Starting to put my five lug conversion back together and discovered I have two different wheel hubs. I didn't realize just how different till I started installing them. The one on the left has subtle differences. It is almost 1/4 of an inch smaller at the outer flange diameter. The wheel lug holes are the correct bolt pattern but are closer to the outer edge of the hub flange. The not so subtle difference is, when installed, it sits in too far and rubs... badly. To make things worse, I bought them so long ago, I don't even remember who I bought them from. Looks like maybe a trip up to Parts Heaven. I wonder now, if I can tap the hub out without damaging my new wheel bearing? I know. I know. I should have checked them more carefully. Sheesh! You guys are starting to sound like my wife.

Are the back sides of the flanges different? ie: does one of them have beefed up reinforced areas behind the stud holes?

Too bad your timing isn't better. I drive near PH every day AND I'm heading to King City (Fort Hunter Liggett) tomorrow. BTW. I'm usually down at FHL once a week...

That sucks! I think you will have to replace the bearing also.

Good luck,
Dragan

BTW, I'll be heading back to FHL 1-28-13 if I can help you with delivery.

Thanks Mike. I'll let you know.

Actually both do. I'll have take the other one out tomorrow and take a really close look at them. (Something I should have done anyway). Then I guess I'll order two new wheel bearings. Faauuck!! It takes considerable effort to get the hubs out and I don't know if I want to trust the bearings after beating on them like that.

Doesn't the bearing retainer keep everything in place? I use a slide hammer to pop the hub out in one quick motion.

I do basically the same thing except I drive it out with a punch from the other end not unlike the description in the Haynes manual. Either way you do it, it places a side impact on the bearings that they were not (I think) designed to take. If I'm wrong about that and the experts agree that the bearings can be re-used after banging on them like that, I'm all for it. I just installed new ones and would rather not have to buy two more but I'd hate to get it all back together and have one or both fail because they were damaged driving out the hubs. Has anyone had experience where they banged out the hubs, yet still re-used the wheel bearings? Am I being overly cautious?

I've done it twice. I do not know about the bearing itself, but the seals get mangled.

I have to do it tomorrow. I'll take a video for you.

I've only removed a set of rear hubs once to date. I had to beat the the hell out of them with several rests stops before they finally came out. Needless to say, the bearings were toast afterwards, however they were originals from 1971


Now, if you had a nice shop press ...


I wonder if stuffing the hubs with dry ice would shrink them enough to allow you to remove them without damaging the bearings?

i have saved parts for years thinking I had "the goods". ...until I went to use them.
I feel your pain

A shop press won't work to remove the hubs without putting huge stress on the bearings. The bad hub actually came out relatively easy so maybe the bearing is OK. Yeah right!

THOMAS says Hi

Tell him to get his butt back on the board

Did he forget how to email?

Two more steps forward. Rear suspension done, 72mm wheel lugs installed. Waiting for rear rotors and front brakes. I sent Jeff at QRS pictures of the problems fitting up the fiberglass fenders. He sent me a message today saying, "it's a simple problem but difficult to explain". Possible one step back.

Just got the rear rotors. Still working to get the left rear fender fit up. Drilled some holes and "clecko'd" it today.