Disc Brake Guys- I Have A Question:

[HughForrest]

 I'm installing Charlie's kit on my '50 Plymouth. I'd just ask him my questions- in fact we were corresponding on this a couple of days ago-, but he seems to be having a problem with his web site and the @rustyhope.com email isn't working right now.

 

This is not a gripe about Charlie or his product in any way. I'm sure he'll be back up and running shortly; but today is my day off and I'm hoping to figure this out so I'm asking the group for any advice you might have.

 

My first email to him:

 

 When I put on the bearing adapters they were rattling around on the axle stubs. I know you suggested peening the stub, but I shimmed with a strip of an aluminum soda can all the way around the circumference. Soda cans are about .004", so I effectively added ~ .008 to the diameter of the stub. The spacer sits better now, but is still removable with my fingers only.  
 

When I installed the rotor I had trouble getting an adjustment I liked. When the rotor turns freely I can grab it at 6 and 12 o'clock and it'll wiggle (This is with just the rotor mounted, no rims or tires). Tighten the nut by 1 more flat (1/6 of a turn) and the wiggle is gone and it turns,

but with some noticeable resistance.

 

 Do you think the spacer is still too loose on the stub?

 When properly adjusted should I be able to wiggle the rotor at all?

 I don't remember having any problem with this when I did my '38, so any suggestions are appreciated.

Hugh

 

His response:

 

Are you trying to turn it at the tighter position with dry bearings?  That may be part of the resistance.  The aluminum shim may be the source of the play if you have it installed under the bearing also.  Can you install a steel shim or peen the spindle?  If the wiggle is happening with no shim under the bearing   you may have a worn spindle.  Check to see if both spindles have this issue.  Can you adjust the tightness somewhere between wiggle and resistance and get the pin installed?  I have seen it where a very slight change in tension on the nut made all the difference.  Give it some thought, check and let me know please.

 

My latest (this is the email that bounced last night):

 

Charlie-
 The bearings are greased.
  I switched to a different shim and got the spacers to fit a little snugger (though I can still remove them with my fingers).

  The shim does not touch the bearing. In fact the Timken "Set 17" bearing i.d. is 1 3/8", but the axle stub o.d. is 1 1/4". Could this be part of the problem? Just intuitively it seems like the I.D. of the bearing should match the o.d. of the stub.

 Maybe I have a technique problem:  I do the adjustment by tightening the nut whilst rotating the rotor till it is a little too tight- lots of resistance. Then I back the nut all the way off - not even touching the tooth washer. Then tighten it against the tooth washer as tight as I can with fingers only.

 That's how my book says to do it, but if I adjust it as above and grab the rotor at 12 o'clock and pull back & forth I can feel it wiggle, and if I get a flash light and look behind the rotor while spinning it, I can see the spacer spin on the stub.

  If I use a wrench and tighten the nut by 1 more flat the wiggle goes away and the spacer stops spinning. The rotor turns smoothly and without tight spots, but has noticeable resistance. More resistance than I would have thought. If you tried to spin it like a roulette wheel it wouldn't turn any more the moment you took your hand off it; even with giving is a strong shove.

 Maybe my expectations for how it should spin are wrong...I work on bicycles all day. I know it isn't supposed to be like that, but how easily should it spin?
 Sorry to be the problem child.

Hugh
 

 

 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

just called Charlie and he stated that it was down for maintenance for the weekend....but..should be able to communicate with him today...he asked me to tell you here to try again...

[HughForrest]

Tim-

 Thanks, I'll re-send.

[1941Rick]

I am going to follow this thread. Something to funny here. is the spacer supposed to make up the difference between the bearing and the spindle sizes?

I just converted mine and used the original hub and bearings. Different supplier.

[pflaming]

The bearings from the rotors fit perfectly on my truck. I would not trust bearing shims made out of anything. The front end of a vehicle is essentially your life. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

PP..you trust the very washer on the front hub ouside bearing..what is that but a shim?

[Dave72dt]

Bearings have to ride on a surface so if the brg is moving up and down on the spindle, it either needs a shim, larger diameter spindle or smaller diameter brg.  They slide on with no flop in them when on the spindle.  1/38 brg does not work on a 1 1/4 spinde.  the 1/8 " difference needs to be accounted for somehow.  Is your other spindle the same dia. where the brg rides?

[pflaming]

Hey Dilla, the washer you mention is a lot more trustworthy than the nut behind the wheel. 

[HughForrest]

OK- Got it. Charlie responded as soon as his email was back up.

 

The issue was all mine: When ordering parts I did not use Napa numbers Charlie provides, but ordered by application. Somehow I ordered Volare inner bearings (to go with the rotors & outer bearings I suppose) and not the Camaro application specified.

 

DOH!!

[Don Coatney]

This is what the spacer looks like on a Plydo disk kit. I believe the ones Charlie uses are the same.

 

 

lower right in this picture

 

[Daliant.]

The spacer in Charlie's kit only provides a way to set the pre load on the inner bearing, the bearing itself needs to fit snug to the O.D. of the spindle. The timkin set 17 bearing/race has the correct O.D. race for the rotor but the I.D. on the bearing is too big for the spindle, it'll just flop around like you described, you need the timkin set 6 for the correct bearing I.D. you just use the #6 bearing with the #17 race.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Daliant.