Topic: Coating on spindles?

[CharlesTurner]

Anyone ever tried to determine what the grayish coating was on front spindles?  Appears that the spindles were dipped or quenched in something.

Can anyone recommend a place that would do an analysis on the surface material?  Would be nice to see the original Ford blueprint.

[carlite65]

wasn't there a fellow on the hipo forum who had done some metal analysis?? i know i read about it somewhere.....maybe on the 'other' forum..

[cobrajetchris]

What I understand is they were quenched in oil after the casting process to give the steel the correct temper. The original ones on my 69 were a dark grey color. I had the spindles bead blasted and used gun bluing and coated with a light oil and then took a red 3 inch fiber pad on a die grinder to clean up the machine surfaces and it came out verry nice. I will try to upload some photos.

[cobrajetchris]

These are some photo of the completed spindles and the product I used. I noted one is a little darker in the photo as this is the last one I have done and the oil has not all soaked in yet. I did not have any problem with them turning brown. I had a bucket of water ready and dip the part in them after brushing in the bluing paste. I then used another brush to clean it with the water and blow dried.

[CharlesTurner]

Based on what I am seeing, it is a silver-gray coating, I don't think it is oil quenched.  They may have gone to that method in later years though.

[J_Speegle]

Charles first I think I'm seeing different finishes or end products in different years. On the 69 CJ I'm currently doing one side cleaned up perfectly with just a little scrubbing and there was not the same look or finish that I've seen on some early spindles. Was able to refinish the other side (spindle) and can't tell the two apart (have to check the original pictures)

I'm still leaning towards a quenching after the heat treatment process though the liquid may be different than what we see in later years and mentioned.

Got a good picture of the early finish your asking about ?  I'll check what I've got

[69bossnut]

I was just looking back through these old posts & thought I would update this one. The gray finish that you see on these spindles is a hard tight scale (iron oxide) that is created through the casting & heat treatment. The quinching process did not create the scale rather the high heat during the process creates the iron oxides that form the tight scale.

[CharlesTurner]

Do you know if removing this iron oxide layer (by blasting) will weaken spindles?  Other than super-heating, is there a way to recreate this layer?

[69bossnut]

Removing this scale through sand blasting will not effect the piece structurally in any way. There is no way to reproduce it without exposing it to the high heat. So trying to simulate the color is the only option.

[Anghelrestorations]

I have a few sets of spindles I am doing now....I can post pictures in the next week or so if they turn out right.  But in general I am phosphating then tumbling them to create an original looking finish that is not painted.

[J_Speegle]

Need to find and post one I did last year on the the special order paint CJ I got rid of - one spindle came out really nice (needing nothing) after a wash but the other  had some surface rust so I stripped it. Using the gun bluing stuff I could not tell the difference (honestly had to check my before pictures to figure out which one was redone) between the two once recolored, machined and oiled.

[Twilight65]

I tell you what worked for me was after removing the spindle, soaked it in evaporust, was able to see all paint markings, Then after covering the spindle with masking tape, I glass bead blasted the surface @ about 30 psi as not to remove the iron oxide coating. Polished the machined areas, and then coated with Boeshield. Very pleased
Dave

[CharlesTurner]

I tell you what worked for me was after removing the spindle, soaked it in evaporust, was able to see all paint markings, Then after covering the spindle with masking tape, I glass bead blasted the surface @ about 30 psi as not to remove the iron oxide coating. Polished the machined areas, and then coated with Boeshield. Very pleased

Is the pic your finished product?  I'd suggest it needs to be darker.  Also need to machine the steering stop flat spot.

[Twilight65]

This pic was before applying the paint markings and the Boeshield. The picture really doesn't do the color justice as it is almost black especially after applying the Boeshield. The top is polished just doesn't show in the pic.
Dave

[J_Speegle]

Here is an  original 69 spindle after cleaning and after touching up the machined surfaces (didn't need much) and oiling. Was not blued  - color in picture (of the unmachined surfaces) is allot darker/higher contrast than in person - darn digital camera make the first picture lighter due to the yellow bucket and the other darker

Not allot/any rust on the machined surfaces but there was a little on a couple of them, guess it got greasy or oiled early in this cars life. Got to love Calif cars