front disc brake hubs for steel wheels

[maxwedge5281]

i have a 63 bj7 with the minilite look wheels with knockoffs. where would i find a set of front disc brake hubs that will work with steel wheels. my favorite healey of years past was a 1960 bn6 with steel wheels and front disc brakes. still like that look as well as the opportunity to use other wheels. thanks,

 

[Randy Forbes]

You might get lucky and find you a set, but they're fairly rare. Years ago, I gave up looking and had a few sets made; none of these are available now, but a crafty machinist could reproduce them...

4140 solid steel blanks:

These took about 1-1/2 years from the time the steel was dropped off (I'm sure I spent a year measuring & remeasuring an NOS BJ8 hub before that__compensating for the earlier/larger outer bearing dimension) since this was a "backdoor" project at a machine shop that I did work for back in the 80s-90s (date stamp reflects conversion from prints to digital files). I can't imagine what these would represent__cost-wise__if done at face value.

Point is, if you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to get it!

 

[vette]

You could try Dennis Welsh Motor Sports, UK. I know he makes rear bearing carrier hubs but I don't know about the front.

 

[maxwedge5281]

is there a way to adapt a set of earlier bn6/7/bt7 or whatever to the bj7 front end?

 

[BoyRacer]

I have a set for sale. Send me a private message. Also, there is no way to convert 100-6 drum brake front hubs to disc brake front hubs.
The 3000 disc brake front hubs will fit every front spindle from the BN1 through the BJ7. The BJ8 spindles have a different bearing size so the disc (non wire) wheel front hubs for the BJ8 are super rare...I also have a set of these for sale if anyone is interested. Send me a private message if interested in either set.
Richard

 

[maxwedge5281]

i sent you a private message this morning...wednesday. thanks

 

[Randy_Gay]

The rear drums may present some issues since they would be dished for the splined hubs.

 

[Randy Forbes]

The rear drums may present some issues since they would be dished for the splined hubs.

There are workarounds; I'm pretty sure I have a pair of DW/rear drums up in the garage's attic, if Larry needs them.

I did this before I found the drums:

 

[maxwedge5281]

rhanks to the forum i have the necessary parts for the conversion. thanks to richard and randy for their expertise and pulling out the necessary parts. i will have to come up with longer wheel studs for the rear drums. thanks again!!!

 

[Randy Forbes]

Moroso part no. 46150 for the individual stud(s) 7/16" x 20 x 2-7/8" with .480" knurl. Packs of five (5) with lugnuts are #46450

Summit: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-46150/overview/
Jeg's: https://www.jegs.com/i/Moroso/710/46150/10002/-1?parentProductId=748727
ARP: https://www.jegs.com/i/ARP/070/100-7701/10002/-1 (has slightly larger knurl @ .486")
Moser (10 in pkg/best value): https://www.jegs.com/i/Moser-Engineering/718/8050/10002/-1

In other words, you won't have any trouble finding the studs; might even be able to pick them up local...

Edit: Interestingly, these Milodon stud sets are the only ones that say for use with wheel spacers (the others not). Technically, the disc wheel rear drums are in effect, spacers...

Milodon: https://www.jegs.com/i/Milodon/697/86050/10002/-1

 

[Hangtown Healey]

I took a stock BJ8 wire wheel front hub, cut off the splines and bolted on an adapter. Been fine since 1976.
Ken Freese

 

[Randy Forbes]

I took a stock BJ8 wire wheel front hub, cut off the splines and bolted on an adapter. Been fine since 1976.
Ken Freese

I looked into doing that before embarking on machining my own hubs, but the disc bolt-circle pattern didn't match any commercially available adapters__seems like it was a little under, or over, 4-1/2 on 5. Did you redrill the hub/rotors to match the adapter?

Where did your front track wind up, but I'm thinking it must've grown a bit, stacking the adapter outboard of where the splined hub used to be?

Just curious, as I'm already set to run either disc or wires, at will.

 

[drambuie]

Wow....you are VERY lucky that two of the members here have what your looking for! Most larger machine shops would not bother to run these parts because they would be a one off and not worth there time for set ups. However, there are plenty of small machine shops that would take the job. Most likely they would give the job to one of the Manual machinist for rough and finish turning and boring operations, then on to the Bridgeport vertical mill for drilling the bolt hole circles, counter bores and contouring milling around the bolt hole face. I machined many parts on a routine basis such as these on manual and CNC machines and quoted many jobs as well. Shop rates are at least $150 to $250 per hour depending on what part of the country your from. And I can promise you, you would forget about those hubs very quickly if you ever got a quote from a good machine shop. Not to mention the cost of material which by the way is not cheap! Notice how there are five blanks instead of four! That is factored in on all machining quotes as well. Any good machinist can work off a existing part you drop off to them without a drawing. It's called per part as opposed to per print. In any case your very very, fortunate to have a couple of really great guys offer you those parts my friend! Good luck with your Healey.

 

[maxwedge5281]

again, thanks for the help and yes i suppose that i was fortunate to find these parts on the forum and at a reasonable cost. randy, the Milidon swheels studs have a .480 knurl which is larger???? than the healey knurl. is there a drill bit size that you recommend to accomodate the larger knurl? thanks in advance..

 

[Randy Forbes]

... Notice how there are five blanks instead of four! That is factored in on all machining quotes as well...

Actually, there were six (6) blanks for six (6) finished hubs. No mistakes! I had probably already removed one (1) of the 45Lb blanks before I thought to get a picture

Think about that too; 45Lbs to wind up with a part that just weighs a couple pounds when finished.

again, thanks for the help and yes i suppose that i was fortunate to find these parts on the forum and at a reasonable cost. randy, the Milidon swheels studs have a .480 knurl which is larger???? than the healey knurl. is there a drill bit size that you recommend to accomodate the larger knurl? thanks in advance..

That was 15 - 20 years ago that I drilled out the rear hubs, and I've slept since then. Just measure the root diameter of the knurl, and pick the closest drill bit >>under<< that size. It couldn't have been anything special, because I had one on hand. Too small and you might crack the hub, too big and the stud may spin out. You'll figure it out

 

[drambuie]

Yes Randy, starting with 45lbs of material and ending up with a part that weighs a few pounds...but think of the nice looking part you ended up with! Lol. One large machine shop I worked for had maintance crews just for shoveling all the large blue hot chips out of the bed of my Engine lathe for me as I keep cranking out parts, another crew would do the oiling and add coolent. Later on I opened a machine shop with my brother catering to the Printing industry, however we would never turn down a job such as the hubs you machined. Nice Job by the way!

 

[Hangtown Healey]

Perhaps there was more selection 30 years ago on off the shelf adapters. Did you try Advance Adapters? I think they are still in business and maybe they will make an undrilled one for you. My wheel off set is close enough to stock that it looks just right. Just lucky on the front I guess. I use a spacer on the back.
I think one of the patterns is the same as a Volvo.

 

[Hangtown Healey]

I did not redrill the hubs.

 

[maxwedge5281]

randy, i just opened the box with the rear brake drums. they look great!!! thank you so much for the very good deal.. awaiting the front hubs which are enroute!

 

[Randy Forbes]

Glad you like them, they were serving no purpose up in my attic