Adjusting SPF wheel bearings.

Steve C

Steve
GT40s Supporter
Guess I can figure it out (loosen the retainer, tighten like normal/ no rocking and allow wheel at least 1 spin and replace retainer ) but, is there a factory procedure?

Fronts easy to get to but, rear requires removal of the stub axle.

Steve P2125
 

Steve C

Steve
GT40s Supporter
Hi Jack,

Just in case others don't know.

Jack is refering to tools needed to remove and install the stub axles. The splines have a very slight twist to them (this was a later mod to the originals to prevent "clunking"). The tools act like a wheel puller/wheel press rather than banging the heck out of the axle and damaging the bearing.

In my case I'm lucky my axles were specially fabricated (extra heavy duty for the 427 FE ) and fit tight but no twist to the splines so I can get them in and out without the tools and lucky for me I have no clunk either. I have had them in and out to replace torn boots a few times (original boots for my special axles were hard rubber and ripped...replacements are soft rubber and no problems).

Steve P2125
 
I still haven't driven my car much but I've noticed a clunking at low speed after driving the car for more than say 45min. It can come from either side. It does seem to be coming from the rear axles or hub. So what is it that causes it?
 
Richard, that clunking could be from the emergency brake shoes, they can stick in their mountings and chatter.
I pulled mine apart and clearanced everything so that the shoes would slide like they are supposed to and now it is quiet.
Dave
 
Thanks David, I'll have a look. By the way I'm look for an original A/C belt tensioner that came with your car. Do you still have yours and if so what would it take to talk you out of it. I'm assuming you didn't use yours. Thanks.
 
I'm getting ready to disassemble the rear hubs to clean, grease and perform a general inspection prior to a track day I have planned & have a few questions,

1.) Is there a way to tell which stub axles this car has? Twisted or straight?

2.) Anyone happen to know what size the nut (bolt?) is inside the hub is?

This is chassis 2109 so I assume it's probably got the straight splines but I'd like to know for sure if possible before hand.
 
I'm getting ready to disassemble the rear hubs to clean, grease and perform a general inspection prior to a track day I have planned & have a few questions,

1.) Is there a way to tell which stub axles this car has? Twisted or straight?

2.) Anyone happen to know what size the nut (bolt?) is inside the hub is?

This is chassis 2109 so I assume it's probably got the straight splines but I'd like to know for sure if possible before hand.

Jeff,
I have chassis #2226 and my splines looked straight, but I didn't measure anything to check for a twist. Things were definitely tight enough that I wouldn't have wanted to separate things with a hammer. Olthoff was generous enough to lend me his assembly-disassembly tools for freight cost only. The nut on the outside is 36mm. You will also need the special 'pin' socket Olthoff sells for tightening the bearings from the inside.
 
Thank you for the information Dave! 36mm - now I won't have to buy a hand full of sockets trying to find the correct size! :)

I've got a pretty complete assortment of pullers & a shop press, is the puller a custom unit for these hubs?

And the adjusting nut for the bearings - is this the same as the front? I used a couple of allen wrenches to provide the leverage needed to make the adjustment on the front & it worked well.
 
Thank you for the information Dave! 36mm - now I won't have to buy a hand full of sockets trying to find the correct size! :)

I've got a pretty complete assortment of pullers & a shop press, is the puller a custom unit for these hubs?

And the adjusting nut for the bearings - is this the same as the front? I used a couple of allen wrenches to provide the leverage needed to make the adjustment on the front & it worked well.
Jeff,
The puller and 'pusher' are custom. There are actually 2 pushers as a large nut screws over the 'outer' axle (R&L handed). A threaded rod pushes the inner stub axle in to remove it. The puller one threads onto the inner stub axle and pulls it thru the outer axle for replacement. Olthoff was going to have some of these made for sale, but I don't think they are available yet. They could be fabricated, but you would have to machine the threaded bits or buy 2 wheel nuts and the inner stub nut. The bearing adjuster nut is the same as the front, but harder to reach inside the hub.
 

Kirby Schrader

They're mostly silver
Lifetime Supporter
Yessir! They are definitely available from Olthoff. I have had a set now for probably a year or so.

I had an issue where you could 'lose' the end piece down in the hub. Dennis said he'd fix that on the later versions. Dunno if that's been finished though...

FWIW,
Kirby

Jeff,
The puller and 'pusher' are custom. There are actually 2 pushers as a large nut screws over the 'outer' axle (R&L handed). A threaded rod pushes the inner stub axle in to remove it. The puller one threads onto the inner stub axle and pulls it thru the outer axle for replacement. Olthoff was going to have some of these made for sale, but I don't think they are available yet. They could be fabricated, but you would have to machine the threaded bits or buy 2 wheel nuts and the inner stub nut. The bearing adjuster nut is the same as the front, but harder to reach inside the hub.
 
Yessir! They are definitely available from Olthoff. I have had a set now for probably a year or so.

I had an issue where you could 'lose' the end piece down in the hub. Dennis said he'd fix that on the later versions. Dunno if that's been finished though...

FWIW,
Kirby
Kirby,
Do you recall the cost on them?
 

Jim Craik

Lifetime Supporter
I get some clunking from the left rear on hard right turns, I have checked the bearings and they fee tight with no "play", does anyone have any thoughts?
 

Kirby Schrader

They're mostly silver
Lifetime Supporter
I get some clunking from the left rear on hard right turns, I have checked the bearings and they fee tight with no "play", does anyone have any thoughts?

I had clunking as well... checked wheel bearings, etc., but no difference.

Then I tightened the lower ball joint because it was loose!

Try that.

FWIW,
Kirby
 

Steve C

Steve
GT40s Supporter
Kirby,

Lower ball joint on rear; do you mean front (he had clunking from the rear) and if you do mean front did you tighten the large nut inside the upright or the "nut cap" on bottom...Also did you check for grease?

Please advise.

Tx
 

Kirby Schrader

They're mostly silver
Lifetime Supporter
Kirby,

Lower ball joint on rear; do you mean front (he had clunking from the rear) and if you do mean front did you tighten the large nut inside the upright or the "nut cap" on bottom...Also did you check for grease?

Please advise.

Tx

Darn... didn't read closely enough. Thought the question was about the front.
I tightened the large nut on the bottom. But I also checked other bolts and nuts. Some were OK, some were loose.... even though they had the pretty red mark to show they'd been checked.

Also, I had all my wheel bearings get loose. I had to tighten them three times in some cases. I attribute this to the factory not fully setting the the race into the hub. I've not had a problem with the bearings since.

Of course, as you know, you need a nice expensive set of tools to remove the rear axles to adjust the wheel bearings back there.

The clunking in the rear... besides wheel bearings.

I'd check the parking brakes. They come loose with bad stuff happening... I did like Jack Houpe did and used a through bolt and nylock nut. Also used loctite on the other screws. My left one was about to let go. I'm glad I checked when I did.

Regards,
Kirby
 
I'm still hoping for a couple of pictures of these tools. I'm about to register the car and pay the sales tax so there will not be any money for new tools. I guess I could figure it out myself but I hate inventing the wheel when it already done. Pretty Please!! Pictures!!!
 

Kirby Schrader

They're mostly silver
Lifetime Supporter
I'm still hoping for a couple of pictures of these tools. I'm about to register the car and pay the sales tax so there will not be any money for new tools. I guess I could figure it out myself but I hate inventing the wheel when it already done. Pretty Please!! Pictures!!!

OK, I went outside in dark and stormy night, opened up my trailer (where the tools were still located since coming back from Road America) and took a picture.

The two on the left are the puller tools. One for the left side and one for the right. The one on the right is the 'put back on' tool.

A word of warning... the 'put back on tool' can surprise you if you don't watch it... the collar can stay in the hub and the rest of it comes out! Ask me how I know.... I talked to Dennis about it and he said he'd fix that. Dunno' how he fixed it though... I put some serious wrench on it with loctite to make sure it comes out with everything intact.

FWIW,
Kirby
 

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