MTFCA Forum

I am getting ready for spring and have a spindle question I hope someone can answer. I am checking for looseness in the front end and have a tiny bit of play in my spindle bushings. If I put a square on the floor in front of the bottom of the tire and grab the tire top and bottom to wiggle, I get 3/32 outward movement of the bottom of the tire. This is my first T and I don’t know if that is acceptable or if there should be no movement whatsoever. I have no movement in the bearings, just the spindle bushings. The other side of the car has less movement 1/16th. Do I need new bushings yet? Thanks in advance! Paul

You probably don’t need new bushings. Take the cotter pin out of that kingpin nut and tighten that nut one castellation. Replace cotter pin then see if wheel movement decreases....

Thanks, I will try that!

Personally I think 3/32 is a bit much. Plus...when you check it the way you did, did you LOOK to see just where the slop really is?? Cause it can come from a loose or worn bearing also, and as I found out 2 weeks ago on my 25 it can also show up from the top hole of the axle yoke being wallered out from wear. Just tightening the nut may only be a temporary fix to a more larger problem.
Just my two cents from past experiences.

I can see just a little wiggle at the top and bottom bushings on the spindle and nowhere else. I don’t know much about it, but it appears that both bushings are slightly worn. Nothing else seems to move. Replacing them seems easy and cheap, except for the tools that I do not have. It seems I would need 4 tools at about $185.

With a 30" wheel height, and an appoximate 6" distance on the king pin supports of the axle, that's a roughly 5:1 ratio. Dividing .090 by 5 gives .018 movement at the bushing. Pretty worn, but nothing to get panic'd over. Nothing's going to fall off. If you have no shimmy at low speeds you have plenty of time to save up or borrow the tools for the job. Now, don't be surprised if the wear is also in the through-hole in the top of the axle, and thread wear at the bottom. THAT tool to fix that problem is spendy and you'll be quite inclined to let someone do the work for you that owns the tools, and pay them to do it. If you only own one car, the repair of bushings will cost about 1/2 the cost of the tools and you'll never have to do it again. Repair of the axle will cost 1/4 the cost of those tools and probably can't be justified to purchase those tools unless you love tools (like I do).

The correct check is:
1. to place your finger on the corner of the kingpin top hex and the axle...have someone shake the tire. Movement there is $$.
2. Then place your finger between the spindle and the axle...have someone shake the tire. Barely perceptible movement is OK; really feel the movement, and new bushings...$; cuts your finger, park the car.
3. Then place your finger on the corner of the lower nut and the axle...have someone shake the tire. Movement there is $$ (and gets fixed when you fix #1 above)

Another easy method to determine front wheel wiggle is due to the spindle bolt (king pin is loose in the bushings)is the issue, test with a wedge of wood driven in to lock the spindle body.

Now with the tire jacked up, wiggle the tire and wheel, if you feel movement, then the hub bearings are loose, and you can tighten them up. If no wiggle there, then you have determined the spindle bolt is the issue of wiggle in the front wheel.

Thanks guys, I will be working on it tomorrow.