I started using the double hubs on an HP Bugeye when Joe Huffaker Sr. first
sold them. The car does, however, have the later steel wheel cylinders. I
always had to put some "kinks" in the springs to keep them from rubbing on
the hub itself. When I pulled the car out of the garage in '95 to have some
fun with vintage racing in my dotage, I upgraded the studs to 7/16" -- which
wasn't legal in the late 60's. The stud flanges had to be ground down to
reduce interference with the wheel cylinder dust seals. I've never gotten
the wear there completely stopped, but the spring rub is eliminated with the
kinks. The only difference I've seen between Joe's old hubs and the new
Mania ones is the placement of the inner bearing. The Mania one puts the
inner bearing closer to the outboard bearing allowing for a circlip to hold
the bearing in the hub (instead of leaving them on the shaft) during
removal. I have no idea about the quality of modern replacement axles, but
I do know that the double bearing hub was the first real solution to the
broken axle flange which plagued all Sprite racing in the middle 60's.
Myles Winbigler
Bugeye AN5L-9781 - a race car since 1961
Lotus 7 America SB1092 - yet another BMC delusion.
-----Original Message-----
From Mike & Kerry Gigante <mikeg at vicnet.net.au>
To: Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Cc: Thickos <team-thicko@autox.team.net>
Date: Monday, February 14, 2000 9:39 PM
Subject: Double Bearing hubs for Spridgets - anyone using them?
>I recently fitted a set of DB hubs I bought from Mini Mania back in
>'96 (I know - I'm so slack).
>
>I fitted them to my new racecar just before Bathurst last year. At the 2nd
>meeting
>with these hubs on, I had a total brake failure at about 120 mph at the 1st
>turn at
>Sandown - *very* hairy ride which ended up about a yard and a half from an
>armco barrier that it self is about 100 yds from the track.
>
>Well I now know what happened. The shoe return springs were ground down by
>the hubs causing the shue to wear out very assymetrically and rapidly. The
>piston
>them popped out of the wheel cylinder and presto - no brakes (early master
>cylinder).
>
>I have played around with the hubs and springs and tried all the
>combinations that
>seemed likely but cannot avoid a slight rubbing b/n the hubs and the
>springs. As I
>am heading off for a closed road special stage rally this weekend, (one
with
>lots of
>trees and cliffs close to the roads), I have removed the hubs and gone back
>to originals
>until I find a solution.
>
>Maybe I'm missing something, but these things seem dangerous to me. If
there
>is a
>way around it, I'd appreciate hearing from you. If you reckon I'm mistaken
>for some
>reason, tell me why and I'll respond with an affirmative or a negaative!
>
>Yes, I am sure that is what happened - a quick glance at the other side
>showed that it
>was destined to fail not far down the line.
>
>If you do have the hubs, maybe youshould check those springs and let us
know
>whether the same is happening to yours.
>
>Yes, I am aware that the top springs are handed.
>
>Mike
>
>
>
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