1600 strut spindle size difference?

[RoccoGilroy]

I’m rebuilding the calipers and thought I’d pull the rotor and see what the 1600 strut spindle size actually is to see if I can run the Volvo brakes and 320i hubs later. Is this the same size as a 2002 spindle? 
 

1968 1600. December 67 build date
 

 

[TobyB]

Here's one way to tell:

 

www.realoem.com

 

and look up the bearings.

 

Here's another cross- check:

 

www.rockauto.com

 

and do likewise.

 

Are the mounting ears 3" apart?  I have this vague memory the 1600 is different in

the hub area, but don't remember the details.

The shock tube may also be a smaller ID.

 

t

tetails.  what teatails?

[RoccoGilroy]

Well, with this car I have to measure and check everything… Cant rely on what real OEM says it should have… 

 

For example… It’s a 68 1600… should have long neck diff and subframe… it doesn’t… 2002 subframe and short diff… one would assume that if they went through the trouble of dropping the subframe and replacing it that they would have used the 230mm drums from the 2002… They didn’t… they slapped on the old 200mm drums… Should have a 1.6l motor… doesn’t… has a 2.0l Frankenstein… Being that it is a 2.0L motor, one would expect that it has a an 8 bolt crank… It doesn’t… 

 

My instincts tell Me that the struts are original but with this car, I’ve learned to measure… 

 

And I’m 99% sure the strut tubes are the same as all the others as it has bilstein cartridges in it. Pretty sure they’re HD’s too because it’s a little softer than I remember my sports being. 
 

Oh ya and realoem thinks my 1562017 vin number is a euro spec 320i too… ?‍♂️

Edited February 4, 2022 by RoccoGilroy

[Conserv]

10 hours ago, RoccoGilroy said:

 

… Oh ya and realoem thinks my 1562017 vin number is a euro spec 320i too… ?‍♂️

Rocco,

RealOEM.com only recognizes VIN’s beginning with the 1974 model year. For earlier cars, you still use RealOEM’s “Classic” Catalog, but you “build” your car one category at a time, ending with the month/year of production. It’s not as precise as the “by-VIN” approach, but it gets you relatively close to the correct answer… as long as a prior owner hasn’t randomly swapped components. ?

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[stephers]

I happen to have a set of 2002 frt wheel bearing sitting right in frt of me and they measure out on the ID the same as what you have    Check the numbers on the actual bearing   2002 inner is L45449    outer is LM11749R

 

As far as I know, 320i hubs only fit the tii struts which have larger spindles than a stock 2002  

 

Looks like you have upgraded frt struts from a stock 2002

 

Thanks, Rick

 

 

[gracer]

I had a 67 1602.  The spindles were smaller than the later 02's.  I don't know when they changed but I do know that they did. G

[RoccoGilroy]

29 minutes ago, gracer said:

I had a 67 1602.  The spindles were smaller than the later 02's.  I don't know when they changed but I do know that they did. G

Precisely! That’s why I measured… I didn’t want to suck everyone into MY nightmare lol. I was just hoping someone had a 2002 strut lying in the garage to measure the spindle… If they measure the same, the bearings are the same! If the bearings are the same, I can use late 320i hubs to do the Volvo thing. 
 

So, who’s got a spindle handy and a measuring device? ❤️

[BarrettN]

Ha! Struts handy, calipers at the ready - but I don't know what they came off of, so I'm absolutely of no help to you either! ?

Edited February 4, 2022 by BarrettN

[kbmb02]

1 hour ago, stephers said:

As far as I know, 320i hubs only fit the tii struts which have larger spindles than a stock 2002 

 

I believe there are two sizes of 320i hubs; one fits the 2002 base strut (I know this, because many of the race cars I've built run the 320i hub with Volvo calipers on 'regular' 2002 struts/spindles). I have a few pairs of 'big bearing 320i hubs', perhaps those fit the Tii spindles. -KB

[RoccoGilroy]

3 minutes ago, kbmb02 said:

 

I believe there are two sizes of 320i hubs; one fits the 2002 base strut (I know this, because many of the race cars I've built run the 320i hub with Volvo calipers on 'regular' 2002 struts/spindles). I have a few pairs of 'big bearing 320i hubs', perhaps those fit the Tii spindles. -KB

Yup, 77-78 should work for tii upgrade (big bearings) 79-83 works plain 2002 upgrade (small bearings)

[Lost&FoundDept]

A couple years ago I seeked out new strut tubes/spindles as one of mine was bent. I installed them and everything went together fine but I had a slight wobble when I put the hub/wheel back on. I ended up bringing it to a shop and they found that the inner bearing was slightly loose on the spindle. They found a bearing with the right Inner dimension to fit the spindle and right outer dim to fit the hub. The spindle outer bearing dimensions were as normal for the 2002. I didn’t look into it but assumed I had bought strut tubes originally from a 1600. 

[RoccoGilroy]

So best i can tell at some point the 1600 struts were smaller/different… No one seams to know when and realoem is dodgy on this particular subject. Real oem shows the same struts for 2002’s AND 1600’s clear back to 66 build date 1600’s… So ya… Doesn’t add up…

 

Thats why I figured I’d measure…

 

 

[Lost&FoundDept]

In case it's helpful I found the box for the bearings (PN 311 405 625) I had to use with my spindles, the inner bearing inner diameter for the bearing is 27mm. From your measurements, you have the assumedly more common, larger spindles. 

[RoccoGilroy]

12 minutes ago, Lost&FoundDept said:

In case it's helpful I found the box for the bearings (PN 311 405 625) I had to use with my spindles, the inner bearing inner diameter for the bearing is 27mm. From your measurements, you have the assumedly more common, larger spindles. 

Now that’s helpful!!!! Thank you! So December 67 built 1600’s are not “early”enough to fall into the smaller bearings category. Assuming my struts are original to the car… Hopefully some poor sole like me finds this some day and it saves them some trouble. 

[jireland2002]

The answer is simple.  Look it up on Real OEM.  2002 inner bearing has an ID of 29mm.  The outer bearing ID is 17mm.

 

The Tii and Turbo were larger.