Reinforce spindle or let it be the weakest link?

Should the spindle be left to be the weakest link in a suspension, instead of reinforcing it with gussets? The idea is to let it buckle under heavy force as it is one of the easiest and cheapest part of the front suspension to replace. I finally gather all my upgrades to be installed but am now debating on the tc gussets for the spindles.

 

I’d rather NOT break than to break due to weak parts.
Breaking on the trail SUCKS. If you take hit a that hard stuff just breaks.
I figure a little strong might be the little thing that gets me home.

FWIW, I don’t wheel much at all any more.
I’m getting old, and I don’t like fixing or spend money.

 

No matter what you do to anything, there will always be a weakest link. Even if you upgrade everything, there will be a weak point.
It should be easy and cheap to replace and something that can be done quick. For example, would you rather replace the transmission or a driveshaft or the rear diff...
Driveshaft in this case should be the weakest link.

 

The spindle should be gusseted if needed. There is nothing on the suspension that should be left to break.

Why would you even want to bend a spindle, that defeats the whole point of the suspension.

 

To let it take the brunt of the force as to not risk damaging the other more expensive components or alignment. Illogical?

 

I think what you're asking is building in a fuse, which is a relatively easy/cheap component intended to protect from expensive damage or for safety. But from a design standpoint I think you want to build a suspension strong enough with nothing expected to break in your normal use because there's really nothing in the front end to make practically into a fuse. If you gusset the spindle then what do you let go? A coil over, a control arm, the frame? I suppose building sacrificial control arms but trying to pull the long bolt and replace those is plenty of a PITA. I'd not want ball joints that are anything but strong. It's an interesting question though.

 

Fixed

 

Yeah. That spindle isn’t going to break under “normal” use. Like dirt roads and Starbucks. I wouldn’t consider it the weakest link in the front suspension, either. If you gusset it, then a force that would have broken that ungusseted part would transmit through to another part, depending on what was done to a truck. If that gusseted spindle is connected to chromoly control arms that are connected to a chromoly tube frame, then fuckin a. You’ve got a build that can withstand more abuse than a stock truck. On the other hand, if your gusseted spindles are attached to stock components, well, you certainly don’t have to worry so much about the spindles. But depending on the direction force is applied, other components would break. They do look amazing.