Re: hubs and styles

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

On Tue, 27 Apr 1999, John Fleck wrote:

> Tom exactly why do these new hubs eliminate the wheel bearing nuts? I am
> confused. I should ask Bill Thebert for the answer as he is the one who
> installed them. Bill??? Please explain these new style and the benifits of
> them. Thanks

John - ever see an AUTO/LOCK-O-MATIC hub?

They use a hex-nut (like you saw last weekend) and flat washer against 
the wheel bearing.  Then a round "washer" that's keyed to the spindle 
(much like the second flat washer on a manual hub setup) but has 3 
recesses in it for some allen screws.

Then, instead of the large hex "jam-nut", the Autos use a round nut, the 
threads on with a spanner wrench, and you then screw the 3 allen screws 
into the washer (that's between the main hex-nut and the round nut, and 
is keyed to the spindle, remember)

My understanding from Bill is that the new Warn internal hubs for the 
Scout II use a system very similar to this.

I *think* I heard Bill say that instead of the thin-wall hex-socket, you 
now use the Ford/Chevy "castellated" 4-prong socket for the wheel bearing 
pre-load, then the lock washer/ring, and then the "round nut" with the 
hex-screws.

It doesn't *eliminate* the wheel bearing nut.  What it eliminates is the 
"jam nut" and the bent-over flat washers that are supposed to keep the 
wheel bearing nuts from backing off.  PITA.

My wheel bearings come loose now and then because it's such a pain to 
bend those big flat washers over all of the time.. so I tear the hubs 
apart now and then and re-torque the wheel bearings.  With the new style 
Warns, I wouldn't need to re-torque.

Or if I just cannibalized the set of AUTO hubs I have and used the AUTOs 
wheel bearing nut setup with my manual hubs, that would work, too..

-Tom