Spindle bolts and Maggie bars

I made a video examining the use of easy and inexpensive modifications to FVs that will keep you on the track more often.

https://youtu.be/3EAyKd3NtTQ

Great video on Spindle Bolts and Maggie Bars.

I've personally have seen both prevent incidents from turning into major accidents.

Great video, really appreciate the tech tips CCS has put on the site!

I couldn't find the 7" x 5/16" grade 8 bolt locally so I had to order one on Amazon. Slid into the spindle fine but the hex cap is a little too big to get the dust cover all the way on. Can someone please share the specific bolt that will work?

Thanks you!

I have had to grind head smooth to about 1/2 the thickness to clear the hub cap.
You can hammer out cap from inside to add clearance.

Best option is to cut a 60 degree angle on the bottom side of the head (using a lathe) so the head drops into the countersink in the spindle.

Glenn

Agree with both above.

bevel the inside surface of the head to help it sit lower in the spindle hole,

Stand the bolt upright and cover it with the dust cap, place a larger socket on top of the cap and hit with a hammer to dimple out the cap to make a little more room (assuming you have the lighter cheaper cap and not the heavy duty)

Grind a little bit off the top of the head as needed to fit under the cap.

These photos are from an original Garret Spindle Bolt replacement. Hope that helps!

Plus, the instructions.

Great info, thank you!

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Originally Posted by Rich_G_SC

Great info, thank you!

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Wow this is a great tip! I found the 7 inch bolts are available from McMaster Carr on line. I will retro fit my vintage FV car

I also I checked the ball joint LHS spindle on my other FST car and it has a hole for the speedo too. However, there is a second different ( speedo) hole on the back side that intersects the hollow spindle hole mid way at a slight angle - this is very different from the FV link pin spindle. A 5/16 inch bolt will go in only to the intersection point with second hole but I am looking at getting around that so that a straight bolt will go completely through like the link pin spindle permits. I think the spindle hole can be extended with a long drill and I am going to try doing that. I may have to plug the speedo hole as well to seat a washer nut to secure the bolt. The proposed FST spindle tether bolt length is measuring less at about 6 inch.

Stat tuned...

Since the GCR permits and recommends the use of tethering devices, I am sure there are other ways to do it. I like the bolt thru spindle as the car is still controllable. I think ICP used to produce solid left spindles so that may be an option, but I would think it would warp if you just tried to fill the hole with weld to strengthen. I am putting together an older citation and found it has a sleeve and shim system between the bearings that theoretically strengthens the spindle overall and reduces the risk of failure but still plan to stick a bolt thru it.

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Originally Posted by brian styczynski

Since the GCR permits and recommends the use of tethering devices, I am sure there are other ways to do it. I like the bolt thru spindle as the car is still controllable. I think ICP used to produce solid left spindles so that may be an option, but I would think it would warp if you just tried to fill the hole with weld to strengthen. I am putting together an older citation and found it has a sleeve and shim system between the bearings that theoretically strengthens the spindle overall and reduces the risk of failure but still plan to stick a bolt thru it.

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The sleeve/shim stack is Mike Palermo's spindle saver system from 20 years ago. I've had them on my cars for that period of time without a spindle failure. Either a good part or good luck.The shims set preload on the bearing with the double nuts torqued.I also use the bolt through after finding a short head stud on the spindle of a Protoform bought in 2004 from Bill Noble. Thus,a head stud 8mm will work.

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Originally Posted by Bob Posner

The sleeve/shim stack is Mike Palermo's spindle saver system from 20 years ago. I've had them on my cars for that period of time without a spindle failure. Either a good part or good luck.The shims set preload on the bearing with the double nuts torqued.I also use the bolt through after finding a short head stud on the spindle of a Protoform bought in 2004 from Bill Noble. Thus,a head stud 8mm will work.

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Bought a carbide drill and tried to drill a spare german ball joint spindle for my FST car and found the steel too tough to penetrate.
However, I imagine it is possible to burn a hole with the right equipment but decided to let it go. A cable can be threaded through the spindle as it is so I am going to come up with something like Bill Noble told us about many years ago when he did a seminar for us old FV drivers on the west coast.

Never mInd, I found it.


Can anyone tell me where to buy the 6.5" 5/16 grade 8 bolt? I've been searching online and only find packs of 10 or 25 for sale when I only need 1. There is a hardware store about 40 minutes from me that has a great inventory of hardware. Over the years I've been in there many times for oddball pieces and always walk out with it. Not today though, the longest one he had was 6".

A warning: Bolt grading is completely meaningless with the known lack of quality control. You can only trust bolts from the aero space industry or expensive racing bolt manufactures.

Brian

I remember using a 5/16" socket head cap screw inserted from the link pin side of the spindle. A 5/16" timesert (or helicoil) was installed in the threaded end of the spindle. The timesert was chased with a tap to allow the bolt to be installed from the back side of the timesert. The socket end was shaped to fit the hole in the spindle.
I lost the left front in turn 5 or 6 at Willow Springs and the wheel made it to turn 8 :mad: