Front Axle Part 6 - Finally getting to the Hub of the matter...

I finally managed to find some time to make some progress on the actually build last weekend with the re-assembly and fitment of the front hubs.

I'd previously placed another order with SNG Barratt for the service parts needed as shown below.

Contents of Wheel Bearing Kit from SNG

Prior to attempting to install the new bearings I gave the hubs a final clean out to get rid of any final remnants of sand from the blasting prior to powder coating.  I read on the internet about masking off bearing recesses etc when sand blasting to avoid any contamination with blasting media.  Unfortunately I read that after I had sand blasted my hubs......And sure enough there were some traces of sand clinging to the cast areas in the middle of the hubs.  A final clean-out with some cotton buds soaked in WD40 and a blow out with the airgun and I think (hope) I managed to remove all traces of grit / sand that might lead to a very short bearing life!!

Cleaned out and grit free....(fingers crossed)

I recycled the old bearing races to use a drifts to assist in installing the new races.  Firstly I cut a slot in the old races using an angle grinder with a cutting disk so that the old races wouldn't get stuck in the bearing recesses - the slot allows the old race to be compressed slightly so it can be pulled out easily.

Old bearing races modified to assist with installation of new races

It was then a simple task of seating the new races into their respective housings and using the old race and a large hammer to gently tap the races into the hub until they were fully seated.

Inboard race prior to any gentle tapping....

Modified bearing drift...

Finally got the boy off the X-box to help out!

Inboard race fully installed and seated...

....followed by outboard bearing race.

With races installed it's time to get greasy!  Armed with a tub of high performance bearing grease and a large box of disposable gloves I set about packing the central part of the wheel hubs between the two bearing races with grease making sure I got plenty of grease in and any large air pockets out! 

Grease - does exactly what it says on the tin....

Having formed a large grease "dam" behind the bearing races, I packed the inboard roller bearings with grease, making sure to get all the spaces in the bearing cage as full of grease as I could manage.  The inboard bearings are then placed in their bearing races and the outer grease seals pressed into place (I used a large block of wood and the large hammer to press the seals in fully).

Hub cavity packed with grease

Inboard bearing cage greased and in place

The stub axle on the front uprights then got a generous coating of grease as well and then the hubs can be slid onto the stub axles.

A well lubricated shaft........(sorry...)

The outboard bearings were then packed with grease as above and pushed into their bearing races.  The D-washers from the original donor car were then placed over the end of the stub axle and a new locknut screwed onto the end.

Outboard bearing race inserted in place

D-washer and lock nut in place

The recommended procedure is then to tighten the locknut to 16Nm / 12 ft-lbs to seat the hub onto the stub axle and then while rotating the hub assembly in the forward direction tighten further to 27Nm / 20 ft-lbs.  The locknut is then slackened off half a turn and then retightened hand tight only.  The assembly was finished off with a new locknut retainer and split pin.

All torqued up with new nut retainer and lockpin installed

That's the front end finished for the moment, pending installation of the brakes.  Time for some rear end action now!

Completed hub assembly

Stoneleigh Kit Car Show - 2019

My son and I  took a quick trip up to Stoneleigh for the National Kit Car Show over the first May bank holiday weekend.

The last year seems to have zipped by; at last year's show we were still doing research before buying our cobra kit and now we are on the early stages of the build.

The show was much busier than last year and it was good to see the AK stand getting lots of visitors!

The main purpose of the visit was to get some thoughts and ideas around future details of the build; colours, dashboard layouts, lights, wheels etc etc.

Unfortunately the visit opened up some very clear differences between my son and I!  I am tending towards quick-lift jacks rather than over-riders, he is thinking full bumpers and over-riders.  I wanted a classic wooden steering wheel, he wants a modern black wheel.  I was thinking classic gauges in the cockpit, he found some horrible digital colour changing gauges (no way!).

It's a good job we have plenty of time before having to make some of these choices!!!!

Lights....modern?...

...or classic P700 style...?

Classic oxblood cockpit...

Nice grey leather cockpit...

Or black...?  (No wooden steering wheels in sight!!)

We also had a good wander through the trade stands and picked up some essentials including some abrasive disks, a new set of automatic wire-strippers, a new sign for the garage, some more powder-coating powder and a TIG welder.  OK the TIG welder wasn't an essential but I am a sucker for a bargain and it was a show special, half price at £100!

Retail therapy....

Of course the welder turned out to maybe not such a bargain after all and when I got it home and opened it up it has a strange blue plug on the end of the power lead.  Apparently they don't fit a standard 13A socket......and it requires a 32A supply.....and my garage only has a 16A supply.......

Oh well - time to call the electrician!!

Can't get that into a normal socket!!!