Hi fellas. I tried to go through old posts just to see what has been done for spindles on an original willys axle. I see adaptors and kits, early jeep spindles, etc..what I was wondering if anyone has adpated early ford spindles to one of these axles. The kingpin sizes seem close, the ford being bigger. Could the axle ends be enlarged then a press fit sleeve be made and installed to adapt them, or the end just be reamed to fit? I don't know about the angle of them for camber and how they differ and I am sure they would probably need some sort of spacer between the axle boss and the spindle if the size was different. There are so many brake items that one can use on the ford spindles..maybe this whole idea isn't feasible, has anyone ever tried it or is it just better to do the adapting to the willys spindles. were the original spindles forged or cast? I see the early ford ones for sale all over and have to wonder about the quality of them and if they are all made the same or not. Do they forge all of them? I see certain places that actually state they are. thanks.. <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
I plan to do this same thing (willys axle w ford spindles) I don’t know the willys pin size but if it is indeed smaller I would think bushing down the spindles and using the willys pin would be the way to go. Bending the axle ends a small amount to correct camber will be easily done in the press.
I am doing the same for a T coupe project. The Willys king pin is a little smaller, but i was led to believe that some years/models had a larger pin size. You can have thicker bushings installed in the Ford spindles and use the Willys pins. As far as the inclination, it looks to be the same but as 296 v8 stated it can be easily corrected in the press. I will be using original for mechanical brakes on my project, so i am using the early king pins. I will turn them down a small amount and bore the axle a small amount larger inwards where there is more meat. Here are some pics of a 32 Ford spindle and the Willys axle with the origonal Willys king pin sitting in it. I think the pins are 3/4" in diameter.
Ford pin size is 13/16 The reason I would lean to using the willys kingpin is so the lock pin and lock pin hole in the axle would still work … things would need changing if the ford kingpin was used. But on the other hand I don’t know what its like to try and find new willys kingpins.
yes, I meant to mention that same fact, 296..the lock bolt groove in the pin and having to redo that on the ford pin. I like the idea of installing a larger bushing in the spindle rather than reaming out the axle. I wonder where these oversize bushings may be procured at? I know the willys spindles are hard enough to come by so I suppose the pins are also <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
The Willys king pins came in 2 sizes 11/16" 33-36 Willys and 3/4" 37-41 Willys. The king pins come up on Evil Bay all the time anywhere from $20. to $50. I looked at doing 40 spindles on my 33 willys axle, the axle does narrow down an the center it has a sort of flange at the top and bottom. Long story short I would bush down the spindles rather than bore out the axle. Pat
You have to add 3/8" spacer at the bottom of the axle to take up the slack with the size difference of the spindles, you have to ream the hole in the axle and you will need the ford king pin.The willys king pin is only 4 1/2" long and the Fords are 5" (37-41). The Camber angle is virtually the same. I have done this swap and have all the pieces in my shop to do another one for a coupe I'm working on. I also have a good set of used willys pins and bushings and an NOS still in the box set of pins and bushings. This is not hard to do and it works great.
I am doing the same on my next build, what I measured is....... Willys axle king pin hole............0.733 Ford King pin dia.....................0.816 Ford axle boss thickness..........2.383 Willys axle boss thickness........2.022 These could be off a couple thousands because I didn't clean the parts, caster is no issue. I have never seen a Willys axle break only bend, I have seen Willys spindles break. I have never seen a Ford spindle break so with the availability of parts for the Ford spindles in's a no brainier for me. Hope this helps.
I guess you would have to use the ford kingpin with the ford spindle if it is 1/2" longer unless it was centered enough to be 1/4" off each end..and I am not sure that would be the right thing to be doing
Early (32 to 36) ford spindle would work w a 4 ½ kingpin. I don’t think it would be that hard to make your own kingpins from drill rod
I agree with the use of the early spindle but, I don't think there would be an advantage as you still have a limited brake selection compare to the 37-41 spindle. Not that it can't be done....you know what I mean.
I have finally gotten around to my axle and have the ford spindles fit to it with ford kingpins..worked out nice, I need to mark the pin and get new lock bolts for the pin. the willys "original" axle has small holes whereas the 37-41 pin kit came with some pretty big lock bolts which I don't want to use because of their size. If anyone has done this setup what have you used for lock bolts that are smaller?
39WILLZ has done this setup on his. You could check with him. I'm about to do the same on mine also, as soon as my spindles (coming from another Hamber) appear in the post!
I always wondered about this, 'cause I've got a pair of 12-spoke Americans that are set up for Willys spindles. I could be wrong, but they appear to use the same wheel bearings as Ford, but closer together. So, to use these 12-spokes on Ford spindles, I'd just need to have the spindles cut down to the Willys bearing race locations, right? Anybody tried this?
That is correct - the Willys bearings are 5/8" closer together than the Ford but are the same size bearing....
Last week I took my spindles to cooks machine shop in L.A. to lathe it down to willys size, well it turns out that they were willys spindles all a long. They actually had a sleeve on the shaft to fit 32 ford inner bearings. I didn't ask but he probably tossed the sleeve. I do have these vintage willys disc brake brackets for sale with spindle and axle.
That is probably the option I would take - leave the Willys axle and spindles as intended and fabricate caliper brackets if going to a disc brake setup. iIhave also looked at the possibility of using Bendix/Lincoln self energizing drum brakes on a Willys spindle....
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