4 wheeler spindles on minirail?

[headinclouds]

I am just getting started on my first sand rail. Been going fast on flat stuff for too long now. Anyways, I have been reading up and trying to figure out if using 4 wheeler spindles will work well. I have read a bit about 400ex spindles being strong, and then KFX 700 spindles as well. To what extent might one be able to buy 4 wheeler spindles successfully on a minirail? Here are the specifics of my rail...

about 800-1000lbs wet

750GSXR motor (turbo coming soon)

20" front "18 rear (estimated for now)

The frame is being built with 120 DOM as will the A arms and swing arms.

Could one modify, or reinforce the spindles to handle the added abuse of doubling weight of the vehicle, would there be standard spindles out there that can handle that, and if not, where can I find some nice spindles that aren't prices TOO high?

Here are some of the front spindles that have caught my eye. yamaha raptor 660, 400ex, kfx700, banshee, big bear, polaris predator.... Just mainly 4 wheelers that are large, and generally set up to take some s***.

[Bugpac]

i have a set of kfx 700 spindles hubs rotors and calipers, 100.00 plus shipping.

im building 70" wide car and my a arms are short so i cant use them, i purchased the hubs and snubs from desertkarts to begin with, so im going back this direction now. i will have to do some designing to get a caliper on it but i should be able to.

and the only drawback to atv is rear steer. but i have them if you want them. i would suggest you build your own, but just my opinion.

[headinclouds]

can you reverse it, and run it essentially backwards, on the wrong side, to make it front steer? I am actually interested in your spindles.

I dont know if these spindles have any caster built in, but it seems like the camber would be the same, and the scrub would be the same too, if you reverse them....

Why would yourecommend making my own?

[Bugpac]

they have kingpin angle built in them, you can reverse them you will have negative ackerman angle, and ackerman affects scrub " i believe". but from the guys in here scrub and ackerman mean nothing on dirt or for what were using them for, and actually if your building a longer wheel base car rear steer is not a prioblem, i have short wheelbase so i need the room for pedals, thus i need the rack in front, most guys recomend front steer, i think the ridge runner dirk has is rear steer.

i guess building your own is up to you, i have just waisted a bit of money trying stuff and buying before i researched.

[Bugpac]

i think these are right. on the kingpin angle you want that line to become imaginary and hit the ground in the center of the tire.
click on the picture it will become more legible.

[headinclouds]

thank you for the info. I have been reading all hours of the day/night about all of this stuff. Ackerman, scrub, camber, caster, toe, rake, shock mounting angle and distance in the a arm, a arm mounting points, rake in top a arm versus bottom, and all that stuff, and I think I have a really good mental image of what I want to end up with. Im sure putting that mental image into SW will be a humbling experience! My front a arm mounts are going to be about 12inches wide, or maybe even less, with the rears somewhat out there, with long maybe 45 degree angles going back a ways mounting somwhat towards the pedals. Overall I think that it will be prettybadass, and since I am using all .120 DOM steel for the whole frame and suspension, and all heims (probably "3/4) I think I should be able to give it a pretty good beat down on a regular basis without humiliating myself every time I take it out.

I am going to set in about 15 to 20 degrees rake in the top, and 12 to 18 in the bottom with a bit of caster, (cant remember my notes) and hopefully put everything else together somewhat based on rortys theories. Ackerman Im not too sure about, since Im still up in the air on spindles. I dont care too much about it from what everyone is saying.

The a arms will be about 24inches, and will put the overall width of the track at or above 80 inches. I barely got CAD solidworks, and will start plotting that all out, or atleast learning how to, tonight. The way the fronts are set up in my head, and according to my frame builder (Alan with Gerardfab) I should be able to get 24inches out of the front. Not sure if I will be able to with these spindles and the changes I am making to the rake, but I think 20" wont be a problem in the front.

As far as your spindles go bugpac, I think I just might pay you for them right now, if you take paypal. Im down with that price. You dont have to warrantee them, but do you atleast think that for a LT >1000lbs GSXR750 powered 2 seater they will work well? Are they new or used? You said in your post that these are spindles hubs rotors and calipers. That means that is about everything Ill need upfront is that correct? Its basically the whole unit, minus the a arms and rims? Am i missing something?

[nutnbolt2002]

With a 3 deg difference in rake between the upper and lower a-arms, will that not change the castor as the a-arms cycle?

[Bugpac]

i think it will change castor but unoticebly,

and the spidles are used, i bought them off ebay, the machine was in a fire, it had like 20 hrs on them he said. i do take paypal, pm me your paypal email and i will send you a request.i wont be able to do till tonight tho, and yes all you will need is rims tires, and the caliper bolts, i dont have hoses either, the guy who parted cut them off right before the meatal end, so the bolt is there anyway for the hoses.

[diirk]

Originally Posted by bugpac

... i think the ridge runner dirk has is rear steer.

Very true and I would recommend against it. Rear steer makes the tie rod the weak link in the front end and I've bent mine to many times to count. On the upside, it's a relatively easy fix. All it takes is a BFH and a flat surface. 8)

[yoshi]

Originally Posted by headinclouds

can you reverse it, and run it essentially backwards, on the wrong side, to make it front steer? I am actually interested in your spindles.

I dont know if these spindles have any caster built in, but it seems like the camber would be the same, and the scrub would be the same too, if you reverse them....

Why would yourecommend making my own?

Spindles don't have caster built into them, only king pin angle (and Ackerman if desired but it has to be set up off each car where the king pin angle is set up to a specific set of wheels and tires). You set your caster by adjusting the lengths of your upper and lower a-arms...