Spindel different for wide track vs narrow track?

[blt2krl]

Okay guy's I need some help here. I have my 76 widetrack axles all tore down. The spindles have some sever gouges were the spindel bearing goes. So I called the old junkyard. They said they had some spindels for a 76. So I go to get them. When I look at them there not the same. These spindels came off a narrow track. Any one every ran into this before? So they take me out to another axle. Presumably a J-10 and low and behold the spindels are the same as mine. The problem is one of the spindels has been exposed to the weather and is covered in rust. So the questions I have are: 1.) can I use emery cloth to thourghly clean up the weathered spindel. I'm concerned about pitting from the rust were the bearings in the hub/disc assembly will ride on the spindel. 2.) If I can't clean the spindel adequatly will a 74-76 J-10 be the same as my Cherokee WT spindels? I'm really confused as to why the spindels would be different. Any insight will be greatly appericiated.

[jeepguzzi]

I have a '79 wide trac and a 85 j10. The front spindles are the same. I don't know why they would be different on a narrow trac. If I remember correctly, a full size blazer is the same as far as bearings, brakes , etc. I am just not sure if they have different steering .

[scotty]

im not sure why the 76 you looked at had different spindles,unless your wide trac axles are fom a j20?.maybe some swapping had taken place in that rig or the one that youre other axles come from?

there is a bigger and smaller spindle,basically 1/2 and 3/4 ton. after a certain year,everyting used the bigger spindles.i never can remember what year that was,tho... redface.gif

the spindles that came in my narrow trac 79 axle were different from the ones on my 85 narrow trac axle.my 85 narrow trac spindles are the same as the ones that came on our 77 j20 parts rig.

clean it up? i dunno-thats a tough call without seein it.the bearing doesnt actually contiually rub the spindle wile moving(like it does on the race),so small imperfections shouldnt hurt.it just depends on how bad it is.

[Kenall]

76-77 is another iffy year for jeep. its where the front bearings changed.

after 76 is when dana change the inner bearings. thats y jeepguzzis 79/85 have the same spindles.

also, its quite possible for any yard to get confused on the exact year of a vehicle they have...did u c the VIN of the NT wag the spindle was removed from?

[blt2krl]

I called Randy's ring and pinion and got the measurements for the the inner bearing and outer bearing contact spots on the spindel. The outer (small bearing)measures 1.625, inner bearing 1.875. Bye the way they want $108 a piece for the new spindel. I measured the spindel I have from the 76 WT and the outer measures 1.625 but the inner measure over 2. So the inner bearing is definatly larger than the NT 76 the junkyard had. Tomorrow I plan on taking my measuring calipers out to the junk yard to measure the spindels their pulling of a 76 J-10 axle. At first glance the J-10 spindel ( the one with rust covering it) is identical. Then it is off to the parts store to get the right size inner bearing. The parts store gave my the wrong one. luckly I have the old inner bearing to take numbers off of. I know for a fact the front axle is a wide track because I checked the VIN before I pulled the axles. The axles are 6 lug so I think I can void out the J-20 possibility.

[Lindel]

Another case of Jeep using up old stock, before switching to new. Good for them, lousy for us! The front spindles "should" be the same off of late 70's, early 80's Chevy/GM 4wd.

If all else fails, get the knuckles off of the donor vehicle (both sides), and go from there.

[trickc]

If all else fails,I'm running 2 different spindles on my 74 Chero. I know it sounds funky but Ive got one side running different wheel bearings from the other side ,the outer diameter of the bearings was the same the difference was the inner diameter matched to the spindle. One is a 74 the other a 78, with 79 rotors.calipers etc.
Been that way for close to 3 yrs now with no problems.

[Panther]

Paul,
I would be interested in the smaller diameter spindles if you don't want them and they are in good shape. Let me know if you want to part them out.
Thx Lee

[Jerk]

just a guess here, and probably not important, but there maybe a difference in spindles if the hubs were full time (q-trac) or lock outs. something to think about...

[blt2krl]

Well I just got back from the junkyard and J-10 or j-20 spindels they had pulled are excatly the same as the ones that came on my WT axle. The one spindel cleaned up nicely. Not as much rust as I first thought. Lee the 76 Narrow track spindels are at the junk yard, sorry. I am definetly not hurt by the bigger inner bearing. This will help with my 37in swamper impact on bearing wear.