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Hello everyone, I'm interested in getting rid of the junk front bearings on my 84. Its a racecar and it EATS its front bearings, talking to other C4 racers most of them have gone to the SKF X-tracker bearing upgrade, like the one sold by Detroit speed. BUT....I was told by Detroit speed that the adaptor they have won't work with my 84, it only works on the later model C4s. He didn't say why it would not work and I pointed out that I don't use/have ABS in my racer. Anyone have any experience with this? Anyone have a solution if indeed I can't use the X tracker upgrade??
I'm going to race SCCA this summer and slicks are in the plan, Id really like to get this bearing issue sorted before that happens.
Hello everyone, I'm interested in getting rid of the junk front bearings on my 84. Its a racecar and it EATS its front bearings, talking to other C4 racers most of them have gone to the SKF X-tracker bearing upgrade, like the one sold by Detroit speed. BUT....I was told by Detroit speed that the adaptor they have won't work with my 84, it only works on the later model C4s. He didn't say why it would not work and I pointed out that I don't use/have ABS in my racer. Anyone have any experience with this? Anyone have a solution if indeed I can't use the X tracker upgrade??
I'm going to race SCCA this summer and slicks are in the plan, Id really like to get this bearing issue sorted before that happens.
Matt.
I would think you would not have a problem as you are not worried about the ABS. Your only worry should be bolt patterns and offsets. I need to make a post on the x-tracker set up.
I would think you would not have a problem as you are not worried about the ABS. Your only worry should be bolt patterns and offsets. I need to make a post on the x-tracker set up.
Yea that was my thought as well. The reply I got simply said "The spindle is different and will not work with the earlier models"
That was it, that was all....left me feeling like it was just a standard reply with no real insight.
Yea that was my thought as well. The reply I got simply said "The spindle is different and will not work with the earlier models"
That was it, that was all....left me feeling like it was just a standard reply with no real insight.
They also say you can’t use the kit on a 88-90 car because the spindle doesn’t have a hole all the way through. The previous hubs use a toothed wheel with a sensor mounted through the hole. I applaud them for the work they did to make the kit, but they are lazy on applying it to other years.
They also say you can’t use the kit on a 88-90 car because the spindle doesn’t have a hole all the way through. The previous hubs use a toothed wheel with a sensor mounted through the hole. I applaud them for the work they did to make the kit, but they are lazy on applying it to other years.
See thats the thing, if you buy a new bearing for the 84 they come with the tone ring for ABS, there is enough room in the knuckle to clear said tone ring.
I CAN cut the pigtail off the SKF bearing, so....if the bolt spacing and backspace is the same...what am I missing??
I would imagine it 'might' be somewhat challenging to use that package on early spindles regardless the year, use on '88+ I'd think certainly less challenging. If a person with an '88 - '90 were serious I'd think it might make good sense to just use '91+ spindles for the conversion. I'd think '91+ spindles at this point should be quite inexpensive and easy finds.
What X-Tracker hub are they actually using for the kits?
Once a person reviews the instructions it's much easier to absorb the requirements for an install. The X-Tracker Hub is actually a 'rear hub' and adapters to use on the fronts. '88+ there's no issues. Would Detroit Speed sell you a pair of the adapters separately? Actually early might be very straight forward bearing/adapter to spindle.
I don't think 'lazy' is a proper #tag to hang on DS - the 2 applications they mention are direct bolt-on. Stretch of the install to 'other than' might imply some liabilities.
I would imagine it 'might' be somewhat challenging to use that package on early spindles regardless the year, use on '88+ I'd think certainly less challenging.
Why?
1984-1990 use the same front wheel bearing hub.
Did the bolt pattern on the spindle change from 90 to 91? I think not.
At least the hub pilote diameter is the same. Hub bolt circle 4.0 in vs 3.9 in is probalby conversion from metric. 100 mm = 3.937 in.
I also measured the relation on the bolt rectangle from pictures of each hub, and they are at least very close.
I tried to measue the offset compared to diameter in pictures, and did not see any obvious differance,
I think the hub dimensions are exaclty the same and the only differance is a different ABS-sensor.
Flange Diameter:5.79 In. Bolt Circle Diameter:4.75 In. Wheel Pilot Diameter:2.76 In. Brake Pilot Diameter:2.78 In. Flange Offset:2.72 In. Hub Pilot Diameter:2.83 In. Hub Bolt Circle Diameter:3.9 In. Bolt Size:M12X1.5 Bolt Quantity:5 Bolt Hole MET:11.94 Bolt Hole qty:4 Flange Shape:RECTANGULAR ABS Sensor:Has ABS with Integral Sensor Number of Splines: N/A
Flange Diameter:5.78 In. Bolt Circle Diameter:4.75 In. Wheel Pilot Diameter:2.76 In. Brake Pilot Diameter:2.78 In. Flange Offset:2.72 In. Hub Pilot Diameter:2.83 In. Hub Bolt Circle Diameter:4 In. Bolt Size:M12X1.5 Bolt Quantity:5 Bolt Hole MET:11.94 Bolt Hole qty:4 Flange Shape:RECTANGULAR ABS Sensor:Has ABS with Tone Ring Sensor Number of Splines:N/A
I would imagine it 'might' be somewhat challenging to use that package on early spindles regardless the year, use on '88+ I'd think certainly less challenging. If a person with an '88 - '90 were serious I'd think it might make good sense to just use '91+ spindles for the conversion. I'd think '91+ spindles at this point should be quite inexpensive and easy finds.
In addition to also using the 91 spindle, you will need to modify the abs connector.
Originally Posted by WVZR-1
What X-Tracker hub are they actually using for the kits?
Once a person reviews the instructions it's much easier to absorb the requirements for an install. The X-Tracker Hub is actually a 'rear hub' and adapters to use on the fronts. '88+ there's no issues. Would Detroit Speed sell you a pair of the adapters separately? Actually early might be very straight forward bearing/adapter to spindle.
They are using C5 hubs and at one point and time, you could buy the adapters themselves and source the hubs. Now they are shipped and bolted ready to be installed right out of the box.
Originally Posted by WVZR-1
I don't think 'lazy' is a proper #tag to hang on DS - the 2 applications they mention are direct bolt-on. Stretch of the install to 'other than' might imply some liabilities.
Lazy works, they don't want to be bothered possibly expanding their market with a little bit of research. But more power to them. They could have come out with a rear kit as well, but somebody else has beaten them to that punch. Granted the market for people willing to spend 1,000 for a package for quality front bearings is small in the C4 market, most of the people who want to run this kit race.
Well at this point I'm looking for someone (hopefully local) to let me borrow one and see what is different.
I will report back after I figure that out.
Just call DS and see if they'll sell just a pair of adapters to you for fitment. Tell them you've a 'specialty' application and would like to try. The hub they're using looks to be just short of $275/290 each 'over the counter' maybe.
Originally Posted by ChumpVette
They are using C5 hubs and at one point and time, you could buy the adapters themselves and source the hubs. Now they are shipped and bolted ready to be installed right out of the box.
Looks good!
So rears w/1.661 offset?
Early NO ABS as simple as just stuffing the wire inside the spindle?
As another alternative you could consider, Dan Dorsett at Vansteel is working with Speedway Motors on developing C4 front knuckles that look similar to this. My understanding is that they will be compatible with the X-Tracker bearing and you also get something like a 2" drop at the same time. Since you'll have to update the knuckle anyway for X-Tracker compatibility this is an interesting option.
Sadly we got wrecked at our last race of 2020 so....bigger fish to fry before I tackle the bearing issue. That being said I WILL attempt a fix on our bearing issue during the off season, with the bodywork ;-)
Hello fellow Vette heads, I figured I would do an update because I FINALLY got around to doing the bearing mod on my 84. COVID kinda threw a wrench into things over here hence the long delay in update, but I won't bore yall with that story. ANYWAYS
I purchased the Detroit Speed X tracker kit and it does indeed bolt right up to my 84 knuckles. The 84 was the last year without ABS so unlike the newer C4 Corvettes the back part of the spindle is solid so I had to cut the wires off the ABS sensor, with no place to go it would have rubbed on the backside of the hub. At this point I have to assume the reason that its listed as not working for the earlier cars is because of the change of ABS sensor. I have a track day planned in April to do a systems test on the car. Its at Road America, so it should be a good test as to how much hell the new bearings can take. If I find any issues I I will update, but at the moment it looks like I'm GTG.
As suspected the change in ABS sensor design is the reson.
1984-1985 - Not an issue as there is no ABS on these cars. Just cut the wires off like you did.
1986-1987 - Probably makes it difficult to keep ABS. Probably both sensor signal and frequency has changed. If not then you could use a hole saw thru the bottom of the spindle to get the connector out.
1988-1990 - Same problem as 1986-1987.
1991-1996 - Bolt on.
X tracker on my 84??
