model a spindle nuts

F

flatheadgary

Junior Member
my brother bought a '23 t race car altered and it had spindle mount front wheels. he wanted to put those 10 spoke "gasser" wheels on, but he didn't have a hub to mount it to. i have a hub and after all is said and done they look great on his car. now here is the problem. his spindle is the rectangle model A without a cotter pin hole. i have looked at parts stores and they look like they have 2 different castle type nuts. is one or the other for this situation? also the reason i am posting on the Ford Barn site is very few people would use model A spindles there i would think.
 
I have never seen a spindle without a cotter-pin hole. Having said that doesn't mean they don't exist. You could drill a hole in the spindle with a little care. FYI 1948 nuts are thinner and a larger hex than earlier nuts.
 
Could the hole "possibly" be plugged with cotter remains, from when someone removed the nuts, WITHOUT removing the cotter pins??? I've seen that happen.
Bill W.
 
BILL WILLIAMSON said:
Could the hole "possibly" be plugged with cotter remains, from when someone removed the nuts, WITHOUT removing the cotter pins??? I've seen that happen.
Bill W.
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yea it can be tricky to spot and Ive had to do this alot to alot of different nuts and bolts on my AA. And im with the other guy - ive never seen any spindle new or old without a cotter pin hole either.
 
3X, Iv'e done a lot of spindles, I agree, haven't seen any without cotter pin hole. But as stated above, anything is possible. If that is the case, a steady hand and a sharp drill bit could cure that.
 
well thanks for the replies guys. my brother will be coming over in a week. we will have to remove a wheel and look closer.
 
More info please about the thinner nut. I retorqued the rear nuts to 90#. Now the hubcaps won't go on because of the cotter pin bent on top of the nut. A thinner nut may solve the problem. I could cut off the end of the axle but the cotter pin hole is only three threads from the end. Any suggestions?
 
What car is the front end/spindles from ?
I don't domestic Ford's ever used them but clamp type spindle nuts are not that uncommon
 

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1948, and maybe 46-48, had larger front and rear axle nuts. Not sure of the sizes but smaller nuts may be the answer to captdan's problem? If the cotter pin is the problem, cutting the axle will not solve the problem.
 
captndan said:
More info please about the thinner nut. I retorqued the rear nuts to 90#. Now the hubcaps won't go on because of the cotter pin bent on top of the nut. A thinner nut may solve the problem. I could cut off the end of the axle but the cotter pin hole is only three threads from the end. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

With our antique steam cars, I make most of my axles out of 4140 tool steel. With custom work on most equipment: If your cotter pin hole is too close to the end of the axle, you can drill another cotter pin hole further in on the axle. If you axle is too long, then cut off the excess axle. If your axle is too short to use the present cotter pin hole and the axle is too short to drill another cotter pin hole, then turn some of the castellated nut back off so the cotter pin hole can line up with the nut. If your axle nut tightens up too soon on the axle to line up with the cotter pin hole, don't back the axle nut off on any tapered axle to the previous hole, you must go on to the next available hole. Can't be done? Either shim under the axle nut, or face some meat off of the axle nut to fit. Remember that you still have to have enough threads left for the nut to safely engage the axle threads. There are hundreds of axle half shaft fixes. A person could write a book on them.
 
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