What now?
Twisted spindles
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,500
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From: Holliston MA
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Twisted spindles
Damn, I guess I twisted a set of SpeedDemon billet spindles the first weekend out with them installed. This was a couple of years ago. There was a picture around back then with the car with both wheels in the air. The car came off the road about a month after that pic was taken. I'm just getting around to putting it back together now. Everything else in the drivetrain looks great. Slicks, ZF6, StreetTwin, and a SuperRam 383 with a 4300 rpm clutch drop did them in.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,500
Likes: 0
From: Holliston MA
Cruise-In VII Veteran
That was like a 12.19, 1.90 60 ft. Real ugly. Dropped clutch, front end came up, bogged, slipped clutch, bogged, repeat 3 or four times and the car finally got down the track. The damage was done at the NED Vette / Viper shootout 2 years ago, the last time the car went to the track. It was mph'ing 116 to 118 @ ~3500 lbs. In hindsight there was a clutch master / slave cylinder / hose issue going on that made that clutch very on/off.
I'm finally getting close to putting the new engine in. This time with an automatic. I'd focused on my T-Type for the past 2 years, while I got the engine pieces together for the 'Vette. I definitely wasn't expecting to find these spindles twisted.
I'm finally getting close to putting the new engine in. This time with an automatic. I'd focused on my T-Type for the past 2 years, while I got the engine pieces together for the 'Vette. I definitely wasn't expecting to find these spindles twisted.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,204
Likes: 6
From: St Marys PA
Originally Posted by SloRvette
That was like a 12.19, 1.90 60 ft. Real ugly. Dropped clutch, front end came up, bogged, slipped clutch, bogged, repeat 3 or four times and the car finally got down the track. The damage was done at the NED Vette / Viper shootout 2 years ago, the last time the car went to the track. It was mph'ing 116 to 118 @ ~3500 lbs. In hindsight there was a clutch master / slave cylinder / hose issue going on that made that clutch very on/off.
I'm finally getting close to putting the new engine in. This time with an automatic. I'd focused on my T-Type for the past 2 years, while I got the engine pieces together for the 'Vette. I definitely wasn't expecting to find these spindles twisted.
I'm finally getting close to putting the new engine in. This time with an automatic. I'd focused on my T-Type for the past 2 years, while I got the engine pieces together for the 'Vette. I definitely wasn't expecting to find these spindles twisted.
Look at the way we beat ours on a weekly basis, and I have only hurt 1 thing in the past 3 years.
If I had a manual in this thing. It would have probably gone through 20+ D44s by now, no doubt in my mind.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,337
Likes: 0
From: Brighton, MI
I finally got my car to the track a couple of weeks ago, so I am no longer a 1/4 mile virgin. However, brought it home on a trailer for this exact same reason. Only mine twisted in half on the driver's side. It just popped on launch, car didn't even budge. I'm really surprised my car has enough power to do that - not near as much as you big cube guys. My best run before this happened was 12.1 at 116 ish. ET streets and Spec 2 clutch. I had 6 runs in and each was getting lower ET's. I was hoping to squeak a high 11 and launched a little too hard. I have a pair of Jeb cryo'd spindles ready to go in. Failed spindle took out the hub/bearing and abs sensor too.
Ski: how much for the abs ring, and how hard is it to press on?
Ski: how much for the abs ring, and how hard is it to press on?
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,500
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From: Holliston MA
Cruise-In VII Veteran
If you've got a hydraulic press, they're easy. I had to press the ones that are on the billet spindles, off a set of stock spindles. Just use a propane torch to heat the ring up while you're putting pressure on it.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 2
From: Little Rock Arkansas
I'm not going to knock Speed Demon's product (and hopefully Chris will clear this up) but I've heard through several reputed sources that they've ceased manufacture of their billet spindles because they WERE twisting/breaking. I can't speculate on the cause but I can tell you the general reason that the Spicer units fail... They are horribly heat treated! I've tested them between 28 and 34 on the Rockwell scale; 28 you can damn near scratch with your fingernail! Additionally almost all residual stresses from the forging/machining processes remain and can and do cause stress fracturing. We haven't had a single instance of failure from a set of cryo-treated spindles in over two years. I would like to cryo some of the billet pieces to see if it would help them as well.
-Jeb
-Jeb
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 1
From: SouthBend IN
Hey Jeb,
I remember you offering a free experamental cyro to a D-36 guy. I was wondering how that's holding up ? Any times on the car ?
I signed up, but was not chosen.
I have the stock 137 K mile 3.07 in mine and went an 11.38 @ 118.. 1.55 60' on the 100 shot. I'm shooting for a 10 sec pass and going back this Sunday with the 150 shot. I 'm not going to prime it, and hope that will soften the hit some ?
On the chassis dyno. the car made 495 LBS/ TQ @ 3100 on the 100 shot and 600 TQ @ 3200 on the 150. Whatcha think ?
Mike
I remember you offering a free experamental cyro to a D-36 guy. I was wondering how that's holding up ? Any times on the car ?
I signed up, but was not chosen.
I have the stock 137 K mile 3.07 in mine and went an 11.38 @ 118.. 1.55 60' on the 100 shot. I'm shooting for a 10 sec pass and going back this Sunday with the 150 shot. I 'm not going to prime it, and hope that will soften the hit some ?
On the chassis dyno. the car made 495 LBS/ TQ @ 3100 on the 100 shot and 600 TQ @ 3200 on the 150. Whatcha think ?
Mike
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,500
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From: Holliston MA
Cruise-In VII Veteran
I'm not knocking Chris's product. The launch that twisted them had both front wheels off the ground. I had brand new 28" slicks on and the car dead hooked.
I've got 2 sets of stock ones around. I'm just going to put it back together with a set of the stock ones. I'll send Jeb the other set.
I've got 2 sets of stock ones around. I'm just going to put it back together with a set of the stock ones. I'll send Jeb the other set.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 406
Likes: 7
From: Ellicott City Md
All the spindles that SpeedDemon re-sold that were made by the same machine shop in Texas that Doug Rippie uses were machined incorrectly. I and another member both had sets made that we bought direct from the machine shop and made for the 86-87 style. The other menber noticed during his install that the spnidle did not seat in the bearing hub. We returned our spindles, a hub and an original spindle and the problem was easly seen. They corrected the problem and they fit correctly.
The machine shop said that they used the same program that they used for the later spindles with the needed changes and was surprised that SpeedDemon did not see the problem on the ones he bought. I know what these spindles cost and what they were sold for so there is plenty of room for SpeedDemon to make this right.
If you look you can see that the twist is in an area that should be inside the bearing hub. I am surprised that no one has noticed this problem during their installs or from the pictures you posted.
The machine shop said that they used the same program that they used for the later spindles with the needed changes and was surprised that SpeedDemon did not see the problem on the ones he bought. I know what these spindles cost and what they were sold for so there is plenty of room for SpeedDemon to make this right.
If you look you can see that the twist is in an area that should be inside the bearing hub. I am surprised that no one has noticed this problem during their installs or from the pictures you posted.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,500
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From: Holliston MA
Cruise-In VII Veteran
The spindle twisted at the end of the hub splines. The spindle fit the bearing assembly properly. Still does as far as I can see.
The spindle did shift at the inner bearing race and spindle shoulder. I wish I'd used a torque wrench when I assemsbled everything so I'd actually know the torque on the spindle nut. I used an air impact wrench. That's the one question I've got now, whether there was enough clamp between the bearing and the shoulder of the spindle. The spindle nuts were tight taking them off.
The spindle did shift at the inner bearing race and spindle shoulder. I wish I'd used a torque wrench when I assemsbled everything so I'd actually know the torque on the spindle nut. I used an air impact wrench. That's the one question I've got now, whether there was enough clamp between the bearing and the shoulder of the spindle. The spindle nuts were tight taking them off.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 9
Originally Posted by SloRvette
Damn, I guess I twisted a set of SpeedDemon billet spindles the first weekend out with them installed. This was a couple of years ago. There was a picture around back then with the car with both wheels in the air. The car came off the road about a month after that pic was taken. I'm just getting around to putting it back together now. Everything else in the drivetrain looks great. Slicks, ZF6, StreetTwin, and a SuperRam 383 with a 4300 rpm clutch drop did them in.
I even spent the $ to cryo mine, but that is no substitute for a proper heat treatment. Any ideas on where I could send mine to have them properly heat treated?
Can anyone confirm that the speed demon spindles are in fact 300M (it will matter for the heat treatment)?
