair taught me all about this, Dave made a special tool up to check spindle straightness on cars he restores......the tool registers on the large bearing surface and a dial indicator is used to check concentricity of the outer spindle area. You would be surprised at the amount of rejects Dave has found over the years.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 1,659
From: Summerville SC
AHA, that is what I am afraid of. I got this car about 2 years ago and am doing a full retso on it. The only body work I have come across is the left front fender being replaced, Some other small indications of a hit on the left side are also there, and this is the left side spindle. At first I thought the races were not lined up, like I had one in wrong. This seems to explain it, and now I guess I need to find a straight spindle. Thanks for confirming my worst thoughts.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 110
From: Garland Texas
Also check the surface of the spindle where the inner bearing bottoms on. The outer surface is case hardened to prevent the seal from eating into it but the actual seating surface for the bearing is not. It wears crooked and won't let the bearing seat flat.
I agree with Solid, I also think your spindle is bent. Just for reference, the spindles are the same, left and right, 69-82. Check the steering arm for being bent also. They are right or left only and the matching years are 75-82.
Mike
I agree with Solid, I also think your spindle is bent. Just for reference, the spindles are the same, left and right, 69-82. Check the steering arm for being bent also. They are right or left only and the matching years are 75-82.
Mike
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 1,659
From: Summerville SC
I didn't realize that the spindles are the same left & right. That will make my search a bit easier.I also figured the steering knuckle is bent, so that's on my replace list too. I wasn't able to drive the car much at all before I started taking it apart but I would bet there were some issues when getting up on a highway. Thanks for the info.
