Sterling 10.5 spindle

pplblazerdude · Oct 16, 2018

Well over the weekend we went and rode chocco. I killed a passenger side sterling 10.5 shaft. Had a spare swapped it out and kept going. Got home and on closer inspection I have bigger issues.

When the shaft exploded it swelled the spindle out and killed the outer bearing and also killed the nut which killed the treads on removal.

I'm at a loss of what to do.
Options I see are as follows
1 find a used housing cut spindle off and put it in my housing

2 swap housing and redo all truss brackets and gears

3 unit bearing cups

1 and 2 are cheapest but most time consuming. 3 will not be cheap. What do you guys think would be the best option?

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TBItoy · Oct 16, 2018

Re:

I'd weld a new spindle on. It's really not that big of a job if you have access to a lathe.

pplblazerdude · Oct 16, 2018

TBItoy said:
I'd weld a new spindle on. It's really not that big of a job if you have access to a lathe.

Have a buddy with a lathe. Cut the old one of the housing turn the new one to fit and weld it up? What about keeping it true in the housing?

Biggest question is finding one honestly.

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TBItoy · Oct 16, 2018

Re:

I'd go to pull a part and sawzall the end off an axle housing.

I turned a bushing to fit the axle shaft to spindle ID, beveled and butt welded the "new" spindle on while making sure the axle would still turn. Pulled the axle shaft back out, remove bushing, then put it back together.

Maybe not the "best" way to do it, but it worked.

grcthird · Oct 16, 2018

There are companies out there that replace spindles like that all the time. We had one done on a wheel lift at the last shop I worked at. They come out, chop your old one off and weld a new one on. Would be nice to know where they get the new spindles from.

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TBItoy · Oct 17, 2018

grcthird said:
There are companies out there that replace spindles like that all the time. We had one done on a wheel lift at the last shop I worked at. They come out, chop your old one off and weld a new one on. Would be nice to know where they get the new spindles from.

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we had that done a few times on semi trucks at the shop I worked at,

didn't know if they'd do it on a small truck axle, or if it would be cost effective.

I like the idea of unit bearing cups. But I'd only do it if I was planning to upgrade to some high zoot 40 spline shafts.

pplblazerdude · Oct 17, 2018

TBItoy said:
we had that done a few times on semi trucks at the shop I worked at,

didn't know if they'd do it on a small truck axle, or if it would be cost effective.

I like the idea of unit bearing cups. But I'd only do it if I was planning to upgrade to some high zoot 40 spline shafts.

Plan after this will be double spline shafts probably 4340s from branik.

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redneckengineered · Oct 17, 2018

pplblazerdude said:
Plan after this will be double spline shafts probably 4340s from branik.

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Get with me when you're ready. I can quote you some Mark Williams double splined shafts. Slightly more expensive but a better quality than Branik IMO. There's not a better full float shaft on the market.

wizzo · Oct 17, 2018

redneckengineered said:
Get with me when you're ready. I can quote you some Mark Williams double splined shafts. Slightly more expensive but a better quality than Branik IMO. There's not a better full float shaft on the market.

X2 This past weekend I had my 14 bolt apart to replace ring & pinion. Mark Williams shafts looked as new as the day I installed them. Best shafts on the market PERIOD

pplblazerdude · Oct 17, 2018

wizzo said:
X2 This past weekend I had my 14 bolt apart to replace ring & pinion. Mark Williams shafts looked as new as the day I installed them. Best shafts on the market PERIOD

I am waiting for a quote as we speak.

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kmcminn · Oct 17, 2018

I got some 14b spindles and hubs I would sell. The came off a newer model ribbed housing.

redneckengineered · Oct 17, 2018

kmcminn said:
I got some 14b spindles and hubs I would sell. The came off a newer model ribbed housing.

That would be the ticket if he wanted to keep the 10.5. I would probably just swap in a 14B and be done, it's going to be a fair amount of work either way.

kmcminn · Oct 17, 2018

redneckengineered said:
That would be the ticket if he wanted to keep the 10.5. I would probably just swap in a 14B and be done, it's going to be a fair amount of work either way.

Yep that 60 rear had 14 bolts outer it actually worked out really good.

pplblazerdude · Oct 17, 2018

redneckengineered said:
That would be the ticket if he wanted to keep the 10.5. I would probably just swap in a 14B and be done, it's going to be a fair amount of work either way.

Problem with that idea is I would have to have my front unit bearings drilled for 8x6.5 and then get new wheels. $$$$

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RustyC · Oct 17, 2018

14 bolt with unit bearing cups and big shafts. Party on!

kmcminn · Oct 17, 2018

RustyC said:
14 bolt with unit bearing cups and big shafts. Party on!

Or Mark William's shafts that Redneckengineered sales.

pplblazerdude said:
Problem with with idea is I would have to have my front unit bearings drilled for 8x6.5 and then get new wheels. $$$$

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If you use 14 bolt spindle and hubs you can drill them out to 8 x 170mm reuse factory wheel studs.

wizzo · Oct 17, 2018

RustyC said:
14 bolt with unit bearing cups and big shafts. Party on!

IMO, if you're not going to cut your spindles off and replace, this is the way to go. Get a 14 bolt cut spindles off or re tube all together. 05+ unit bearings & cups (a guy on here sells the cups). Then you could get some mark williams shafts and do away with spindles all together. I would get some 40 spline drive slugs for the 05+ unit bearings. Then you can keep your wheels and not have to drill hubs.

http://www.hardlinecrawlers.com/forums/index.php?topic=59000.0

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-23993307-dana-60-drive-flange-kit-05-super-duty-40-spline.html

redneckengineered · Oct 17, 2018

wizzo said:
IMO, if you're not going to cut your spindles off and replace, this is the way to go. Get a 14 bolt cut spindles off or re tube all together. 05+ unit bearings & cups (a guy on here sells the cups). Then you could get some mark williams shafts and do away with spindles all together. I would get some 40 spline drive slugs for the 05+ unit bearings. Then you can keep your wheels and not have to drill hubs.

http://www.hardlinecrawlers.com/forums/index.php?topic=59000.0

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-23993307-dana-60-drive-flange-kit-05-super-duty-40-spline.html

IMO this is the way to go, you will start to see more builds like this as time goes on and people figure out that unit bearings are not the devil. It is the easiest way to convert a stock housing to true 40 spline. It would be absolutely bomb proof. Don't forget to plan on a way to seal oil in the diff.

TBItoy · Oct 17, 2018

Re: Re: Sterling 10.5 spindle

wizzo said:
IMO, if you're not going to cut your spindles off and replace, this is the way to go. Get a 14 bolt cut spindles off or re tube all together. 05+ unit bearings & cups (a guy on here sells the cups). Then you could get some mark williams shafts and do away with spindles all together. I would get some 40 spline drive slugs for the 05+ unit bearings. Then you can keep your wheels and not have to drill hubs.

http://www.hardlinecrawlers.com/forums/index.php?topic=59000.0

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-23993307-dana-60-drive-flange-kit-05-super-duty-40-spline.html

That's the kickass way to go and the best long term solution

Much bigger undertaking, down time and $ wise, than replacing one spindle. Hell I'd do the spindle replacment on the buggy. Might not even drain the gear oil...

redneckengineered · Oct 18, 2018

Re: Re: Sterling 10.5 spindle

TBItoy said:
That's the kickass way to go and the best long term solution

Much bigger undertaking, down time and $ wise, than replacing one spindle. Hell I'd do the spindle replacment on the buggy. Might not even drain the gear oil...

I talked to Clint on the phone. Nice guy. This was a fun conversation to have kicking around ideas but he's not working with a lot of power so turns out we're all just day dreaming about badass 40 spline stuff. He's going to replace the spindle and then we talked options about some good 4340 floater shafts. He's either going to go Branik or Mark Williams. I gave him a good price on the MW stuff but the Branik's are still quite a bit cheaper so I wouldn't blame him if he went that route. Either way he should be set for a long while.