Spindle project

[SunbirdMan]

I'm not too happy with the s10 swap but I want the 5 lug and bigger better brakes. So I'm going to try to modify the h-body spindle. Danfigg got me started with his Malibu rotor mod but I'm going to try to take it a step farther and use the s10 caliper. So, in a nutshell, here's what I'm up to.

Cut the h-body caliper mounting ears off the spindle.
Make a steel plate like the cardboard mockup.
Drill out the splash shield bolt hole to 5/16 or 3/8 and use them to mount the plate.
Mount the caliper to the plate.

Sounds easy enough but its going to take alot more details to work out. I'm going to plug away at this, and I'm confident I can eventually make it work but I'm not really setup for this kind of stuff so if anyone likes the idea it would be great to get some fabricators input.
Danfigg discovered that the rear grease seal on the rotor bottomed out before the inner bearing seated. He had a spacer made. I'm thinking of going the other way and seeing if I can have the spindle machined down another 1/8". Anyway, here's some pics of what I've got in mind.

[gerbsinmd]

This should be an interesting project.

[res0o7eb]

I'm going to plug away at this, and I'm confident I can eventually make it work but I'm not really setup for this kind of stuff so if anyone likes the idea it would be great to get some fabricators input.

Roger,
I like the idea. But, don't sell yourself short; I think you can do this. Your cardboard fabrication skills are second to no one!

[zeke]

Roger,
I like the idea. But, don't sell yourself short; I think you can do this. Your cardboard fabrication skills are second to no one!

tff

[70styleVega]

I think this approach has great potential for the backyard builder....
(Another possible solution for S10 brakes with no negative camber!)

The prototyping woes will be in determining what is needed (plate thickness and machining operations....) in order to get the caliper centered on the rotor. You will likely have to build one, and measure (in detail) how far you are away from having it like you want it, then build a second one that corrects everything.

You have my full attention, I'll be watching.

Good Luck

[SunbirdMan]

My machine shop consists of a drill press, an angle grinder and a sawzall. i have a spare caliper but I'm going to have to go to the junkyard to pick up a rotor for test fitting.

[70styleVega]

I just thought of something that might save some time.

Make the first one out of wood.... then you use common hand tools to do it, and still make something you can assemble.

Again,
Good Luck

[bill1978v8]

Can you press out the Monza rotor mount and bore it out to accept the S10 rotor mount? It looks like it's pressed in?

Bill

[AusRs]

what you probably need to look at before fabrication starts
try and find a few pictures of a 3rd gen f body front (i realise that they are struts)
and then try and find pictures of the 1LE 3rd fgen f body ........it will give you an idea of what can be done !

[SunbirdMan]

Steve, I looked into the 1LE brakes. From what I see they're 12" and require 16" rims. Not a bad idea but I'm not ready to take it that far.
Bill, I was thinking that too but it looks like its not necessary. I picked up a rotor off an s10-turns out its abs but I think they are the same. My assumption was that because the s10 spindle has a deeper inner seal surface, that that was why dannfigg had to use a spacer. Turns out that the rotor interferes with the caliper mounting ear. A little grinding fixed that(see pic). It fits with no more machining. The wheel mounting surface is approx 1/2" further inboard compared to the stock h-body.
Tom(70styleVega), I took your advice sort of. I got a piece of 1/8" masonite to work up the next mock up. I took some preliminary measurements and this thing is right in the ball park. I'm looking at 1/4" for the steel plate and the caliper will be right where it belongs. Still too early to say. I don't want to jinx anything by saying this, but its going easier than I thought.

[70styleVega]

Have you had an opportunity to play with the "S10 caliper adapter plate" lately?

[cjbiagi]

Looks like a pretty good plan. However, my only concern would be that you are transferring all of the braking force to the 3 small screws holding the plate on. On a stock spindle, the caliper is nestled in between the main body of the spindle and the braking force is transmitted directly into the body of the spindle. The pins and sleeves basically just hold it in place and allow the caliper to slide. I would be really concerned about possibly of shearing the 3 bolts on a hard stop. I'm no engineer, so I don't know how much force they would take, but I would certainly consider this in your plans. These holes were designed to hold a dust shield in place, not absorb the entire braking force, which is considerable. Braking is not something to be taken lightly, property or lives could be at stake so just thought I'd mention it. If you can incorporate a plate that would transfer the force into the main body I think you would really be on to something. Increasing the size of the screws as you mentioned is a good idea, but I am not sure it is enough.

[SunbirdMan]

The main hold up (besides me just getting sidetracked) is that I need to come up with a cheap and easy way to fit the outer s10 bearing to the h-body spindle. Which is basically just a sleeve of the right dimensions. When Dannfigg was discussing this with the malibu rotor, I believe it was SirShredAlot who suggested a piece of pipe. I've checked the hardwarestores and cant find any pipe or tube with the right size inside and outside diameters.
edit; also when I was at the junkyard I grabed acouple of caliper pins and must have left them there, cause I can't find them.
Clyde, If you look at my cardboard mock-up you can see that I had the same concerns about sheering the bolts. That's why I have it fitting tight at the top and bottom of the spindle so the rotational force is transfered into the spindle itself and not the bolts, which then merely hold the plate down. I'm thinking of adding a bolt. Not sure exactly what the proper name for it is, but the round axle I was thinking of drilling and tapping the back for a short 3/8 to hold the plate more securely.

[cjbiagi]

Yep, you are absolutely right. I guess I did not look close enough to see how the cardboard was notched into the spindle. Good work!! As far as the spacer, the easiest thing would be to talk to a machinist, they could knock that out pretty easily I'm sure. it would just be a matter of giving them the correct measurements.

[DEMON Precision]

the best way to cut those plates will be cnc laser , it will have to be a 4KW or better , there is also cnc plasma , cnc HIDEF plasma and cnc waterjet or the good ole torch as well. all the methods would work well for producing a piece like that