[HoosierPE]

Greetings fellow F-body enthusiast!

I've created this new topic to introduce Hoosier Performance Engineering's first new product; a clean sheet approach to a billet front hub and bearing assembly for the 4th Gen F-bodies and C4 Corvettes. Many of the other hub/bearing threads are getting pretty long and don't really end with a sustainable solution, so I thought a new thread was in order.

I won't bore you with the details on HPE, other than to say a group of highly qualified and skilled automotive engineers have gotten together to create performance products for the 4th Gens and modern muscle cars. You can read more about HPE on the General Discussions forum where Kevin introduced HPE as a new sponsor.

I've been contemplating the 4th Gen front hub issues since I returned to Auto-X in the fall of '97 with the purchase of my first TA and began working in earnest on new designs in November of last year. What you see below is the result of two gear-heads' work for the past 7 or 8 months, plus over $6000 worth of invested in prototypes, tooling and CNC programming. Prototypes are installed and accumulating mileage and we will be ready to take orders as soon as the machine shop volume quotation is received and final pricing can is set. (Trying to wrap up pricing yet this week.)

I'll let the pictures do the talking first, and then will follow up with some detailed descriptions of the components. Enjoy.

Finished product:
(IMG:https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1014542_375876139190953_1528206097_o.jpg) , (IMG:https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/976331_375876125857621_1907471607_o.jpg)

Here's a disassembled OEM hub and the new HPE replacement parts. Note the OEM uses ball bearings while the other is tapered roller. On Timken's website, the tapered bearings are rated much higher in every category vs. the ball bearings. Small bearing has a 1.25" ID and the large bearing has an 1.5" ID. For comparison, the old GM RWD cars used like 7/8" and 1" bearings with the front spindle design.
(IMG:https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/1009411_377277199050847_782089290_o.jpg)
(IMG:https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/999016_377277289050838_494724905_n.jpg)
(IMG:https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1009351_377277345717499_1374075883_o.jpg)
(IMG:https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1015137_377277329050834_2109600006_o.jpg)

We use an inverted spindle design, much like OEM part, except ours is a two piece design with a wheel mounting flange and pin (spindle) that we shrink fit together. The shrink fit provides three times the push out force of an equivalent press fit. Pin, flange and housing were all coated with a clear zinc treatment. The pin has been case hardened in the two areas where the bearing races will rest. The mounting flange is case hardened where the seal will run. Specs were per the Timken recommendations for the bearings used.
(IMG:https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/1008279_375876219190945_1586806985_o.jpg)

Pin with locking washer, nut and small cap screws. The washer engages the key way in the in threaded end of the pin, the nut is added and torqued to desired preload, and when the threaded holes in the nut lines up with the holes in the washer, the cap screws are added as the retention mechanism, basically replacing the cotter pin in similar parts.
(IMG:https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1014577_375876269190940_1184777397_o.jpg)
(IMG:https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1015262_375876245857609_442072466_o.jpg)

Sub-assembly shown with dry bearings for clarity.
(IMG:https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1015600_377277409050826_1257648155_o.jpg)

These assemblies are completely rebuildable and repackable. Should be the last set you will ever need.

I will add some more pictures of the prototypes installed on one of our cars.

Please let me know what you think!

[HoosierPE]

Hey Guys, sorry I haven't been keeping up with the posting. It's been a rough 3 or 4 weeks that started with a kidney stone and surgery 4 days later (wasn't on my bucket list and don't ever want one again), followed up with the passing of my father and we just admitted my mother to the hospital this week. When my luck breaks, I'm going to buy a bunch of lottery tickets... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Sorry, back to the front hubs. I put a hold on the model shop order mid-July, just before they ordered all of the material. A few questions came up relative to heat treatment on the spindle/pin that I wanted to follow up on. Basically trying to dot all of our I's and cross all of our T's to make sure these things are absolutely bullet proof. We consulted with two more materials experts to get their input and feel we have covered everything. We kicked the machine shop back off last week and the raw materials arrived this week on Thursday. (I'll try to post a picture of all the material for 100 assemblies, its a lot of steel.)

The spindle will still be made from the 4140 material, but will received a full heat treat and then case hardening to achieve the desired fatigue strength. For ease of assembly and maintenance, we left a small slip-fit between the spindle and the inner race of the bearings. Timken's design manual does recommend a press-fit designs with rotating spindle shafts, which ours is, but we thought we would give it a try first with the slip-fit. With the slip-fit, the bearings were walking around the shaft a bit and showing some signs of wear. We have updated the design per the Timken recommendations and the bearings will now be pressed onto the spindle, similar to the pinion shafts in many differentials. We are also adding a solid spacer with shims between the bearings' inner races to further enhance the design and lock all the parts in place. Placing the spindle in tension with the use of the bearing spacer will also enhance the fatigue strength of the assembly.

The shop will start on the parts next week and we should have them back to us around the 3rd week of September. Assembly and shipping should take place the last week of September. I will post specifics for ordering in a few weeks. Pricing is $650 each, $1300 for set of two.