Safe Spindles????

[drpepper1885]

I received the spindles below in today's mail from a well known Model T parts supplier in the Midwest. As you can see, one of the spindles is significantly more worn than the other. Since I was planning on putting these on my family touring car, is the worn spindle safe to use? Please advise. Thanks.

[yachtsmanbill]

That really looks like ol' Fritz's first run at the machine shop monday morning. The material is chrome vanadium steel and really tuff stuff and should be OK, but for your piece of mind find a replacement for $20... ws

[stevests]

Not acceptable !

[Jack Innes]

The poor one looks, as Bill said, over machined. It also shows signs of consderable wear inboard of the tread. Given that there are lots of them out there I would not use it. It could kill you!

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It looks over machined but it looks like it has been run too. I was looking as hard as I could and please understand my eyes are getting older but I'm finding it impossible to see machine marks on it.

But for sure Jack, Will, and Steve are right; that spindle is dangerous and photos should be sent to the supplier with a note stating your disapproval. I'd start there and find out how the supplier feels about standing behind his product.

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Oh my God I just looked at the photo again and realized the "machinist" wasn't trying to cut a taper. He was trying to turn the diameter for the threads. I'm still having a problem believing the part was machined like it is. It looks worn to the shape it's in. Now I'm going to go edit my earlier post.

[yachtsmanbill]

Did I miss something? I didnt think these were new! If they are Id toss them into the Sheist Kann. OEM stuff was forged out of chrome vanadium steel. All the OEM machining was done on centers. Look at the threaded end and the inboard end between the bushings. Center holes! Spring perches are the same way. Makes it a lot easier to mass produce with consistant results. Could you imagine a shop with 1000 lathes and men centering each part with an indicator? Ol' Hank wouldve been a nervous wreck! These parts were made by the hun, ah, er, hundreds of thousands.
If these are in fact new(er) who knows where they came from. Some chinaman spinning these on a kid driven lathe in a mud hut??? Even a part sold by Western Auto aint up to Fords' standards! Seriously, theres gotta be several million left out there! Even an old rusty axle behind the barn is gonna look better. Lotsa grease and paint!
Another point on the Ford steel. All the forgings from axles to conn rods had 2-3% chrome added. Many parts like axles etc were heat treated after forging. Even the sheet metal was 1% chrome. I cut those two running boards up and it took 4 sawzall blades to make 4 cross cuts! ws

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Originally Posted by yachtsmanbill

Many parts like axles etc were heat treated after forging

And that's a great part of the reason the threads were really hard to machine. If these spindles were made by Henry's boys they were machined with high speed steel because carbide wasn't around.

But let's really look at the parts again. They look worn into the shape they're in and the threads look like they were chased with a die and torn to the shape they're in.

[fordman67]

Not on my car with my gals safety at stake.no thanks.

[drpepper1885]

Thanks everyone for your input. The spindles are original, not reproduction. The supplier has offered to replace the worn out piece with one that is safe.

[yachtsmanbill]

Your parts guy never shouldve sent them out like that. Make sure he pays the return shipping as well! ws

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Originally Posted by drpepper1885

Thanks everyone for your input. The spindles are original, not reproduction. The supplier has offered to replace the worn out piece with one that is safe.

That still doesn't get him off the hook. I say we get a bunch together and pay the guy a visit. Somebody get a rope!

[yachtsmanbill]

I know just the three guys too.... Weinstein, Fluxgold, and Feigenbaum... too bad Feigenbaum is on vacation touring the holy land in his Benz no doubt... send the junior partner Brown for some mussel! ws

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Do those mussels go well with cockles? Alive alive O.

[yachtsmanbill]

Cockles or shackles? ws

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You better have a set of muscles to ask a question like that.

[VintageFordDan]

Since the bearings do not "ride" there they should get you by, But I would replace the over machined spindle when I found a matching spindle.