LBRC
03-23-2006, 08:03 AM
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/2_G.jpg
The problem isn’t just that hair and lint gets in between the hub and knuckle it also works its way in between the axle and the hole it spins in.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/3_G.jpg
When you slow the front wheels they slide while the rear wheels loose traction pushing on them so handling goes out the window. In a shallow turn the wheels don’t want to roll so they end up sliding as they get pushed forward “under-steer” but as you turn sharper they dig in with increased resistance while the rear wheels loose traction “over-steer” might as well stop and hack up another hairball, it’s a loose-loose situation in many ways even worse than having hair in your differential.
The fix of course is ball bearings.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/10_G.jpg
The good news is that I finally came up with a relatively simple install that truly works, the bad is that the bearing hole has to be perfectly centered, and exactly the right depth. Even a standard drill press won’t work, and using a mill as a precision drill is iffy at best, you need a lathe with a center drill.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/5_G.thumb.jpg
For the current batch of bearings I have a 5/32” drill bit is perfect, tight enough so that the bearing has to be pressed in so that it is held securely but can be removed if needed, for added security a very small drop of lock-tight on the outer bearing wall so that none gets on the sides will ensure that it will never accidentally come loose.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/6_G.thumb.jpg
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/9_G.thumb.jpg
Unfortunately there’s another problem, the axle has to be precisely the right diameter to press tightly into the bearing without expanding the walls enough to do damage. For my current batch of bearings that exactly 0.060 inches, 0.059 inches is so loose that it just slips out while 0.0605” slows the bearing down and 0.061” damages the bearing enough that you can feel the roughness.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/7_G.thumb.jpg
The good news is that you get to choose the knuckle to wheel spacing so it can be optimized for the tire/wheel width and the particular body you want to use. Again a simple drop of lock-tight or CA will insure it stays right where you want it.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/11_G.jpg
Aside from the lathe, two tools that come in very handy are an inexpensive feeler gage set to accurately measure and set the hub-to-knuckle spacing, and a pinion puller which can be used to press the axle into the bearing and knuckle as well as remove them when needed.
The problem isn’t just that hair and lint gets in between the hub and knuckle it also works its way in between the axle and the hole it spins in.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/3_G.jpg
When you slow the front wheels they slide while the rear wheels loose traction pushing on them so handling goes out the window. In a shallow turn the wheels don’t want to roll so they end up sliding as they get pushed forward “under-steer” but as you turn sharper they dig in with increased resistance while the rear wheels loose traction “over-steer” might as well stop and hack up another hairball, it’s a loose-loose situation in many ways even worse than having hair in your differential.
The fix of course is ball bearings.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/10_G.jpg
The good news is that I finally came up with a relatively simple install that truly works, the bad is that the bearing hole has to be perfectly centered, and exactly the right depth. Even a standard drill press won’t work, and using a mill as a precision drill is iffy at best, you need a lathe with a center drill.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/5_G.thumb.jpg
For the current batch of bearings I have a 5/32” drill bit is perfect, tight enough so that the bearing has to be pressed in so that it is held securely but can be removed if needed, for added security a very small drop of lock-tight on the outer bearing wall so that none gets on the sides will ensure that it will never accidentally come loose.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/6_G.thumb.jpg
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/9_G.thumb.jpg
Unfortunately there’s another problem, the axle has to be precisely the right diameter to press tightly into the bearing without expanding the walls enough to do damage. For my current batch of bearings that exactly 0.060 inches, 0.059 inches is so loose that it just slips out while 0.0605” slows the bearing down and 0.061” damages the bearing enough that you can feel the roughness.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/7_G.thumb.jpg
The good news is that you get to choose the knuckle to wheel spacing so it can be optimized for the tire/wheel width and the particular body you want to use. Again a simple drop of lock-tight or CA will insure it stays right where you want it.
http://lbspd.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album97/11_G.jpg
Aside from the lathe, two tools that come in very handy are an inexpensive feeler gage set to accurately measure and set the hub-to-knuckle spacing, and a pinion puller which can be used to press the axle into the bearing and knuckle as well as remove them when needed.