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Farva_84 Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2021 Posts: 43 Location: MO
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Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 8:31 pm Post subject: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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So, the sandrail is taking a beating out in the field stubble, my fault i suppose. One of the black “diamond” spoked front spindle wheels that came on the buggy snapped off at the hub and rolled away today mid ride. It occurred to me that spindle wheels might not be up to terrain. As i see it, my options are to replace the wheels with stronger spindle wheels or convert back to stock vw hubs (which i dont have) with standard vw wheels (which i do have)…I’m hoping you’ll share some experiences with either setup, durability being my main priority…wheels flying off is an interesting story but not a lot of fun…I’d rather not do it again…thanks. |
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Farva_84 Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2021 Posts: 43 Location: MO
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:48 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Farva_84 Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2021 Posts: 43 Location: MO
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:55 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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I’m desperate to get her back in the field. I’m honestly not sure what i’ve got here… can anyone tell me what year of king pin this is? Are spindle wheels universal? Would vw wheels even fit on this setup or would i need to change out the hub/knuckle (whatever it’s called…) Thanks for looking. |
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oprn Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016 Posts: 12744 Location: Western Canada
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 6:29 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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All common parts for a '65 and older Beetle. If it were mine I would order up a pair of brake drums. The bearings and seals may or may not interchange with what you have now. You will also need a pair of wide 5 wheels and wheel bolts. All that will give you the option to add brakes to the front as well when the time comes.
Look around a bit and you might find all of the bits including the brakes used from an older Beetle that someone has upgraded to disc brakes. _________________ We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age) |
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Dale M. Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2006 Posts: 20380 Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 7:03 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Not very impressed with the spoke wheels.... As OPRN suggests, go back to stock drums and wide five wheels even if you don't put brakes up front... _________________ “Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ... |
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Farva_84 Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2021 Posts: 43 Location: MO
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 8:57 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Alright, drums it is...other than taking off what's left of the spoked wheels, do I need to change anything else to put the original vw stuff back on? I appreciate all the tips, I'm not mechanically challenged, I've just spent most of the last year learning about vw engines and transmissions...don't have any experience with suspension and rolly parts yet...guess I'm about to get some. |
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cbeck Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014 Posts: 2495 Location: high ridge, mo
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 10:07 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Brake drums, inner/outer bearings/races, inner seal. See if nut/washer/grease cap fit. If installing brakes, go discs and be done _________________ My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779 |
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earthquake Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2008 Posts: 3984 Location: SANDY VALLEY, NEVADA
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:36 pm Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Somebody makes a brake drum hub adapter that looks like you cut the drum section off and just have the part that holds the wheel and the bearings that allows you to bolt on the wheel. EMPI make them in billet aluminum but they are about 160$ each. you can also just cut up a drum your self with a cut off wheel.
eQ _________________ 74 CLASS 11 LOOK-A-LIKE
69 DUNE BUGGY
79 INTERNATIONAL SCOUT II
05 SCION XB SERIES RELEASE 2[#437]
95 Chevy C3500 dually
98 Ford E150
Link to Kelly J. Nolte 3/20/53 - 11/6/08
https://time-zonelabs.blogspot.com/p/about-kelly.html
DEATH TO CHINGERS!
[From a military recruitment poster in the novel "The Stainless Steel Rat" By Harry Harrison] |
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BFB Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2014 Posts: 1762
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:53 pm Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Ohhhh here we go with the front brakes again! Heh heh
On the subject of those spoke wheels, have yall noticed them to be weak ? I have a set i thought about putting on a buggy just because i like the looks of them. Buggy is primarily street but i will run 80 mph + some days, hate for one of them to come apart at that speed like OP’s …
And no I don’t run front brakes anyhow _________________ Forced induction can overcome a lot of obsticles that gets in it's way
"You are the Engineer and the Mechanic.
Build it your way not the way someone else does it. Their way might not work for you." - clonebug
An interesting thing happens in forums where everyone starts parroting the same thing and "common knowledge" takes over.
“ The monkey see monkey do mentality seems to run deep in VW people. "Gene Berg said it was so 30 years ago so thats the way it is" “ - bdkw1 |
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Farva_84 Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2021 Posts: 43 Location: MO
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Thanks for all the help! I found something like the empi adapter today but much cheaper, looks like it will do the trick. Now to sort out the bearings. |
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PhillipM Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2010 Posts: 595 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 6:08 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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BFB wrote: |
Ohhhh here we go with the front brakes again! Heh heh
On the subject of those spoke wheels, have yall noticed them to be weak ? I have a set i thought about putting on a buggy just because i like the looks of them. Buggy is primarily street but i will run 80 mph + some days, hate for one of them to come apart at that speed like OP’s …
And no I don’t run front brakes anyhow |
They're always weak, the area they're welded to on the spindles is tiny and all the stress is concentrated there, there's a reason with alloys, etc, that they have the spokes flared out towards the hub. Or flat steel wheels run a wide baseplate. |
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DesertSasquatchXploration Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2021 Posts: 547
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Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 5:24 pm Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Square tubing I love the stuff built both my patio covers with it but wheels. That's hilarious |
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jsturtlebuggy Samba Member
Joined: August 24, 2005 Posts: 4496 Location: Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
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Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:36 pm Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Those wheel actually work very well in the sand. That was what they were made for. Had a set on a buggy I bought a few years back. The worked well for their intended use, in the sand. _________________ Joseph
Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
Elrod Motorsports
Motion Tire Motorsports
Having fun with Dune Buggies since 1970
Into Volkswagens since 1960 |
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cbeck Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014 Posts: 2495 Location: high ridge, mo
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 4:49 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Looks like they lasted long enough to bend the tie rod. _________________ My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779 |
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oprn Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016 Posts: 12744 Location: Western Canada
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:03 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Disc brakes on the front of a sand rail is nothing more than eye candy. The stock drums are more than enough for the 250 pounds that the front axle carries. _________________ We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age) |
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Vanapplebomb Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2010 Posts: 5417 Location: Holland, MI
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 6:22 am Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Not the first time I have seen that kind of failure on those rims. They seem ok on the sand dunes here, but more than once I have seen the spokes crack off when covering less forgiving ground.
Over time you will find there are certain things that work fine on the dunes, but don’t hold up with other kinds of off road driving. Spoked spindle mount wheels and aluminum beams are prime examples. I have seen a couple cracked off shock towers on aluminum beams over the years.
As for brakes, I prefer drums up front with smaller wheel cylinders to reduce braking force. Also, unless you drop big bucks for top of the line disk brakes, stock drums are lighter weight than most of the popular disk kits. _________________ 1800 Type 4 Berrien 295
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021 |
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BFB Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2014 Posts: 1762
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 3:13 pm Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Like i said, i have no experience with these wheels but as far as them and aluminum beams cracking ( or any other part ) you do have to take into consideration the age of the part and years of use and probably abuse its seen. Not to mention most buggy’s I’ve rebuilt the previous owners did little to no maintenance, so how long might that part have had a crack before at actually failed? _________________ Forced induction can overcome a lot of obsticles that gets in it's way
"You are the Engineer and the Mechanic.
Build it your way not the way someone else does it. Their way might not work for you." - clonebug
An interesting thing happens in forums where everyone starts parroting the same thing and "common knowledge" takes over.
“ The monkey see monkey do mentality seems to run deep in VW people. "Gene Berg said it was so 30 years ago so thats the way it is" “ - bdkw1 |
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Stormin189 Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2018 Posts: 55 Location: Santaquin utah
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Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:54 pm Post subject: Re: Spindle Wheel Broke Off While Cruising the Corn Field…now what… |
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Wow scary, seeing this is going to make me toss my wheels like that |
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