Broken spindle

ChrisSlicks · 07-03-2012, 10:47 AM

Not sure if this is a racing first for the 370Z, but this weekend I put a wheel off the edge of the track and hit a big *** hole. There was an almighty bang which was the spindle upright shearing just below where it bolts to the upper ball joint. Haven't fully checked the car over yet, but at this point it looks like that's the only thing that broke. It looks pretty silly sitting on the trailer with -15 degrees of camber on the front right. I was actually pretty lucky to keep it off the wall given that I had very little steering with a floppy front wheel on that side. Got my first ride on the flatbed

Didn't video that session unfortunately, turned the camera on but forgot to click record.

Here's what broke (actual pictures tomorrow)

HKYStormFront · 07-03-2012, 10:50 AM

first i've heard of... those things are pretty robust o_O

Dwnshift · 07-03-2012, 10:50 AM

What arms and ball joint are you currently running?

ChrisSlicks · 07-03-2012, 10:52 AM

I have the SPC upper control arms and ball joints which are steel. The ball joint was freshly replaced this year and is still attached to the top of the spindle arm

Still waiting for the Doran/NMS arms

HKYStormFront · 07-03-2012, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

Still waiting for the Doran/NMS arms

i wanna put em on my frontier

Dwnshift · 07-03-2012, 01:32 PM

I know .... Trust me ...I know
This little incident put us back buuuut... I know we have to make some more cuz that hit bent the RF arm something fierce.
But ... Patience may pay off as possibly our other outter joint may be completed with the new arms which will give additional caster.

sig11 · 07-03-2012, 01:48 PM

Wow. That's one hell of a break...

Red__Zed · 07-03-2012, 01:50 PM

Wow. Crazy. Musta been a helluva hole

ChrisSlicks · 07-03-2012, 01:58 PM

Very cool, thanks - I'll do it as soon as you can make them. Your own race-car rebuild takes priority of course!

Replacing the spindle is a PITA, everything attaches to it. Time consuming but easy I suppose.

Just waiting for my part to be overnighted from Japan, or in this case, back ordered from Texas with ground delivery.

ChrisSlicks · 07-03-2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sig11

Wow. That's one hell of a break...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red__Zed

Wow. Crazy. Musta been a helluva hole

The hole is friggin' deep. It is fairly well known for tearing up cars, and I knew about it but I guess never really realized just how bad it was until I hit it. I should have gone out there when the track closed and took a picture, but when you can see it on google earth you know it is bad. I hadn't done a track walk here since last year so didn't realize it had got so bad. I've put 2 wheels off in other parts of the track and never had an issue.

BGTV8 · 07-03-2012, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

Not sure if this is a racing first for the 370Z, but this weekend I put a wheel off the edge of the track and hit a big *** hole. There was an almighty bang which was the spindle upright shearing just below where it bolts to the upper ball joint. Haven't fully checked the car over yet, but at this point it looks like that's the only thing that broke. It looks pretty silly sitting on the trailer with -15 degrees of camber on the front right. I was actually pretty lucky to keep it off the wall given that I had very little steering with a floppy front wheel on that side. Got my first ride on the flatbed

Didn't video that session unfortunately, turned the camera on but forgot to click record.

Here's what broke (actual pictures tomorrow)

Thats called a fire-truck hit (what starts in "F" and ends in "uck" ... Fire-truck of course).

Don;t think you hit a hole - more like a canyon ... great to hear your kept it off the concrete though ...

SPOHN · 07-03-2012, 06:38 PM

That's pretty wild there. I bet when it dropped of the upper control arm slammed into the inner fender there was no more travel so the spindle gave way at the weakest point. Glad you saved it.

cossie1600 · 07-03-2012, 10:44 PM

Ouch man, at least you didnt hit anything

ChrisSlicks · 07-04-2012, 02:12 PM

Link to carnage pics:
https://plus.google.com/photos/11278...IW3rejAmJrbhQE

Right front wheel is also bent.

Upper control arm smashed into the top of the fender but didn't seem to do any damage. No other damage that I can see yet, still pulling things apart.

Sh0velMan · 07-04-2012, 03:06 PM

Good God.

07-03-2012, 10:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
HKYStormFront A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Greer, SC Posts: 14,954 Drives: 06 Frontier SE 6spd Rep Power: 53	first i've heard of... those things are pretty robust o_O __________________ Patrick // 06 Frontier 6spd Nismosis // Mods: Uprev Tuned @ Z1 Motorsports: 257whp & 292 ft lbs 09 Pontiac G8 GXP // M6 // Sunroof // Tint... For now

07-03-2012, 10:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
ChrisSlicks A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North East Posts: 6,203 Drives: 09 370Z Sport M6 Rep Power: 654	I have the SPC upper control arms and ball joints which are steel. The ball joint was freshly replaced this year and is still attached to the top of the spindle arm Still waiting for the Doran/NMS arms __________________ Hotchkis ARB \| Stillen CAI \| Art Pipes \| Berk CBE \| Stillen AP Racing Brakes \| AE Performance Oil Cooler \| BC Racing ER Coilovers \| Doran Control Arms

07-03-2012, 01:58 PM	#9 (permalink)
ChrisSlicks A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North East Posts: 6,203 Drives: 09 370Z Sport M6 Rep Power: 654	Very cool, thanks - I'll do it as soon as you can make them. Your own race-car rebuild takes priority of course! Replacing the spindle is a PITA, everything attaches to it. Time consuming but easy I suppose. Just waiting for my part to be overnighted from Japan, or in this case, back ordered from Texas with ground delivery. __________________ Hotchkis ARB \| Stillen CAI \| Art Pipes \| Berk CBE \| Stillen AP Racing Brakes \| AE Performance Oil Cooler \| BC Racing ER Coilovers \| Doran Control Arms

07-03-2012, 06:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
SPOHN A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Covington, GA Age: 46 Posts: 14,844 Drives: Waiting on next Z Rep Power: 222	That's pretty wild there. I bet when it dropped of the upper control arm slammed into the inner fender there was no more travel so the spindle gave way at the weakest point. Glad you saved it. __________________

07-04-2012, 02:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
ChrisSlicks A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North East Posts: 6,203 Drives: 09 370Z Sport M6 Rep Power: 654	Link to carnage pics: https://plus.google.com/photos/11278...IW3rejAmJrbhQE Right front wheel is also bent. Upper control arm smashed into the top of the fender but didn't seem to do any damage. No other damage that I can see yet, still pulling things apart. __________________ Hotchkis ARB \| Stillen CAI \| Art Pipes \| Berk CBE \| Stillen AP Racing Brakes \| AE Performance Oil Cooler \| BC Racing ER Coilovers \| Doran Control Arms

07-03-2012, 10:50 AM	#3 (permalink)
Dwnshift Track Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cincy Posts: 717 Drives: NISMO 370Z RC Rep Power: 15	What arms and ball joint are you currently running?

07-03-2012, 01:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dwnshift Track Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cincy Posts: 717 Drives: NISMO 370Z RC Rep Power: 15	I know .... Trust me ...I know This little incident put us back buuuut... I know we have to make some more cuz that hit bent the RF arm something fierce. But ... Patience may pay off as possibly our other outter joint may be completed with the new arms which will give additional caster.

07-03-2012, 01:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
sig11 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Detroit Posts: 1,294 Drives: 09 370Z Red Sport-MT Rep Power: 19	Wow. That's one hell of a break...

07-03-2012, 01:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Red__Zed A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: window seat Posts: 28,940 Drives: Mostly on two wheels Rep Power: 120	Wow. Crazy. Musta been a helluva hole

07-03-2012, 10:44 PM	#13 (permalink)
cossie1600 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: californee way Posts: 5,380 Drives: 370, Leaf Rep Power: 31	Ouch man, at least you didnt hit anything

07-04-2012, 03:06 PM	#15 (permalink)
Sh0velMan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Dallas/Ft.Worth Posts: 3,349 Drives: Noisily. Rep Power: 21	Good God. __________________ Buy My Car! \| Build Thread

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