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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ front 5 bolt hub question..

Posted by: brant Jun 24 2003, 09:00 AM

Hello everyone,

I'm bolting together a 5-bolt front conversion.
I have early and late style aluminum hubs to choose from. I didn't know there was a difference previously, but see this now.

Is there an advantage to the late style hub over the early style? Why did the factory make the change?

P.S. (I'm leaning towards using the early so that it matches my racecar and I can steal parts if needed in the future)

TIA
brant

Posted by: fuch toy Jun 24 2003, 09:07 AM

The caliper spacing. You can't use the modern calipers on an early 911 front end w/o modifying the ears for attachments. SC front ends are the ones most used.

Early ones are like the stock 914/6 front ends have 3 inch spacing....

Posted by: brant Jun 24 2003, 09:15 AM

I'm using the late strut either way....
but my question is about the aluminum hub.

When I hold all of the parts beside each other, I notice that the late hub has a different grease cap and different housing around the grease cap. I checked the part numbers and they take the same bearings...

So I'm wondering if this is a cosmetic change or if there is an advantage/difference in the actual aluminum hub.

brant

Posted by: John Jentz Jun 24 2003, 10:21 AM

Since you have both sets, use the later larger grease cap set and sell the early NLA set to a CW. The only difference is the gerase cap size.

John Jentz

Posted by: brant Jun 24 2003, 01:42 PM

So John,

there is no performance or real reason?

I have early hubs on my vintage race car, so I'll keep the early style as spares.. (I lost one hub already on the race car)....

brant

Posted by: John Jentz Jun 24 2003, 03:33 PM

I can't think of any reason except isn't later always better?
They both have hubcentric rings don't they?

John

Posted by: mr914 Jun 24 2003, 05:45 PM

Personally, I would go with the later style. For the better bolt spacing.

But on the other hand. If you can buy a complete set of front spindles/brakes for $100 like I did. Go for the early ones.

Just my 2cents

Posted by: brant Jun 24 2003, 05:53 PM

thanks john,
and later is often better but in this case WHY...
I guess there is no answer about why.

mr.914, what do you mean better bolt spacing. The bolt spacing on the hubs looks the same? Do you mean that the struts have spacing to accept later calipers?..... Just to clarify. I have 4 (5 bolt) struts... 2 early and 2 late... I'm going with later struts, but my question is about the differences in the early and late hubs...

forget it..
I'm tired and its been a hard day.
sorry if this comes across as less than friendly.

good night
brant

Posted by: TimT Jun 24 2003, 07:51 PM

The hubs are different, and the spindles are different

early spindle/hubs use smaller diameter diameter-fine thread clamping nuts.

late spindle/hubs use larger diameter-coarse thread clamping nuts.

The bearings are the same

you can use a late hub on early spindle, but not a early hub on a late spindle ( well you can turn them on a lathe to make them work)

I have a surplus of early hubs so I machine them to work on late spindles...

Posted by: brant Jun 25 2003, 08:09 AM

Tim,

thank you for the info..
that makes since, and I feared some incompatibility.
thank you
brant