I stripped the threads on my spindle, would I be able to re-thread it, or would this be unsafe

 

What spindle?

 

axle spindle ?

I would not.

too much stress on those threads, with way too much danger should they fail.

on the other hand, if I was 1235 miles from home, I would definitly go for it so that I could limp home and fix it, but I would be seriously paranoid the whole way.

in this case fix means replace.

I am all for ghettoing almost anything, axels are a most definate exception.

 

front passenger side

 

would the threads really be that much weaker?

 

being an utterly critical componant I would expect that the unit has been heat treated after machining to insure toughness.

you would be using a tap to cut new threads into the metal.

this would likely cut through the tough surface and create a bunch of weak points for cracks to start and grow, ending in the axel nut breaking off and the wheel flopping to the side twisting the disc in the caliper and locking the wheel up until the disc or caliper broke releasing the wheel to fly into the oncoming traffic, followed shortly by your tumbling former RX-7.

I've no idea what the actual odds are that this would happen, but rethreading the axel without re heat treating it to its original spec chops a BUNCH of zeros off the original odds.

even re heat treating the axel won't restore the metal cut off by the tap.

I would be again unsuprised if mazda rolled the threads to make them even stronger and less likely to crack.


rethreading the axel is TOTALLY possible, and it CAN be done in such a way as to not reduce the safety of the assembly, but buying a undamaged replacement WILL be a LOT cheaper and easier.

I honestly REALLY hope I have scared you. I am scared that I might not have.

 

point made

 

Excellent

 

How does one go about stripping those threads? I can't imagine

 

perhaps an impact tool of some sort had something to do with it???

 

1. cross thread
2. dumbass


i felt stupid

 

Don't be hard on yourself man. We all **** up sometimes. Just get a new part and learn for next time...

This is why I put stuff on by hand a couple a turns before impacting it.

That and I have a shitty *** 4 gal, 2 HP air compressor, so I've gotta conserve on the impact tools... One or two lugnuts and the compressor kicks on. I've gotta set the regulator to 120 PSI for the gun to run correctly... ANd the gun is rated at 90 PSI.

 

The spindle nut goes on finger tight, you hardly even need a wrench never mind an impact gun.

 

Well if you only messed up the first thread or two, then you would just be "chasing" the threads to clean them up (and IIRC, the first couple of threads arent even engaged on the nut when its tightened). If you kept roaching on the spindle, then its toast. They sell dies (not taps, taps are for cutting femals threads) that are thread chasers for axles/spindles. They arent like regular dies, they only straighten out bad threads, they dont cut like thread cutting dies. Tire and brake shops usually have them to fix their fuggups. Your local auto parts store may have them also.

Look here for more info.
http://www.mcmaster.com/
Search for thread restoring dies.

This is acceptable if its minor damage. The above warnings are certainly justified. Its a judgement call. IMO the spindle threads are much tougher than the threads on the nut. The nut should strip first, but not necessarily. HTH

 

I was SOOOO sleepy

 

Yea don't beat yourself up I've messed my share of hardeware. And inittab is right, those things go on finger tight, the kotter pin holds it in so theres not much reason to force it on. And carl is right, if its just a few threads you could possibly fix it.

 

Ah. I never replaced brake rotors on my 7 yet... So they're kinda like the rear wheels on a FWD car... Figures.

 

toated em by hand
the spindle must have been bad metal since both in and the nut trashed so easy and so far

 

dont worry nothing new