Front Hub

[RichV6]

Just getting ready to change the front hubs on the Cerb and have a couple
of questions. Can you re-use the centre retaining bolt in the front hub
or is it best replaced? If thats not the case I have trawled the net suppliers
and have drawn a blank for the part, any suggestions?
Next question is whats the torque figure for the said retaining bolt and is it
also loctited.

[Allandwf]

Is that the one that retains the bearing with the nylock nut on the back ?
I believe it should be replaced each time if it is.

[jonbarrett]

I rebuilt my hubs. Bolts should be replaced. Track Car sourced specially strengthened one from France for me! There is a Post-It note on my computer saying 175ft/lb. I'm sure that was the hub bolt torque but please tripple check before proceeding. I had to buy a larger torque wrench and managed to tear a ligament in my elbow torquing it up. You might want a garage to do it for you. I'm sure more knowledgable people will be along soon.

[TT Tim]

Replace the bolts.

Mine worked loose after a few laps of Brands Hatch! Not funny, could have been devastating, as it was it runined a disk and damaged the upright.

Tim

[RichV6]

Thats a lot of torque on two tapered roller bearings!!
Still need to find suitable bolts and nuts. Will see if
my local fixings supplier can come up with something.
Then of course theres always Joo, I know he'll be busy
but if all else fails I'll e mail next week.

[spitfire4v8]

I have the uprated bolts and nuts in stock. rears are 240lb.ft but that's pulling on the massive driveshaft thread. The best front bolt my bolt supplier found was a bolt made especially for network rail made in france. This can be torqued to 175lb.ft and has stopped the bearing failures we were seeing on the OE bearings / OE bolt sets on the race cars. You're not really clamping the bearings with 175lb.ft, you're applying a preload limited by a central spacer but the bolt torque limits the bearing flex caused by insufficient clamp load. We concluded the OE bolt possibly stretches which flexes the bearing carriers and varies the bearing preload causing premature failure of the bearings under arduous conditions.

[RichV6]

Hi Joo,

Have sent you a mail re getting in touch. Sounds like I need some new bolts, and
a bigger torque wrench when I do the rear hubs!