Raised BJ spindles

[BuggyBob]

Im sure there is someone out here that has installed raised spindles on their balljoint front end. Let me tell you about my experiences. I already had a disk brake set up on my manxter but I needed to raise the front end up more. My adjustable beam was maxed out and I still was too low. So I went to my local buggy shop in town and ordered a set of "3 raised bj spindles from Empi. $207 later and Im waiting a week for them. Next week they show up and Im like a kid at christmas time. Well, this is where my troubles begin. I start on the passenger side for no reason. After removing the stock spindle Istart fitting up the new one and something is not right. after I get the upper and lower BJ in, the spindle doesnt turn. Scatchin my head, I find the lower bj istouching the spindle so much that it is causing it no to turn. So I remove the spindle and figure I can just grind some of the back off of the spindle to give it clearence. After about an hour of this, I got it to rotate with no binding. Yeah! Now its time to put the calipers back on. Hold up, there is no place to attach the darn things. So, I called my local buggy shop and ask them to check to see if Empi sent me the wrong ones cause these look like spindles for a drum set up. No, I gt the right one but I needed the bracket to hold the calipers. Now, why wasnt I told this in the beginning? $100 later and they will be in next week. sombitch. Now that I have a week to get the other side on, Im taking my time. I pull the stock spindle off and grind down the raised spindle and put it on in no time. It rotates and doesnt bind. Yeah! Now let me get this speedo cable back in. WTF? Its too short and it wouldnt go in anyway because the lower socket and ball joint block the hole! Sombitch. So now I set here wondering if all this is worth an extra 3" clearance. I dont know yet cause Im still waiting on those caliper brackets Empi didnt tell me I needed.

[theManiac]

Don't know anything about the EMPI raised balljoint spindles, but I know a number of guys running the 3" raised spindles from http://www.blindchickenracing.com that have never experienced any installation or use problems. They have the speedo cable hole too. Just bolt them in & go! Probably only a couple bucks more than the EMPIs.

[Tom-Kathleen]

Bob - would VW Thing spindles been easier and much better quality? Tom