[Slomotion34]

I am truing hard not to be the newbie that asks the same question for the billionth time..... Here's what I have: I am rebuilding a 34 Plymouth coupe from the ground up. I just finished the frame and was getting ready to tackle the floor pans when a mundane change of the wheel studs lead to the fact that one of my spindles was bent... pretty badly. I am sitting here pouring over a Speedway catalog looking at nearly $2k in stuff I think I need. I guess I am hoping that I am dead wrong here.

First of all, the axle is 50" from king pin centers with a 36 and 3/8" spring perch center. As far as I can tell the spindles are 37-41 Ford, but I am not sure. The king pins are shot (there is some slop in them). My solution so far is to replace the axle with a 48" aftermarket one and buy the Wilwood brake kit (that comes with "everything" from hub to hub - it's a grand though).

The car is being rebuilt to be fast and hopefully legal enough to get some time slips at the local track - roll bar, BBC (at 550 HP) and some serious hardware. I don't want to cut corners, but at the same time, I am on a budget. I can perform basic mechanical tasks, but I want to make sure that this won't come apart on me at 130 mph... There were lots of corners cut on the original build, so I have a lack of trust in the pieces that are there, including the axle.

Any help is greatly appreciated, and I'll be happy to share more info.

Thanks!

[powerrodsmike]

There are wider axles, Speedway also has 50" kingpin to kingpin, so you can replace your current axle with one of the same width, unless you want to go narrower.

I don't know what your current track width is, but I'd think you want to keep it close to the same or at least know how much difference there was going to be from your old axle to the new axle.. I'd give Speedway or Magnum a call and verify the hub to hub width. Does the current axle have 37-41 spindles on it?

Can you just replace the spindles?

Alot of the stuff in the s-way catalog uses 37-41 spindles, I'd use a set of GM calipers and rotors instead of the wilwood stuff...The wilwood rotors are ok, but I've never had any luck getting the 2 piston wilwood calipers to stop a car.

Not the ones they sell in speedway catalog anyway. I've heard other folks get them to work.


Later, mikey

[Slomotion34]

I already have the GM mid 70's disc setup and it stops the car just fine. I am just looking to upgrade. That's good to know about the Wilwood brakes. I am plagued by questions about all of this.... for instance Speedway has "royal" kingpins that use roller bearings. These are advertised as heavier duty and I am tempted to get these and try a set of the aftermarket forged spindles... but I'll have to change over to the flat style steering arms and rod ends (I think). I am just looking for an idiot resistant solution. The front end isn't too wide, but 48" versus 50" on the kingpins wouldn't make or break the ride (I don't think).

Thanks again.

[OneMoreTime]

I have never had any real problems with the brass bushed style kingpins..for one and if you get the plain steel axles and spindles...work just fine..Just not as "showy" as the chrome ones..Perhaps all you need is an axle and some spindles as I think you have all the rest of it..Maybe the axle you have is OK and you just need a set of spindles and a kingpin kit..

Just trying to save some cash..

Sam

[Slomotion34]

I am all about saving the $$$$. Whatever I get, it won't be chrome. It seems like there is a $300-$400 difference for the shiny stuff. (The black hardware goes with the flat black paint anyway). I saw where I can get the spindles bushed with the kingpins, but what about the axle... does it have to be bushed? Sorry about the stupid questions, I am new at this.

[powerrodsmike]

I was thinking that you may be able to use just new spindles as well, (that's why I asked if you currently had 37-41 spindles now)

Unless the axle got damaged somehow, it should not need any kind of machine work...The kingpin does not (should not ),spin in the axle, so there is no wear in the kingpin boss.

Later, mikey

[streetrodderbn]

Worn axle pin bosses and spindle pin bosses are the downfall of any straight axle system that has been neglected.You have the option of installing oversize pins,and having the axle and spindles align-honed to fit the larger diameter.(you will have to have the spindles align-honed after installing new bushings anyway). I think speedway has oversize pins in stock.

[Slomotion34]

....and get some measurements to see what's "wallered" out. Thanks for all of the info, I appreciate it!

[pasadenahotrod]

I guess it's even harder to find parts now for that one-year-only independent front end Plymouth used in 1934 than it was 30 years ago when a lot of guys I kenw were rebuilding them and using them, huh?

[Slomotion34]

I have no idea what the front end is off of.... from what I can gather, the axle is from a truck (?) it's 50" from KP centers. (There's not too much Plymouth left in this thing - I think the frame was a truck frame of some kind too). The spindles are probably 37-41 Ford. Hopefully the axle isn't too far gone, I like the stance and the car can use the extra track width. This is my first solid axle car, so the learning curve is steep right now. Judging from the condition of the rest of the engineering that went in to the car before I got it, I don't have any faith in the parts that are on the car. The shock mounts were welded to the wheel wells at one time (yup, the sheet metal). There were 2 frames under the 1/8" steel floor.... the list goes on and on... It's slowly getting right.

Here's a picture of the front end. Any idea of what kind of drop this thing has? (Rookie question - I don't know where the drop is calculated from).