Ford Spindle Questions

[parneli70]

I've always heard that the spindles on the 70-73 Mustangs were more robust and were better to use if you road-race your car (which I may do eventually.) If I plan to use a brake kit that uses my stock spindle but adapts late model brakes (99-08) with 17'' or 18'' wheels and autocross the car would this push the stock spindles to failure?

[David Pozzi]

I've seen a couple of 65 Mustang spindle failures at vintage races. One caused a roll over! I doubt you'd have a failure with street rubber but today's tires are very sticky... I'd be thinking like you are, look for any easy upgrades.
David

[parneli70]

Yea, I have heard of some cases also, just trying to plan ahead. I figure if I over-build the car in some areas I'll be less likely to break it regardless of what I throw at it.

[CptKlutz]

I race with 69 drum spindles after doing a Cobra brake upgrade. Used to have 70 disc spindles. NP so far on 245/40R18 street tires up front.

[6fastback7]

Total Control Products makes a forged spindle for about $300 bucks

[parneli70]

Total Control Products makes a forged spindle for about $300 bucks

Are they the reproduction ones that CJ Pony also carries or are they TCP's?

[fast Ed]

Cobra Automotive supplies the 70-up style spindles with their big brake kits for track use, I'd suggest searching for a pair of them. As David said, it's a known issue. Take the time to find a pair, you should be able to get some decent used ones in the $100 range. I'm going with the newer style once I get around to installing the big brakes on my 68 Cougar ... had a friend make up some mounting plates to go with the 14" Ford GT brakes.


cheers
Ed N.

[parneli70]

Does he want to make some for me too?

[fast Ed]

Probably not ... they were quite a task, and he is pretty busy these days with regular work, his own side business, and two small kids. And then I'm always bugging him to make up rear caliper relocation brackets for the Super Coupe and Mark VIII guys going with Cobra rotors.

However, I might be interested in selling the whole works, brackets, calipers, and rotors, as I've been considering going with a different setup that will give me more options for wheels. Send me a p.m. if you're interested.


cheers
Ed N.

[parneli70]

I think I better pass or I'll get myself in trouble....

[funcars]

If you really want to go bulletproof you can get custom spindles made and use stock car hubs. You can improve the geometry a bit at the same time and you also get the opportunity to vastly improve the front brakes. I run 275 race rubber front and rear and decided to go for overkill. It was a lot of work though - more than I expected.

[6fastback7]

Are they the reproduction ones that CJ Pony also carries or are they TCP's?

here you go there on the website...

http://www.totalcontrolproducts.com/spindle.html

[parneli70]

Thanks 6fastback7!

funcars, that sounds like an interesting idea, but did it limit you in wheel selection? And what kind of brake system did you go with?

[funcars]

There are a lot of different ways to go on hubs. You can do stock bolt pattern or chevy 5x4.75 to get the widest choice for wheels or run 5x5 (standard for stock cars) to get the most interchangeability for stock car components. I went the 5x5 route so I could use superspeedway hubs, standard stock car brake hats and rotors and the nice ARP 5/8 wheel studs. I'm using 13" coleman rotors and 8 bolt wilwood hats. For calipers I'm using outlaw currently, but I've also used wilwood superlite. It's a dual master/balance bar set up as well.

There are also a lot of good bolt on options available now.

Good luck

[69stang]

Back to the original question. 69 Boss 302 & all 70 and up mustangs and cougars used a beefier spindle. I currently have 70 cougar disc spindles on mine. I'll eventually go with larger frt brakes so this interests me.

funcars,
Is your 70 the green one in the Ford Builders mag?

[funcars]

My car is grabber blue and it's in my garage apart too often.