Vintage wheelbearings

[s2airflow]

I want to use modern wheel bearings in a '30's bike as the cup & cones are not 100%.Anyone out there actually done it so that I could do the same?Hopefully with a gap bed lathe the wheel could remain intact.Fingers crossed,Dave.

[chaterlea25]

Hi Dave,
I have dons this conversion on a good many machines, send me your email address and I can forward some pictures,
Some wheels are easier than others, I prefer to not machine the hubs if possible,
I have made replacement  threaded cups to take ball and taper roller bearings, the cups replace the old adjusting cups,
On British hub co. wheels the cups in the hub can be driven out and replaced with either ball or taper bearings

Cheers
John

[33d6]

Hi John,
Can I ask how you go about aligning the two races on British Hub Co wheels? I've had some frustrating times getting  the ball races in accurate alignment doing such conversions. So much so I now usually just make new cones and the occasional cup. The majority of  wear is always on the cone.
You know how it is. A job drives you nuts and then someone points out the bleeding obvious and its easy. I'd be very grateful if someone pointed out the obvious on this one.
Cheers,

[chaterlea25]

Hi 33d6.
The British hub co. wheels I have on my OK, and he others I have converted  have knockout cones
the o/d of these is 1.5in so a 00150 taper roller outer and a 00050 inner will fit, some locknuts or threaded spacers
will be needed to provide adjustment.
A hub I did recently had sleeves already fitted to reduce to 35mm, so 6202 bearings with an inner sleeve 20mm turned to 15 mm for the bearings, this is bored through the centre to take a 1/2 in. spindle
Regarding your question on alignment, is this for boring out the hub itself ??
I do this as a last resort, preffering not to alter the original,
I set up the hub in a 4 jaw chuck clocking the old bearing surfaces, if this proves awkward or doesnt line up
I turn a mandrel that the hub will be a tight fit onto, a pipe centre or a turned bush with a centre on the tailstock side,
Then turn a reference path(for the dial gauge) true to the inner on the hub outer surface,

If the wheel is built and wont fit in the lathe, (mine will take up to 21 in. depending on hub width) I can use a boring head on the milling machine to bore the bearing housings, same methods of centering
I hope this will help you??
Photos of a 20's AJS hub and a complete replacement hub for a Rudge attached
I dont have any British hub co hubs in bits at the moment, (forgot to take pictures of the last ones I did)

HTH
John

[33d6]

Thanks John,
Thats been a great help. Your descriptions and seeing the various ways different manufacturers went about their business is very helpful. It looks like another heavy session with the ball & roller race catalogues selecting appropriate sizes to start with.
It's as I said earlier, sometimes you just look at a problem too long and get yourself entangled. A fresh view makes all the difference.
Cheers,