I broke my front left spindle (1986 951, early offset) at the ECR club race, and I have been doing some crack testing. Here are some photos for your enjoyment. The broken spindle is shown, then a really bad photo of my unbroken right spindle showing cracks after UV dye penetrant testing. The last photo shows my good replacement spindle.

The broken and cracked spindles have been on the car for years. I tested two sets of used spindles off street cars, and they show no cracks. I plan on testing my spindles once per year from now on. Its too expensive to break a spindle on the track (trashed the spindle, a good tire, my caliper, and I only got in 3 laps of racing).

I used the kit and UV flashlight from Pegusus. The kit is easy to use, and the photos do no justice to how the cracks just jump out at you.

 

that's pretty cool

 

What happened when it broke, did you lose the wheel/hub?

 

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pro...asp?RecID=5922

here is the kit minus the light

 

Late offset are a little stronger. TurboS MO30 are the strongest, but that would bump you a class. Hubs, splindles, and A arm pins are all prone to cracking/breaking especially under track conditions.

 

The wheel just bound up in the well. It broke one of the mounting tabs off the caliper. The tire dragged, and it is ruined. That seems to be it for damage.

The car just lurched sideways after a loud pop, and there was a enough control to drive the car out of the turn and down the straight a ways to get out of the way.

 

I have two sets of forged early offset wheels and a set of cast early offset wheels. To change offsets would be very expensive. I think the yearly inspection plan should be fine, and with two good sets of spindles now, I should be good for at least 5 years.

 

You can use late spindles with early offset wheels. Just keep your early a-arms. I've been running this for a few years now. Aside from being stronger, brake rotor changes are a lot easier.

 

I do the same on my race car. Stronger spindles and hubs and easier rotor changes. Adjustable camber plates sort out the shock mount angle difference.

Steve

 

Just curious if you can use early spindles with late offset arms? I think that gets you the late offset but limits the camber adjustment, is that right? Can you get the camber to an acceptable range for a street driven car? Thanks,

 

To fail again could be a lot more expensive that changing!!!

I had one customer break two spindles in one race weekend…he is on late offset spindles now (and now with RE billet hubs).

As someone said – you can go with late spindles and early hubs and arms and it will still be early offset.