[TexasRatTrap]

I really want Chevy Spindles. So I go to order the Speedway 50" complete Gasser straight axle kit today and the kit with Chevy spindles is on back order! I was thinkin' son of a _____, I finally get the okay from the boss & now I get to wait some more. The kit with Ford spindles is not on back order & is $100 more.
What is your thoughts on Ford vs. Chebby spindles. I like the Chevy spindles because you can mount the sterring arm top or bottom of spindle, the chevy spindle is shorter & stronger. I don't like the small 10" MII rotor that comes with the chevy spindle. The Ford spindle comes with a GM mid-size car 11" rotor, but you can mount the steering arm in only one position. I can' make up my mind... wait or order the kit with Ford spindles...
Oh, can I get the GM mid size car 11" rotors for the chevy spindles?

 

[OpelGasser]

IMO - Speedway backorder

I really want Chevy Spindles. So I go to order the Speedway 50" complete Gasser straight axle kit today and the kit with Chevy spindles is on back order! I was thinkin' son of a _____, I finally get the okay from the boss & now I get to wait some more. The kit with Ford spindles is not on back order & is $100 more.
What is your thoughts on Ford vs. Chebby spindles. I like the Chevy spindles because you can mount the sterring arm top or bottom of spindle, the chevy spindle is shorter & stronger. I don't like the small 10" MII rotor that comes with the chevy spindle. The Ford spindle comes with a GM mid-size car 11" rotor, but you can mount the steering arm in only one position. I can' make up my mind... wait or order the kit with Ford spindles...
Oh, can I get the GM mid size car 11" rotors for the chevy spindles?

Hey TrT.... I know what you mean. Speedway which offers the BEST DEAL for a complete straight front axle kits has had the Chevy spindle version on "back order" for months. Initially I was told they hoped to ship again in JULY..... July has come & gone. I have been on the "waiting list" since May.

I would NOT spend the extra money for the kit with the Wilwood brakes or the Ford setup.

IMO..... Something that is good (right) is worth waiting for. Be patient. Down the road you'll always regret not waiting for want you want.

I assume you have "other stuff" to do on the car to keep you busy. That's what I was doing. I was "waiting" for one..... but now that I ended up trading my El Camino for the Opel I am glad I didn't "buy one just to have one".

 

[1937Austin]

I'm confused?? When I ordered my kit last year the price was the same for either, but the difference was if you ordered the Chevy kit with drum brakes it was $100 more. If you order either kit with disc brakes it was the same price. I ordered the Ford spindles, with GM metric disc brakes, and rotors. They come with extra races for the bearings to make the GM rotors work on the Ford spindles.
The Ford spindle kit allows the tie rod to be mounted top or bottom by merely flipping the caliper bracket upside down, just like the Chevy kit.

 

[Str8axle]

So why can't they send the kit w/o spindles, at a reduced $, and you source the spindles elsewhere?

 

[OpelGasser]

So why can't they send the kit w/o spindles, at a reduced $, and you source the spindles elsewhere?

You can just order the axle, springs, mounting brackets etc.

 

[406Rich]

I`m sure they are using `49 to `54 chevy spindles, passenger car has four mounting points for the backing plates, the truck uses three, other than that they are identicle, you pick up a pair almost any wrecking yard or swap meet. That is what I installed on a `33 sedan several years back, swap meet item...$20 bucks

 

[Str8axle]

That's what I was getting at with my last post. Chevy car spindles are still fairly easy to find, and truck ones are even easier.

 

[TexasRatTrap]

I ordered this kit day before yesterday, I talked to the supervisor today and she said they got 2 pairs of spindles in today but I'm 3rd on the list so she said there will be more in a week or so.
I'm not in too much of a hurry for the parts other than to just have them in my hands to drool over. I still have a lot of work to do before I can install the kit. I want all brand new suspension/brake/steering parts under the front end & didn't want to source spindles at a swap meet or junkyard. I have a 3 day weekend comming up so I should be ready in about 3 weeks for the this kit.

I had them give me the larger GM mid-size car •11" brake rotor, 5 x 4-3/4", instead of the MII/Pinto 9-1/4" rotors. I don't know to me the MII/Pinto rotors just seemed to small for a mid-size car with a pretty healthy V8.
I also picked this engine mount up... all for under $1,000 with shipping.

BTW, I think I pretty much decided to stub the front frame section just after the steering box in hopes that I will be able to use the stock steering gear & location.

 

[1937Austin]

Once you have the kit you can assemble the spindles on the axle and temporarily assemble what you need to get wheels on, then you can see where the spring perches end up, and whether the steering, tie rod, etc. will situate so you can determine if the stock box will work.
You can also determine where the frame needs mods, and whether stubbing the frame will be better or not. I actually had mostly fun doing my straight axle, but did have a couple WTF moments. The Speedway springs were slightly too long (2.5") for my car, and I had to have new mainsprings made, then tossed the 2nd spring as it was the same length and didn't need it. Mine's still too stiff, and this winter I'll pull another leaf.
I moved the mounting brackets around, and swapped the tie rod from rear to front, until I got it all located where it would work best. Then I tack welded it in place, and with the axle on jack stands I turned it lock to lock until I was sure it all cleared and worked well. After that I located the steering box and made sure the drag link cleared and gave full side to side travel. I built a temp drag link from a piece of wood and two bolts to determine how long it would need, then ordered a custom length from Speedway from their catalog.
I had lots of questions once I got started, and re-read the instructions a dozen times, then still had questions. One thing you'll probably run into is the caliper brackets not clearing the spindles. I had to grind clearance to get mine to bolt up. Not sure why, but everyone I talked to had the same issue with their axle. You'd think they'd just make them so they'd clear?

 

[406Rich]

One thing you'll probably run into is the caliper brackets not clearing the spindles. I had to grind clearance to get mine to bolt up. Not sure why, but everyone I talked to had the same issue with their axle. You'd think they'd just make them so they'd clear?

Were your spindles GM or Ford Val..just curious

 

[1937Austin]

My spindles are Ford and they said they use Mustang spindles and GM Metric disc brakes.

 

[bukit]

i got the chevy spindles and in the directions it says for fords to line up the flat spot on the king pin with the lock pin hole and put in the lock pin and locking nut but the hole in the tube the king pin goes in is only maybe 3/16'' with a plug screwed in and the pins they sent me are probably 3/8''. i got chevys so do i even need to do all this or can the king pin just spin?

 

[1937Austin]

i got the chevy spindles and in the directions it says for fords to line up the flat spot on the king pin with the lock pin hole and put in the lock pin and locking nut but the hole in the tube the king pin goes in is only maybe 3/16'' with a plug screwed in and the pins they sent me are probably 3/8''. i got chevys so do i even need to do all this or can the king pin just spin?

My kingpins are held in with c clips top and bottom, plus the setscrew that goes in the ide on the flat. No locknut on my setscrew, as they are too short to hav a locknut. I used all of it, just because I figured the setcrew was a safety feature in cae a c clip popped out. I just Loctite'd the set screw to make sure it wont unscrew. If you leave the set screw out and the kingpin moves inside the axle instead of the spindle bushing, it can wear the axle hole. That hole isn't bushed, so wear there could be a bad thing.
I did have some leftover parts in my Speedway axle kit that I never could figure out where they went. Some of it seemed like generic parts that might work with a factory truck straight axle, like wedge pins for the kingpins. Some extra races for different spindle bearings, and some caps for the kingpins that wouldn't fit and were also for a stock axle I'd guess.

 

[bukit]

thank you 46 austin. that makes since.

 

[1937Austin]

thank you 46 austin. that makes since.

Glad to help! The Speedway kits are great, but do lack a tiny bit of info that would make them assemble the first time without all the head scratching I had. Any questions don't hesitate, if I can help I'm glad to.