4x4 vs 2WD spindles

[Rivet]

Might be helpful someday, but here are 4x4 & 2WD spindles side by side[ATTACH=CONFIG]
the power coated spindles are 4x4; the raw spindles are MX3 V6; they where on the 4x4 car to move it around while the 4x4's where at the powder coater

[me109]

You've got an MX-3 rack on it, right? Which spindles do you need to use with that? And what tie rods?

[Rivet]

The MX3 rack is just in there to move the car. I have a manual rack from a 323DX. The mx3 rack with the 2WD spindles & 2WD tie rods, the tie rods had to be adjusted all the way out and the tires still had too much toe-out (you could never drive it that way); with the 2WD tie rods and 4WD spindles, the ties rods had to be adjusted all the way in; the toe is close by eyeball; but probably not enough adjustment if it was on an alignment rack. Bottom line, you need 4WD parts on an a 4WD car. Also, for what it is worth, the MX3 rack does not line up with the rack mount points, so it does not physically bolt in. The DX rack needed to have the mounts moved in-board by about 2" to work; but that is fairly easy on a manual rack (the mount and bushing are one unit and just needed to pushed on till it lined up).

[me109]

Oh ok. I looked into trying that AGES ago, and it seemed like it really didn't want to work. I was curious how you solved it. Oh well...

Thanks for posting though.

[Rivet]

From the pictures, you can see the 2WD rack mount points are too far apart; but on the manual rack; the end bushing can be moved inboard till things line up. I don't have a great picture of this: but end of the rack is flush with the end of the bushing in stock form. Of course the rack boot will not fit so great and I have not solved that issue. Maybe a longer boot is available from a different application or not worry about it (with a manual rack; fluid leakage is not an issue and lots of folks drive around with shredded boots).


lastly, 4x4s use a shorter tie-rod; just something to keep in mind when it comes to alignment time; the 2WD rods seem like they may work; you'll just be at the adjustment limit.