Rear Spindle Breakage?
Thread Starter
Old Pro Solo Guy
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 7,977
Likes: 4,341
From: Marlton NJ
Rear Spindle Breakage?
What kind of luck have you had (or not) with rear outer spindles?
GM/Imported/Or US HD forged
How much abuse did they take til they gave out?
Building a 500HP BBC street car, and I would like to be able to use it!
GM/Imported/Or US HD forged
How much abuse did they take til they gave out?
Building a 500HP BBC street car, and I would like to be able to use it!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,114
Likes: 592
Or the side yoke in the Diff ?
here was my experience.
Last year when I rebuilt the trailing arms / rear spindles (had to much play in the bearings) I had to replace a spindle / housings. Contacted most of the corvette vendors and most didn't give / know all the details of the parts. Where made / Material etc.
The only vendor that did provide confidence in the spindle (track day use ) was Duntov Corvette.
From there website.
"You can’t find a better rear spindle than what we offer. These are drop forged and produced to the exact appearance and dimensional specifications, but with superior metallurgy to the original part. As you know, the rear spindle / bearing assembly has been the Achilles heel of these C-2 and C-3 Corvettes. The design was ahead of the materials. Now the materials have caught up."
Now they do offer 2 type of spindles. Similar to what most vendors / suppliers offer. And 1 they use for the race / track cars. Since I use my car for track days, I went with the race USA made spindle
RD900 4130 was my part # at that time.
Now please note I had a very hard time contacting anyone at there office and it took a very long time to get the parts. My setup was a complete rear spindle / housing / bearings Slip fit so I can do regular maintenance on the spindle. Most setups are press fit.
But since I use the car for track days I had them do the setup to race specs / slip fit.
Last edited by cagotzmann; Dec 25, 2020 at 04:00 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,124
Likes: 3,927
From: Connecticut, USA
simple, if you want the best outer axle go with Tom's 31's. Imported are junk. USA Spencer Forge about the best stock 17's, GM 76-78 were not as strong as earlier axles some twisted. About 500 hp and some abuse will break the axle at the base of the threads. I never a call back or broken axle with Tom's 31's.
Merry Xmas
Merry Xmas
Last edited by GTR1999; Dec 25, 2020 at 12:49 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,444
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I had my half shafts off many years ago doing the inner and outer U-joints. I got to looking at the outer splines and it scared me! 
The splined shaft had been hammered enough times that the it had twisted a whole splines width and was now about lined up again. The metal was twisted and not cracked, but I imagined that it might shear at the worst possible time. I went with Tom's outers with the 1/2 wheel studs that are longer.
back then the job was beyond me. So I bought stripped Van Steels HD trailing arms and I had someone that I knew set them all up without disk brake rotor covers to get the heat out.
The splined shaft had been hammered enough times that the it had twisted a whole splines width and was now about lined up again. The metal was twisted and not cracked, but I imagined that it might shear at the worst possible time. I went with Tom's outers with the 1/2 wheel studs that are longer.back then the job was beyond me. So I bought stripped Van Steels HD trailing arms and I had someone that I knew set them all up without disk brake rotor covers to get the heat out.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,124
Likes: 3,927
From: Connecticut, USA
George,
If your twisted axles were the original 79's than I am not surprised.
Toms 31's have been the best for a very long time. I worked with them last year and help proof the current design and it is a winner. There are now some others offering 30-31's, I have seen some of them, I am sticking with Tom's stuff. He has been gone almost 3 years now I think it is, but his name is still strong in the business.
If your twisted axles were the original 79's than I am not surprised.
Toms 31's have been the best for a very long time. I worked with them last year and help proof the current design and it is a winner. There are now some others offering 30-31's, I have seen some of them, I am sticking with Tom's stuff. He has been gone almost 3 years now I think it is, but his name is still strong in the business.
