Front suspension crack testing?

[Keith Lawrence]

I'm moving from a Austin Healey Bugeye to a FV for vintage racing and I always did a winter crack test on the BE spindles and all other front suspension pieces. The BEs have a known weakness in their spindles and even uprated ones cracked over time - it was just a matter of monitoring them and replacing them as soon as cracks appeared.

Does the FV front end have any known weak links like this?
And and is it routine and/or recommended to magnaflux any of the other parts?

THANKS!!!!
Keith Lawrence
Pittsburgh PA
64 AD

[Dietmar]

Keith:

The place to look for cracks is under the inner spacer on the spindle and is usually checked with dye.
If you do not have the capability to check this, let me know.
Dietmar

[FV80]

Beyond what Dietmar says - YES, the Vee front spindles are VERY WELL known to be a potential problem. However, a BIG step in the correct direction for extending the life of those spindles is to install a 'kit', such as that made by Mike Palermo (Peak Performance FV Engines) that provides a spacer that fits around the spindle between the inner and outer bearings. It increases the effective radius of the spindle and makes it CONSIDERABLY stronger. Takes more abuse, lasts longer! While your're at it, you should probably install the recommended tethers that keep the wheel assembly (more or less - at least for a little while) attached to the car should the spindle break.

AFAIK, the spindles are the only front end pieces known to have such problems (catastrophic breakage)

Steve

[Terry Abbott]

Phone number for Mike Palermo?

thanks Terry

[Keith Lawrence]

Also - anyone have a pic of the tethers?

I just finished dye testing the spindle and all look good. Much heavier than the spindles in my old AH bugeye suspended 1956 Turner.

I also ran the spindle spacer and would love to buy a set for the FV.

Keith Lawrence
PIttsburgh PA
64 AD

[FV80]

Phone number for Mike Palermo?

thanks Terry

Last number I have for Mike is
(303) 838-9515 - the area code may have changed, but I'm sure he's in the same place .. probably same number. Shawnee, CO IIRC. If you get him on the phone, ask for an email and PM it to me.
Steve