What fits a 1930 Chevy Spindle?

[Low Ka$h]

Hello all, I just wanted to pick yer brains for a moment.  I did a search for this but didn't seem to find what I was looking for.  I was wondering if anyone knew what hub/drum would fit on a 1930 Chevy spindle without much modification?  I've looked for drums that may interchange but didn't find anything.  I tried my 64 Impala drums but to get them to fit would require some machine time.  Thats no problem, I was just wondering if anybody out there has put anything on a late model Chevy spindle that works.  

Please pass on any info.  It would be appreciated.  

Thanks in advance.
Adam

[Kerry]

I whittled some adapters on a lathe to put late 70's early eighties GM metric rotors on 32 Chevy pickup spindles.  The adaptors were for the back bearings.  The front bearings worked fine.as they were.   I used some Speedway caliper mounting brackets.  The brackets came with some spindle adapters as well but since I had made mine I didn't even check to see if they would fit.  Mine used the original GM inner races but I think the ones inthe kit needed a different one.  I forget what year the Chevy brackets were listed for but it wasn't a thirties Chevy spindle, worked fine though.

Hello all, I just wanted to pick yer brains for a moment.  I did a search for this but didn't seem to find what I was looking for.  I was wondering if anyone knew what hub/drum would fit on a 1930 Chevy spindle without much modification?  I've looked for drums that may interchange but didn't find anything.  I tried my 64 Impala drums but to get them to fit would require some machine time.  Thats no problem, I was just wondering if anybody out there has put anything on a late model Chevy spindle that works.  

Please pass on any info.  It would be appreciated.  

Thanks in advance.
Adam

[purplepickup]

I whittled some adapters on a lathe to put late 70's early eighties GM metric rotors on 32 Chevy pickup spindles.  The adaptors were for the back bearings.  The front bearings worked fine.as they were.   I used some Speedway caliper mounting brackets.  The brackets came with some spindle adapters as well but since I had made mine I didn't even check to see if they would fit.  Mine used the original GM inner races but I think the ones inthe kit needed a different one.  I forget what year the Chevy brackets were listed for but it wasn't a thirties Chevy spindle, worked fine though.

Kerry, I've got an extra one of those front ends laying around and was thinking about using it someday on a budget rod made out of stuff I've already got.  I was wondering how yours is working out.  Does it drive good and handle reasonably well?.....as good as a Ford beam axle?

[Kerry]

I whittled some adapters on a lathe to put late 70's early eighties GM metric rotors on 32 Chevy pickup spindles.  The adaptors were for the back bearings.  The front bearings worked fine.as they were.   I used some Speedway caliper mounting brackets.  The brackets came with some spindle adapters as well but since I had made mine I didn't even check to see if they would fit.  Mine used the original GM inner races but I think the ones in the kit needed a different one.  I forget what year the Chevy brackets were listed for but it wasn't a thirties Chevy spindle, worked fine though.

Kerry, I've got an extra one of those front ends laying around and was thinking about using it someday on a budget rod made out of stuff I've already got.  I was wondering how yours is working out.  Does it drive good and handle reasonably well?.....as good as a Ford beam axle?

It works great.  No problems so far.  Handles fine.  In fact I think it handles every bit as good as the Ford buggy spring setup.  The parallel springs locate the axle just fine, even in a hard corner.  I must say that the coupe rode very well but didn't handle all that well untill I put some slapper traction bars in back.   I have the traction bars snubbed all the way against the spring so I don't have to listen and feel it hit the spring all the time.  Up side is it handles like a slot car now.  Down side is it rides like a cement truck.  This is no reflection on the front end setup.   I'll live with it though.  It's to much fun this way!!!  The downsides are the same as the Ford axle.  Not as much suspension travel as an IFS and a lot of weight to move around.  When you hit rougher roads you notice sooner than if you had an IFS.  

Not long after I put the rear traction bars on I got in behind a late 80's camaro on some twisty stuff and he couldn't shake me.  :-)  Next time we cross paths I'll have to let you try her out.

[enjenjo]

The outer bearing measures .750 on your spindle, which is standard on mostlater model hubs. the rest of the later hubs measure .875 ID, but there are .750 bearings to fit them. The inner bearing is more difficult, none of the standard inner bearings on the later hubs are the same size. The bearings are also spaced closer on the later hubs. The way to fix this is with a spacer bushing that is pressed on the spindle. The ID would be the OD of the spindle, The OD of the bushing  is the ID of the new bearing. On the spacer part, you make it from .375 to .500 thick depending on the spindle you are using. Then the OD of the spacer is the ID of the seal on the later hub. It solves three problems at once, bearing ID, bearing spacing, and a seal surface to fit the later seal. The kit Kerry mentioned may have a spacer that will work. As far as I know, GM didn't change the ID of the bearings until well into the 50's. the only fly in the ointment might be bearing spacing, as the earlier spindles are a bit longer, so you might need a little more shim behind the spacer to make it work. On the adapter for the caliper, GM used the same bolt pattern for many years, the only difference was the spacing, so with custom spacers the adapter should work.

Another route to go would be the one I told Rooster, use a 49 to 54 Chevy car hub, with a 78 to 85 toronado rotor which will slip on the 49 to 54 hub. Then all you have to do is fab a caliper bracket. If you prefer drum brakes, the entire 49 to 54 chevy brake assembly can be adapted, or one from a 49 to 54 Pontiac for even bigger brakes.

[purplepickup]

Frank, you sure got a lot of stuff in that brain of yours.    

Thanks from me.  I'm sure that's the kind of info Adam was looking for too.

[Kerry]

The outer bearing measures .750 on your spindle, which is standard on mostlater model hubs. the rest of the later hubs measure .875 ID, but there are .750 bearings to fit them. The inner bearing is more difficult, none of the standard inner bearings on the later hubs are the same size. The bearings are also spaced closer on the later hubs. The way to fix this is with a spacer bushing that is pressed on the spindle. The ID would be the OD of the spindle, The OD of the bushing  is the ID of the new bearing. On the spacer part, you make it from .375 to .500 thick depending on the spindle you are using. Then the OD of the spacer is the ID of the seal on the later hub. It solves three problems at once, bearing ID, bearing spacing, and a seal surface to fit the later seal. The kit Kerry mentioned may have a spacer that will work. As far as I know, GM didn't change the ID of the bearings until well into the 50's. the only fly in the ointment might be bearing spacing, as the earlier spindles are a bit longer, so you might need a little more shim behind the spacer to make it work. On the adapter for the caliper, GM used the same bolt pattern for many years, the only difference was the spacing, so with custom spacers the adapter should work.

Another route to go would be the one I told Rooster, use a 49 to 54 Chevy car hub, with a 78 to 85 toronado rotor which will slip on the 49 to 54 hub. Then all you have to do is fab a caliper bracket. If you prefer drum brakes, the entire 49 to 54 chevy brake assembly can be adapted, or one from a 49 to 54 Pontiac for even bigger brakes.

I know I took pictures of the adapters I made but I can't find them.  I just did a quick freehand image in Microsoft paint so sizes and dimensions are all wrong but you get the idea.  When I made mine I didn't make the clearance tight enough for my taste.  If I had it to do again they would fit the spindle tighter.

I found the adapters that came with the GM to early Chevy adapters from speedway and they are labeled  PINTO => CHEVY.  These adapters space the inner bearings away from the back of the spindle and provide a seal surface but do not have the nipple (for lack of a better word) that the inner race goes on as seen in my doodle.

[Bib_Overalls]

Check the Chassis Engineering catalog.  They offer disc brake kits for Chevys 28 and up.

[GPster]

Check the diameter of the Kingpins. It is possible that you can find a set spindles with brakes that will go on the axel and also give you the advantage of newer style tie rod ends in your steering. There are a lot of disc brake conversions for later model spindles so maybe you could up-grade to discs if you used a spindle that had a kit made for them. I think that Speedway used to do conversions to the spindles for Mustang II discs. To get the correct spacing between the bearings they would cut the end of the spindle to move the outer bearing in. They still use a stepped bearing spacer and inner seal diameter like Enjenjo shows.  Using the theory that explains the kingpin inclination angle and the tire diameter a smaller diameter tire might work better if it was closer to the angle of the kingpin where it intersects the ground. GPster

[Low Ka$h]

Thanks you guys, that's the info I was looking for.  I really appreciate it.  One nice thing about having a machine shop at my house is that I can fab any spacer or bracket up that I need.  Just gotta go on the hunt for some parts now.  My original intension was to run drums up front, but I think I'm gonna run disc now.  Should slow that 500 Caddy boat anchor down some.

Let me know if anybody needs anything machined up.  Check out //www.lpkustoms.com.  I'm part owner.  I'll have pics of the build up there soon.  New site design comin' soon also.

Again, thanks for the info.  
Adam

[Stevie G]

I put 39 Buick spindles on my 30 Buick axle.  The Kingpin boss on the Thirty is slightly taller than the 39 so you either have to machine down the boss on the axle or the ears on the spindle.  
Just thought I would throw that out there for you.