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5/8th bolt option for spindle pin replacement


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Having pulled my spindle pins three times in the past few years and somehow managing to save them. On my last attempt I finials messed up the threads to the point were replacement was going to be a must. Having done some digging around I decided to go the 5/8 bolt route There are many people who say do not do this but if you look at the techno  tuning toys rear lower control arms. Granted they are using a hime joint they use a 5/8 bolt. On these grounds I set off to find the right bolt for the job and this is what I came up with. From Fastenal a 5/8-11 x11 yz8 haven taken many measurements and driving the people at Fastenal crazy we decided that this was the best bolt for the job at hand. I hope this helps for anyone considering doing this swap and any info on pros or cons would be appreciated. And here are a few photos of the bolt I will be using. And they cost only $12.90 each . Fastenal part #15335

 

NCM_0920_zps373b6387.jpgNCM_0914_zps5ebcdeb7.jpgNCM_0913_zps11f2156c.jpgNCM_0918_zps5110ad94.jpgNCM_0917_zpsf406c121.jpg

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Be thoughtful about it, though...file a flat in the bolt and put the lock pin back in place. You do NOT want the bolt spinning in the upright, you want the bushings to be turning on the bolt. Otherwise the bolt is metal-on-metal and rubbing the upright. You want it metal-on-bushing and stationary in the upright.

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Just had an interesting throught about how to keep the 5/8 bolt from spinning in the housing. How about tapping the lock pin hole in the strut and threading a bolt in to touch and lock the pin in place. Easier than trial and erroring a slot in the bolt that the original lock pin will fit into. I feel like that also weakens the bolt. The stock lock pin has 8x1.25 threads, which pass through, so likely have to drill and tap for 10x1.25. Common bolt. Do it from the bottom. What do you think?

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Just had an interesting throught about how to keep the 5/8 bolt from spinning in the housing. How about tapping the lock pin hole in the strut and threading a bolt in to touch and lock the pin in place. Easier than trial and erroring a slot in the bolt that the original lock pin will fit into. I feel like that also weakens the bolt. The stock lock pin has 8x1.25 threads, which pass through, so likely have to drill and tap for 10x1.25. Common bolt. Do it from the bottom. What do you think?

I was having a similar thought, and am currently investigating some options on locking the bolt. And will post my findings soon I hope I am ordering a second set to test on and see what works best. I work at a manufacturing facility and have access to a full machine shop and they are currently working on notching the first set for stock lock pins. And the second set we are kicking around ideas on how to lock the pin safely only using tool most have at home. I will let you guys know what we come up with, and please keep the input coming we need ideas.

 

Thanks Will S.

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Is this just to save $10, or convenience?  If you cut the notch for the lock bolt, and get the distances right between the nut and the bolt head, you essentially just end up with a spindle pin of slightly smaller diameter.  You can get a new Nissan pin for $22.23.  $12 to get you going in a pinch is one thing, but there's no improvement here.  It's not an "upgrade" it's just different.  It's not even really a swap, since it's essentially a "downgrade".

 

Just saying, I understand the urge to tinker but there doesn't seem to be any good reason to do this unless you're in a hurry, short $10, or have modified your suspension to where the stock pin doesn't fit anymore.

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The reason I am looking in to this is to give people that are in a pinch another option to get them buy but could be safe enough to use for a while if needed. And yes I have a horrible urge to tinker, but I also know we here at this sight have a great pool of knowledge to feed off of. I felt like there was a small gap in the knowledge pool when it came to this thought and took it upon my self to find a good option for the people how need it.

 

Thank you

 

Will S.

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Hwvigo-if you make a bunch up, I will pay you enough for a pair to make a little profit. Yes, it will function the same and be just a little but smaller diameter - exactly what I want. The ability to remove the damn thing without having to cut my suspension apart and spend a week doing it vs casually taking it apart in a few hours is a BIG upgrade. Not a performance upgrade, but rather a serviceability upgrade.

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Is this just to save $10, or convenience?  If you cut the notch for the lock bolt, and get the distances right between the nut and the bolt head, you essentially just end up with a spindle pin of slightly smaller diameter.  You can get a new Nissan pin for $22.23.  $12 to get you going in a pinch is one thing, but there's no improvement here.  It's not an "upgrade" it's just different.  It's not even really a swap, since it's essentially a "downgrade".

 

Just saying, I understand the urge to tinker but there doesn't seem to be any good reason to do this unless you're in a hurry, short $10, or have modified your suspension to where the stock pin doesn't fit anymore.

 

I think the main benefit is to stop the stuck spindle pin from ever becoming a problem again. For any of us that have had to saw the spindle pin and press them out, the situation can be quite bothersome.

 

If for some reason the bolt is stuck down the road, you would just have to put an impact on the bolt head and impact it out.

 

Also this becomes more of a requirement when you move to helm joints for the RLCA.

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I think the main benefit is to stop the stuck spindle pin from ever becoming a problem again. For any of us that have had to saw the spindle pin and press them out, the situation can be quite bothersome.

 

If for some reason the bolt is stuck down the road, you would just have to put an impact on the bolt head and impact it out.

 

Also this becomes more of a requirement when you move to helm joints for the RLCA.

As far as the spindle ping getting stuck, they have this stuff called "anti seize".  

Once your spindle pin is out, clean the crud off of it with some steel wool and coat it with anti seize before reinstalling.  It won't get stuck.  Been doing it this way on the same pair of spindle pins for 30 years and R&R'ed the pins dozens of times.

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I am using the 5/8" bolts on the race car with nylock nuts and the T3 control arms. Been using them for years without any issue.

 

For stock pins, lube them up with anti-seize before installing them. They will just push out with minimal effort if you need to service them in the future. Did this about 8 years ago on my street Z. I recently pulled the suspension apart, and they just pushed out.

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In 1994, I installed new stock spindle pins in my Z. The zinc coating on the pins was perfect, i carefully cleaned off the stickers and the adhesive. I put 3.50 grams of antiseize all over the pins and slathered approximately the same amount of antiseize into the cast bore in the hub that recieves the pin. Before the antiseize I scrubbed the bore with a rifle cleaning brush until they shined. The new pins went in with relative ease. When I removed the pins with a spindle oin puller in 2013, one pin came out with only a fair amount of cursing. The other pin got the threads yanked off, then I beat the shift out of the pin to get it out, mushrooming the end of it beyond recognition. The puller destroyed my outer poly LCA bushings. Like an idiot, I put new pins in again before I found out about the 5/8" bolt trick. Some guys get lucky and some guys don't, but it is not for lack of trying. The spindle pin is a punishment born in the pit of hell.

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In 1994, I installed new stock spindle pins in my Z. The zinc coating on the pins was perfect, i carefully cleaned off the stickers and the adhesive. I put 3.50 grams of antiseize all over the pins and slathered approximately the same amount of antiseize into the cast bore in the hub that recieves the pin. Before the antiseize I scrubbed the bore with a rifle cleaning brush until they shined. The new pins went in with relative ease. When I removed the pins with a spindle oin puller in 2013, one pin came out with only a fair amount of cursing. The other pin got the threads yanked off, then I beat the shift out of the pin to get it out, mushrooming the end of it beyond recognition. The puller destroyed my outer poly LCA bushings. Like an idiot, I put new pins in again before I found out about the 5/8" bolt trick. Some guys get lucky and some guys don't, but it is not for lack of trying. The spindle pin is a punishment born in the pit of hell.

 

We have a thread for a puller loaner :-)  Works much better than the hammer.

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