Exactly what I'm talking about. My axles showed fretting in the bearing
areas indicating (probably) that despite frequent checking of the bearing
preload, that the bearings (especially the inboard one) were moving
side-to-side on the axle. My right axle had what looks like a wear line or
some kind of scoring on the bottom outside edge of the inboard bearing,
right where the taper starts. Sent a little chill up my spine looking at it.
I'd maganaflux it, but I really don't want to know.
Frankly I've never spent that much time looking at these parts--the wheels
turn, must be OK. Other than checking and replacing or greasing the
bearings, they didn't get any attention. Even if you're not ready to run out
and replace them, you should give them a good looking over. I'm taking apart
the cheater this weekend to see how it is. I'll almost certainly replace
these too while I'm thinking about it, even though the car is sitting on
jack stands with no running gear.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-fot@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-fot@autox.team.net] On Behalf
Of Tony Drews
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2004 9:11 AM
To: fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Axle bits
These are indeed the Mark Weathers units. Uncle jack just left for a week
and a half, so probably won't answer until his return. I'm sure he'll have
info on how to order these.
I just installed the set - my car was one of the guinea pigs for the wheel
bearing spacer concept. I've got to echo Bill's comments. I could see
evidence of stub axle flex in the tapered bore on the ones removed. The new
ones are much better steel, have the large diameter carried as far into the
hub as possible without changing bearings, and have much larger diameter
threaded surfaces with rolled (rather than cut) threads. Even the nuts are
far better than stock (very high strength). The wheel bearing spacers are
works of art. I can't wait to see how much difference this makes in the
brake pad knockback!
At the last race at Road America, I found that one of the stock castellated
nuts had stripped and the cotter pin was the only thing holding my front
wheel in place. (!) These front axles and fasteners will prevent a
recurrence of that, for sure.
- Tony Drews
At 09:41 AM 2/20/2004, Robert M. Lang wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I need a list clarification. I assume that the axle stubs you refer to
>are the Mark Weathers units... Several of us (myself included)
>expressed an interest in these parts back in the summer.
>
>If we expressed that interest in the past, do we need to re-voice our
>interest? Or will someone be contacting us?
>
>Register my interest as "DEFINITELY"
>
>rml
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