• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Splined Hubs

aero3113

Jedi Trainee
Offline
I'm looking to convert my bolt on wheel hubs (ford rear) to splined hubs. Are there any advantages or disadvantages between coars and fine threads for the knock off?
 

Bob_Spidell

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
I have fine on a BN2, and coarse on a BJ8. It's easier and quicker to remove and replace the coarse-threaded knockoffs.
 

Lotuswins

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
From an engineering standpoint, the finer threads will give more clamping force for a given torque, however, the coarser threads are better with softer materials as you have more surface area to spread the stresses over. Since the knockoffs are brass I would opt for the coarse threads.
 
OP
aero3113

aero3113

Jedi Trainee
Offline
Are Triumph rear hubs the same as Healey hubs? Are the wheels interchangeable between cars?
 
Country flag
Offline
The switch to coarse threads, in regards to the Healey line, came about at the same time the BJ8 got different calipers, rotors, reduced diameter front stub-axles and smaller outer wheel bearings.

I guess someone decided the trade off was worth it__but were they an engineer or an accountant...?


I'm not aware of splined adapters cracking/breaking because of a too thin cross-section, only of the splines themselves wearing down, so the increased thickness__required for the coarse threads__seems unwarranted. But I've been wrong before...

If your front splines are fine-thread, it makes sense (to me at least) that the rears should be too. It's inconceivable that any of us would ever mix up a fine for a coarse threaded knock-off, but I'll bet someone, somewhere has done it, and what with having a BFH in their other hand, might've even gotten some traction with it!

I believe most Triumphs had four (4) lug rear axle flanges (not sure if the bolt-circle diameter was the same as a BN1 though) so I wouldn't go messing around swapping TR parts to the Healey. As for the wheels themselves, yes, the spline-drive hubs will interchange, as I used 72-spoke TR6 wheels on my drum-braked BN6 for many years.
 

John Turney

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
...
I'm not aware of splined adapters cracking/breaking because of a too thin cross-section, only of the splines themselves wearing down, so the increased thickness__required for the coarse threads__seems unwarranted. But I've been wrong before...
.
That happened to the Works Rally cars, not in normal driving.
 
Country flag
Offline
That happened to the Works Rally cars, not in normal driving.
I must've missed the memo ;)

I'm certainly not doubting you, but I've read (and own) just about every book ever written on the Healey Marque and its exploits, but that escapes my memory. Ah, but I've slept since then, so my memory isn't trustworthy!
 
OP
aero3113

aero3113

Jedi Trainee
Offline
I'm getting close to finally getting all of my parts to convert to splined hubs. Now my question is about the shims and spacers. The bolt on hubs that were on the car had neither? Are they necessary? They just had the washer and nut, like an American car.
 

John Turney

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
I'm getting close to finally getting all of my parts to convert to splined hubs. Now my question is about the shims and spacers. The bolt on hubs that were on the car had neither? Are they necessary? They just had the washer and nut, like an American car.
Not necessary.
 

Bob_Spidell

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
John - if you're referring to the distance piece and shims on the front axles, that's a controversial statement. Many would disagree.

Right up there with 'which oil' and 'which tires.' I just installed new rotors and bearings in my BJ8, and the following occurred to me:

This 'argument' usually centers around whether or not the distance piece reinforces the stub axle. Whether this is true or not--I suspect it is--is secondary; the main/real reason for the spacer is to anchor the inner races of the bearings and the spacer upon which the seal rides. The bearings are a tight fit--I thought for a minute or two that mine were the wrong size--but not so tight as to prevent them from turning on the axle (you'd have to pound them on). They may only turn slowly, and may not necessarily become damaged over the limited usage most of our cars get, but they could turn, and the seal spacer is a fairly loose fit and the drag from the seal could cause it to turn. I know from experience that the turning force on the bearings is significant; once, I either failed to torque the big nut adequately, or had a defective part, but the thick washer with the inner tab that fits in the slot in the axle rotated, resulting in a frightening screeching noise when I had just started a long road trip with my son. I kept driving, the washer got wedged to a stop--the tab on the washer was completely sheared off--and we continued the trip, but I've never forgotten that lesson.

Steve, you've been on point about the gaskets for the rear hubs from Moss being too thick to allow the outer spacer to adequately clamp the bearing. I believe the spacer on the front axles serves the same purpose; i.e. to keep bearings from turning on the axle (this is why the recommended torque setting is a relatively robust 40-70 lb-ft). The shims, of course, are there to set proper preload on the bearings and must be installed correctly.

And, I'll fall back on the old saw: do you think the bean counters at BMC would have allowed the extra few quid to be spent on the spacers and shims if they weren't absolutely necessary?
 

steveg

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
....
And, I'll fall back on the old saw: do you think the bean counters at BMC would have allowed the extra few quid to be spent on the spacers and shims if they weren't absolutely necessary?

This is the absolute crux of the matter: that people for whom this was their business actually knew more than hobbyists like us. I include myself!

I would argue that we should do it their way unless conclusively proven otherwise.
 
OP
aero3113

aero3113

Jedi Trainee
Offline
Great find on the video Rick! I've heard both sides, to use and not to use. I decided to use them. I ordered the spacers from AH spares along with 2 of each size shim. Hopefully that's all I'll need! I was able to catch them before they shipped my new Everflex hood and side curtains (supposed to ship tomorrow). I placed that order in August!
 

Bob_Spidell

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
Couple things on the video (I actually RTFM'd the shop manual, for once, before I did mine): 1) the manual, IIRC, says to set up the front end to 'remove end float' (I didn't see '0.002-0.003",' but I've heard it elsewhere and said it myself), 2) the manual gave a spec for preload on the bearings*, something like a few inch-lbs of torque to turn the hub--like you would set up a rear-end pinion gear--not 'spin freely,' and 3) I cringed when he spun the hub with dry bearings; I've always heard that's a no-no.

*I didn't set preload with a torque wrench, just added/removed shims until end float was undetectable, and the hub--minus the seal and with just a little light oil on the bearings--spun with just a smidgen of resistance when fully torqued down. I've got a couple hundred miles on them already; I'm assuming that if I'd done anything seriously wrong I'd know by now. Also, I used this stuff on the bearings:

https://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=82

'Old school dino' bearing grease has never caused me any problems--my old bearings and races were pitted and gouged, but I went too many miles without repacking--but this stuff just 'feels' better. I'm not a shill for Redline (honest!) but I'm sold on synthetics, except for engines, where I think for our old cars it's more important to change it frequently, and it's just too dang expensive and sometimes hard to contain.
 

John Turney

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
John - if you're referring to the distance piece and shims on the front axles, that's a controversial statement. Many would disagree.
I was thinking (I know - dangerous) based on the original post, we were talking about the rear axle.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
aero3113 Splined hubs Austin Healey 2
J Rear splined hubs AH3000 Austin Healey 4
E question about splined hubs Austin Healey 13
NardisCNC Greasing Splined Hubs for Wire Wheels........... Spridgets 6
G Splined Wire Wheel Hubs Austin Healey 7
R Bugeye splined wheels Spridgets 0
69MGC MGC Need one MGB/C Splined Hub MG 1
69MGC Wanted Need one MGB/C Splined Hub MG Classifieds 4
55modified Splined mag wheels? Who makes or machines them without center adapter? Austin Healey 5
J Splined hub thread dimension Austin Healey 2
hondo402000 splined wheel adapter kit to sell Triumph 0
hondo402000 Splined hub set Triumph 5
K TR2/3/3A TR3A Splined hub extension picture? Triumph 4
eschneider do they exist --- splined steel wheels [not wires] Other British Cars 15
jhva Splined Hub Tool Restoration & Tools 6
barneye TR2/3/3A TR3A Splined hub torque Triumph 2
S TR2/3/3A differential hubs early tr3 and tr2 Triumph 22
J Installing Adapter Hubs for Wire Wheels on a Bugeye Austin Healey 5
BoyRacer For Sale BJ8 disk wheel hubs, spindles & calipers Austin Healey Classifieds 0
vpanza TR2/3/3A EARLY TR3 hubs for wire wheel????? Triumph 5
CARSINC For Sale Sprite Front Wire Wheel Hubs Spridgets Classified 0
CARSINC For Sale AH Sprite Axles and Hubs Spridgets Classified 0
BoyRacer For Sale BJ8 spindles & disc wheel hubs Austin Healey Classifieds 0
DocDup1 MGA Wire Wheel Hubs For MGA MG 6
FrogPond "57 100E Front Hubs on E494A Spindles ? Other British Cars 6
R For Sale TR6 REAR AXLE HUBS Triumph Classifieds 0
K TR2/3/3A Greasing the Front Wheel Hubs? Triumph 9
G Noisy Rear Hubs Austin Healey 6
Jayplum TR2/3/3A Wheels, tires, hubs and axles Triumph 22
F I can’t remove Wire wheels from new hubs - help Austin Healey 43
F Three worn hubs and wire wheel centers - What to do next? 1960 BT7 Austin Healey 6
Raymond MGB Rear Wire Hubs MG 6
drooartz Installing front hubs, tips? Spridgets 15
T TR4/4A Painting front hubs Triumph 2
Got_All_4 For Sale Triumph Austin Healy Jaguar 15"x5.5" Complete Wire Wheels Set & Hubs Triumph Classifieds 1
KVH TR4/4A Front Wire Wheel Hubs Differ from Disc Hubs?? Triumph 5
maxwedge5281 bn6 drum brake front hubs Austin Healey 3
aero3113 Installing Front rotors to hubs Austin Healey 2
maxwedge5281 front hubs for bolt on wheels Austin Healey 7
Sarastro TR4/4A Are these axles and hubs usable? Triumph 12
Jim_Gruber Hubs a Rocking on side where Speedi Sleeve was installed Spridgets 5
Jim_Gruber Reinstalling Brake Hubs and Wheel Hubs in Rear. Spridgets 5
C For Sale BN1 Front Drum Brakes assemblies and hubs for sale Austin Healey Classifieds 0
R Rear Hubs/bearings Austin Healey 25
D Rear Hubs Renewed. Austin Healey 0
2 TR2/3/3A TR2 Lockheed Hubs - Disc Wheel Triumph 3
H MGB MGB [Racing] Front hubs WTD MG 1
catfood Rear hubs on a BN1 Austin Healey 4
maxwedge5281 front pieces for bj7 hubs with bolt on wheels Austin Healey 8
M Ever seen this ? - early wire hubs for drum brakes Spridgets 10

Similar threads

Top