It looks like a high-end race...
It looks like a high-end race car part because that's where CorteX Racing's design developed from. Inspired by endurance racing series where parts are punished in extreme ways for hours on end, like the Rolex Grand-Am and American Le Mans, the Radial X Spindle endeavors to bring that level of sophistication to the masses.
We've had a great deal of interest regarding project Max Effort's new SLA style front from CorteX Racing, and one of the most common queries has been about the Radial X spindle. It's really quite a revolution in the industry and deserved more detail and photos than we had space for in the magazine.
Spindles just don't get enough credit when it comes to front suspension. It's so much more than just that thing the control arms bolt to; the design and strength can have a dramatic effect on how effective a suspension is; it's the central interaction point for the control arms and the steering. Plus, the geometry built into the spindle itself can make all the difference in how a car handles and how the rest of the suspension needs to be designed to correctly balance.
All of that was taken into account when CorteX Racing designed this spindle, but it's unique because rather than being a single forging locked into a specific geometry, it's modular and configurable. That of course means more initial design work, as well as extremely accurate machining, but it also results in a product that allows for precise engineering of each component. That really pays off in the end; here are some of the technical highlights per CorteX Racing.
* 2-inch drop as compared to SN-95 Mustang spindles
* Exceptional steering response and cornering ability
* Superior stiffness and strength compared to OEM spindles
* Compatible with wide wheels and tires (315, 335, etc.)
* Quick and accurate camber adjustment upper ball joint mount shim kit
* Brakes rotor sizes from 13-inch and up
* Radial design allows superior wheel bearing and rotor cooling when using brake ducting
* Adjustable king pin inclination angle by changing modular upper ball joint mount
* Adjustable Ackerman geometry using alternate modular steering arms
* Includes ARP 12-point hardware and hard anodized finish
* Hubs include high-strength stock length studs (ARP wheel studs available)
Unlike stock style spindles...
Unlike stock style spindles that consist of a single forging, the Radial X is actually modular piece. This is the exploded version of the showing the parts that combine to create the spindle in it's configuration for CorteX Racing vintage SLA front suspension like we installed on project Max Effort.
This is actually the competition...
This is actually the competition weight version of the hub which features extra machining to remove to roughly 3.2 lb of weight. Even the standard version, however, maintains comparable weight to SN-95 Mustang spindles with the required adapter brackets for running aftermarket SLA style suspension, but is many times stiffer.
Before producing the first...
Before producing the first prototype, Filip Trojanek at CorteX Racing spent a great deal of time testing the Radial X's structure with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to ensure it was able to withstand severe load generated by heavy cars with wide, sticky tires. Here the upright is shown with 2.0g of cornering force; blue indicates areas with less load, red shows areas that are more highly stressed.
The modular design of the...
The modular design of the arms means that the Radial X is compatible with various double wishbone suspension and SLA systems, including the familiar Mustang II style. It also leaves the design open to other application down the road that CorteX may pursue.
Running custom racing balljoints?...
Running custom racing balljoints? No worries, with proper dimensions CorteX can machine the arms to accept nearly any balljoint.
The Gen III SKF bearing assemblies...
The Gen III SKF bearing assemblies are extremely robust and have exceptional camber stiffness- critical for repeatably and predictably carrying high loads. They also have built-in wheel speed sensors that may be useful for data acquisition and/or ABS systems.
The lightening holes on the...
The lightening holes on the competition spindles also have another benefit; they're designed to help cool the wheels bearing and brakes. This carbon fiber disc is part of the duct system that helps channel the air. You'll see the full version on Max Effort sometime down the road.