Worn spindles 1949 car

butchbov

butchbov

Member
I've run into an issue with the spindles on my 49 that I've never seen discussed anywhere before. The holes in the spindles have enlarged to the point that the spindles can be wiggled on the king pin with the wedge pins installed. It's very noticeable when the wheels are installed.

I tried another set from a parts car, but they were about the same. We finally found one more spindle & it fits like it should, but I still need one more. I think we may have to bush it to fit the pin.
 
Unless you can find a new or NOS part you will likely have to have the spindle bore bushed. I have the same problems on Mercury cars of the same vintage. The pins exert a lot of pressure in the bores and eventually they get fretted out. A person could counterbore each end and make steel bushings for the top & bottom from chrome moly tubing then bore & align hone them back to size.

The early I-beam axles had the same problems plus the bores are usually stretched if & when an axle is dropped. The car usually exerts enough pressure on the pin that it will stay motionless but on bumpy roads they will still move around and make the bores even bigger. A person can bore it all the way through & use a full length bushing but they would have to rebore the tapered locking pin bore too.
 
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