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Before I order a new front hub, can you think of any reason it would be (or appear) warped?
Backstory:
Never really drove this car (1981) before tearing it apart to restore/repair, so I don't have any experience with the brake from a driving perspective. I knew before I bought it, it sustained some sort off trama to the front driver's side wheel. Seller said he 'thought' the wheel fell off from the PO going down the road, but I think, judging from the scars left after the repair, etc, the lower ball joint broke, or they hit something (like a curb??). Frame's not bent, new ball joint, rotor, etc on that side. In the process of doing the brakes I put a dial indicator on the rotor and it measured .02 run-out (you read that right!). They should really bee within .004 (I know the book says .005 but..). The hub looks like it could have been replaced, or maybe was cleaned up. Regardless, i'm measuring .007 on the hub flange just outside the stud perimeter. That's with the spindle nut tighened, or slightly loose (didn't make a difference). The rolling action of the hub is free, smooth and normal (no bearing binding).
Sooo... question I have is, can you think of any reason I'm not thinking of, the hub would measure that much run-out, besides warpage, or poor workmanship?
Is the rotor still riveted to the hub?
If it is can you drill out the rivets and start mounting the rotor back onto the hub one stud further over and rechecking run out to see if the run out can be reduced?
No it's not still riveted.
This was the 'damaged side' and they installed an aftermarket rotor. I did rotate it through each stud and no change deflection-wise. The Pass side IS still riveted so I can't swap rotors (not easily that is).
Since there isn't a lot of miles on it ( or at least your miles) maybe they replaced the hub but the bearing races aren't seated properly. Just throwing that out there. Not likely but maybe possible. Something I would check before buying a new one.
I thought about that too. Wouldn't tapered roller bearings 'bind' if they weren't seated properly? But yeah, I should look at that. The more I look at it it looks scored on the 'centering' part of the hub, maybe the wheel did get off-center and boogered up the hub. Which could cause the flange to warp. Just a theory. Thanks for the ideas...
Agree that the bearings would straighten themselves out , but I am thinking that maybe the races are not installed straight. If one or both are not square, that might throw it all off, even though the bearings are square in the race.
The story is, that the hub and rotor were riveted together at the factory and then the rotors were trued up.
The rotor to hub interface is not necessarily true. When the rotor was replaced, this was all changed.
What to do now?
You have to shim the rotor to get it to run true. There have been threads here previously that will tell you how to do this. The 2 major procedures are to home make washer like shims from aluminum soda or beer cans, or, the method I used, is to buy tapered steel shims. I got mine from Napa, #BA803-03 Hub Correction Plate. They are available from other sources also. The tapered shims come in different thicknesses for whatever you need. I think this is better because you get 100% metal to metal contact. Although, both ways seem to work.
The story is, that the hub and rotor were riveted together at the factory and then the rotors were trued up.
The rotor to hub interface is not necessarily true. When the rotor was replaced, this was all changed.
You know what? That's a great point. I had forgotten about that. Thanks for reminding me. That's something I may do. I've had to do it on other vehicles where necessary. Or, if I can figure out a way to easily chuck it up in my little metal lathe, I could face it too. Thanks for the reminder!!
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Originally Posted by Mark G
Guys,
Regardless, i'm measuring .007 on the hub flange just outside the stud perimeter. That's with the spindle nut tighened, or slightly loose (didn't make a difference). The rolling action of the hub is free, smooth and normal (no bearing binding).
Whydo you think it’s the hub and not a bad rotor. You see .007 runout at the hub, but still think it’s the hub?
why not Take the rotor to a brake shop and ask them, or throw a straight edge on the worst part of the run out, + and -
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Jun 4, 2020 at 11:29 AM.
If you have a lathe, could you not true up the face of the hub?
Yes, but you would have to r&r the studs, which may be a problem in itself.
It all depends on what equipment you have and how much time you want to invest.
My lathe is a little on the small side. It's just a mini-lathe ...but it may work. I hadn't given it much thought until it was tossed out there. Ideally it should be rotated on a spindle to get it 'true'. Might take a while to rig something up.