The Ford Barn

30aadoodlebug · 07-03-2017, 12:10 PM

Hey all,

So I got into a bit of pickle last week. The driver-side front wheel bearing blew apart, and welded itself to the spindle. I managed to fix that issue, but ran into two others. A) the race that was inside the outside of the hub had cracked in many spots, and once out had expanded 1/8" larger than normal; B) the hub is now 1/8" larger than the replacement bearing race. I have two new hubs coming to me in the mail to rectify the issue.

My new question is more for just general knowledge in the future. Where I have a donor car that has two hub/drum assemblies in working condition, could I take those and put them on the other car? I understand that the brakes and the new drums would not work ideally/fit perfectly, but in a pinch, would this at least make the car driveable? my main concern would be old races with new bearings causing issues.

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 07-03-2017, 01:00 PM

Not the perfect scenario, but yes it is doable to substitute different hubs & drums. Keeping the races & bearings as a matched set is best but not a requirement.

H. L. Chauvin · 07-03-2017, 01:15 PM

Switching Model A hubs and drums ???

Let us think, and maybe look at it this way.

There is an immense "World of Difference" between two (2) categories of Model A owners:

Category A. Hundreds of Model A owner years ago who had only one (1) car with which to get to work; and,

Category B. Today's far fewer Model A owners who have an extra toy to play with.

Now, let us ask ourselves this question:

How many hundreds of yesteryear "Category A" Model A owners would even question swapping out hubs and drums to get to work ..... or go to the dentist with a toothache!

Hope this helps.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 07-03-2017, 02:22 PM

If the SHOE fits, WEAR IT!
Bill W.

Tom Wesenberg · 07-03-2017, 02:31 PM

Why did the first bearing blow apart? Was the nut torqued too tight? I saw that happen at a national meet.

The front wheel bearings should just be lightly tightened while spinning the wheel, then loosen the nut and make it finger tight. Ideally you want zero freeplay, but not a torqued nut. At least not torqued more than a few inch pounds. That's inch pounds, and not foot pounds.

H. L. Chauvin · 07-03-2017, 02:56 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

FWIW:

1. Often times with cotter pin nut slot alignment, one cotter pin nut notch position makes the front wheel too loose with a bit too much of felt bearing movement; and,

2. The next adjacent cotter pin nut notch position makes the front wheel too tight where a bit too much rotational binding can be felt.

3. Years ago I bought a few front wheel spindle nuts from about five (5) different Model A parts suppliers where no two spindle nuts were alike.

4. When compared to my original my front wheel spindle nuts, all were slightly different; however, from left wheel to right wheel, with such an assortment of spindle
nuts, one can usually find a spindle nut that is near perfect after installing the front wheel cotter pin.

30aadoodlebug · 07-03-2017, 03:56 PM

Thanks for all the great info guys! I believe the issue with the original bearing was both age and the race (original bearings on a car with 97000 miles on it that's 87 years old.) The interesting part about how it blew out, is the bearing washer key ground completely off. It may have in fact been torqued too tightly, but the condition of the outer race in the hub leads me to believe it has been on its way out for awhile. I'll try and post photos, but this site can be a bit picky sometimes.

07-03-2017, 12:10 PM	#1
30aadoodlebug Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Boxborough, MA Posts: 274	Switching hubs and drums Hey all, So I got into a bit of pickle last week. The driver-side front wheel bearing blew apart, and welded itself to the spindle. I managed to fix that issue, but ran into two others. A) the race that was inside the outside of the hub had cracked in many spots, and once out had expanded 1/8" larger than normal; B) the hub is now 1/8" larger than the replacement bearing race. I have two new hubs coming to me in the mail to rectify the issue. My new question is more for just general knowledge in the future. Where I have a donor car that has two hub/drum assemblies in working condition, could I take those and put them on the other car? I understand that the brakes and the new drums would not work ideally/fit perfectly, but in a pinch, would this at least make the car driveable? my main concern would be old races with new bearings causing issues.

07-03-2017, 01:00 PM	#2
BRENT in 10-uh-C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern Tennessee Posts: 11,516	Re: Switching hubs and drums Not the perfect scenario, but yes it is doable to substitute different hubs & drums. Keeping the races & bearings as a matched set is best but not a requirement. __________________ . BRENT in 10-uh-C . www.model-a-ford.com ...(...Finally Updated!! ) .

07-03-2017, 01:15 PM	#3
H. L. Chauvin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,179	Re: Switching hubs and drums Switching Model A hubs and drums ??? Let us think, and maybe look at it this way. There is an immense "World of Difference" between two (2) categories of Model A owners: Category A. Hundreds of Model A owner years ago who had only one (1) car with which to get to work; and, Category B. Today's far fewer Model A owners who have an extra toy to play with. Now, let us ask ourselves this question: How many hundreds of yesteryear "Category A" Model A owners would even question swapping out hubs and drums to get to work ..... or go to the dentist with a toothache! Hope this helps. Last edited by H. L. Chauvin; 07-03-2017 at 01:45 PM. Reason: typo

07-03-2017, 02:22 PM	#4
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Switching hubs and drums If the SHOE fits, WEAR IT! Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

07-03-2017, 02:31 PM	#5
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Switching hubs and drums Why did the first bearing blow apart? Was the nut torqued too tight? I saw that happen at a national meet. The front wheel bearings should just be lightly tightened while spinning the wheel, then loosen the nut and make it finger tight. Ideally you want zero freeplay, but not a torqued nut. At least not torqued more than a few inch pounds. That's inch pounds, and not foot pounds.

07-03-2017, 02:56 PM	#6
H. L. Chauvin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,179	Re: Switching hubs and drums Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) FWIW: 1. Often times with cotter pin nut slot alignment, one cotter pin nut notch position makes the front wheel too loose with a bit too much of felt bearing movement; and, 2. The next adjacent cotter pin nut notch position makes the front wheel too tight where a bit too much rotational binding can be felt. 3. Years ago I bought a few front wheel spindle nuts from about five (5) different Model A parts suppliers where no two spindle nuts were alike. 4. When compared to my original my front wheel spindle nuts, all were slightly different; however, from left wheel to right wheel, with such an assortment of spindle nuts, one can usually find a spindle nut that is near perfect after installing the front wheel cotter pin.

07-03-2017, 03:56 PM	#7
30aadoodlebug Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Boxborough, MA Posts: 274	Re: Switching hubs and drums Thanks for all the great info guys! I believe the issue with the original bearing was both age and the race (original bearings on a car with 97000 miles on it that's 87 years old.) The interesting part about how it blew out, is the bearing washer key ground completely off. It may have in fact been torqued too tightly, but the condition of the outer race in the hub leads me to believe it has been on its way out for awhile. I'll try and post photos, but this site can be a bit picky sometimes.