Master Tow dolly-you can't replace the spindle

[Rstrahan]

So, trucking back home with the car in tow, at edge of Gainesville, FL...big shaking.  Look out mirror. Oops. Flat on the tow dolly.  So I thought.  So, setting on the side of,the interstate, get car off the dolly, finagle a jack under it.  Nope.  Bearing went out. 

After a discussion of an HOUR with a useless person at Good Sam (had a talk with them the next day) got a wrecker out to help get the dolly loose from the MH, off to the trailer place in town.

Got a call.  Bad news.  You can't replace the spindle on a Master Tow dolly.  Have to buy the entire lower deck unit.  I can buy a NEW one for repair costs,repair shop said same thing. 

Will check specs on the next one I buy. 

 

[driftless shifter]

Spindles can be dressed with a file. A spindle has to be pretty beaten up to need replacing. I have saved spindles where the inner race spun and seized to the spindle and then got dinged up by the hammer and chiseled removing the race. So spindle was scorched blue, a bit scored and had dents in it from chisel. Cleaned it up, there was plenty of original surface to support the inner race reassembled and drove the car until it died a horrible death by tin worm. 1972 Dodge Dart right front outer wheel bearing. Fixed in the break down lane of rte 495N, late 80's, over two winter evenings after work in late Nov.
Most likely the repair shop is trying to rob you.

 

[Rene T]

Spindles can be dressed with a file. A spindle has to be pretty beaten up to need replacing. I have saved spindles where the inner race spun and seized to the spindle and then got dinged up by the hammer and chiseled removing the race. So spindle was scorched blue, a bit scored and had dents in it from chisel. Cleaned it up, there was plenty of original surface to support the inner race reassembled and drove the car until it died a horrible death by tin worm. 1972 Dodge Dart right front outer wheel bearing. Fixed in the break down lane of rte 495N, late 80's, over two winter evenings after work in late Nov.
Most likely the repair shop is trying to rob you.

I agree with Bill, .Just put a flat file to it and a little bit of emery paper. As long as the inner race slides on and is not flopping around, you should be good to go.

 

[Rstrahan]

I wish.  No, this one got damaged beyond just a clean-up.  Back to Craigslist for the new used one.