Gusseted Spindle Failure

After seeing a fellow 3rd gen owner snap his gusseted spindle last weekend, I'm a little worried about mine and considering a set of Camburg fabricated spindles.

Has anyone else seen or heard of a failed gusseted spindle, or was this just a freak accident?

Supposedly welding can weaken the OEM cast steel, but maybe that's only if the part wasn't heated up properly first...?

My gussets were installed by a reputable shop so perhaps my concerns are unwarranted, but I really don't want to risk a spindle failure. Especially at highway speeds or on a shelf road.

 

Spindle failures are incredibly rare.

 

What sort of stupidity lead to a snapped spindle? There had to be an egregious level of abuse that is being left out of the picture here.

 

Aren’t the OEM spindles forged? In any case, who knows if the gussets helped or hindered the failure. There are too many factors involved.

Please tell us the story of how your friend busted one.

 

^Yes, OEM spindles are forged. Without gussets, the OEM spindles typically fail by bending. Castings wouldn't bend.