Pin drive wheels with two piece spindles

[Blue Viking]

I think I know the answer to this one, but I want to run it by the crowd while waiting for an answer from FFR. I ordered pin drive wheels from Vintage Wheels that were supposed to work with my normal length front control arms. However, they made an error in calculating backspace, so i will now of course need the shorter pin drive LCAs. They say the pin drive adapter from FFR for the upper ball joint/UCA is supposed to work with the two piece spindles, but I think that is incorrect, they only work with the Mustang spindles, correct??
Has anyone used pin drive LCAS and shortened the FFR UCAs by cutting the bolts/ Turnbuckles? Thinking this might screw up the suspension geometry, but I want to at least check if this is an option before I surrender and ditch the pin drive wheels altogether...

[Mike.Bray]

I'm running pin drive wheels from Vintage Wheels and did the pin drive front suspension. It's not for the timid or feint of heart, check out my build thread for what I went through. Also check out this thread. https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?43376-Front-Suspension-Setup and this one https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?43426-IFS-Question&p=497518#post497518

From FFR you need:
13242 Pin Drive Front Suspension (includes 12508 Pin Drive Lower Control Arms & 12507 Pin Drive Width Spindle Adapter Bracket)
15501 Standard UCA

From either FFR or source on your own you need 94-95 SN95 spindles. You can order these from FFR as part number 14507 which includes new spindles, hubs, hub nuts, and dust covers.


Some notes:

The UCA bolts to the horizontal bracket on the frame, not the vertical bracket as the manual shows.

If you install the upper ball joint from the opposite side as the manual shows the geometry works better.

I had to trim the front sleeves on the UCA some.

I had to shorten the rear sleeves on the UCA quite a bit to get the caster setting for power steering.

I had to trim the bottom of the adapters for them to fit the spindles.

Dan is probably your best resource at FFR. I believe the pin drive setup is a variation of the original donor car setup using SN95 spindles and there's just not many people that seem to know much about it as they haven't offered it in a few years.

[rich grsc]

The two piece spindle won't work with pin drive

[Blue Viking]

Thanks Mike, all good info. Unfortunately, everything is already assembled with the two piece spindles, and I don't want to replace those as well. (Not even sure if the Wilwoods fit the Mustang spindles) So if I can't make it work with the spindles I have, I will ditch the pin drive plan and get normal wheels instead.

[Blue Viking]

The two piece spindle won't work with pin drive
Yeah, that's what I'm starting to realize, just wanted to do one last ditch effort to see if anyone has come up with a clever solution...I ordered the wheels before summer, and Bob from Vintage Wheels recently contacted me with the bad news that the manufacturer had made a mistake and overpromised on the backspace possible on pin drive wheels..

[Jeff Kleiner]

As you’ve been told, pin drive is not compatible with the FFR spindles.

Jeff

[Blue Viking]

As you’ve been told, pin drive is not compatible with the FFR spindles.

Jeff

yeah, i thought i was being very clever, turns out i was wrong. Oh well, at least the wheels will be a lot cheaper now..

[Jeff Kleiner]

yeah, i thought i was being very clever, turns out i was wrong. Oh well, at least the wheels will be a lot cheaper now..

A new set was just posted.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?43658-17-quot-Halibrand-Replica-Wheels-FFR-14896-Brand-New

Jeff

[Blue Viking]

A new set was just posted.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?43658-17-quot-Halibrand-Replica-Wheels-FFR-14896-Brand-New

Jeff

Had those, couldn't use them legally in Norway without widening the fenders, so i sold them.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Interesting. Derailing your topic but curious to know what is the problem that prevents you from using them.

Jeff

[Blue Viking]

Interesting. Derailing your topic but curious to know what is the problem that prevents you from using them.

Jeff
they stick too far out past the fender lip, especially in the front. Won't get it licensed like that. IMO it looks ugly as well, never understood the wheels sticking outside the fenders look.

[Mike.Bray]

It's a lot of work installing pin drive wheels but I think they're just gorgeous!

https://www.imagecoast.com/images/MichaelBray1/20211029154127mediumrotated.jpg

https://www.imagecoast.com/images/MichaelBray1/20220617093413mediumrotated.jpg