 New 4th Gen Front Wheel Hubs/Bearings, New front hub & bearing design from Hoosier Performance Engineerin |
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 Jun 19 2013, 07:23 PM
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#1
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Member  Group: Advanced Members Posts: 42 Joined: 14-February 09 From: Churubusco, IN, NE of Ft Wayne Member No.: 4,058  |
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! |
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Mar 18 2014, 08:33 PM
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#61
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Advanced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 739 Joined: 27-June 12 Member No.: 142,453 |
QUOTE (HoosierPE @ Mar 18 2014, 03:52 AM)  QUOTE (79T/A @ Mar 14 2014, 11:35 AM) Nice looking parts. Does the plating offer any corrosion resistance? Yes, it is supposed to. Nickel is one of the base materials used before the chrome in the chrome plating process is applied. Chrome itself looks like layers of cornflakes, and is not a continuous surface. It is the material under the chrome that adds the corrosion protection and nickel is one of them. This coating is an electroless nickel plating which provides corrosion protection and a hard surface that wears well. The advantage of this process over electro plating is that you can get a very even coating thickness, even inside holes and around sharp corners. With electro plating, it is very difficult to get adequate plating around the sharp corners or inside holes. The plating thickness on our parts is about 4 ten-thousandths of an inch (0.0004). Excellent thanks for the info. |
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Mar 20 2014, 08:33 PM
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#62
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North of the border Group: Admin Posts: 2,307 Joined: 4-February 04 From: Montreal, CANADA Member No.: 177 |
can't wait to see mine in person and see how they perform this year !
was contemplating 3 options:
This product looks of much greater quality compared to the other alternatives... we'll see. The SKF aren't rebuildable either. |
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Mar 25 2014, 10:03 AM
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#63
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Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 225 Joined: 23-August 07 From: Cumming, GA Member No.: 1,914 |
Received mine. Impressive. Hopefully will get to thoroughly thrash them this year.
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Jul 27 2014, 02:04 AM
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#64
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Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 144 Joined: 3-June 14 From: Cape May County, NJ Member No.: 223,818 |
Any updates or information from people that have used these hubs?
How are they holding up? |
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Jul 28 2014, 02:39 PM
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#65
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Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 63 Joined: 9-July 13 From: Hutchinson, KS Member No.: 223,763 |
I've run two weekends plus one test day in A Sedan and they are holding up great. Still feel very tight.
I'm very impressed with them so far. Jack |
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Aug 29 2014, 07:57 PM
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#66
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North of the border Group: Admin Posts: 2,307 Joined: 4-February 04 From: Montreal, CANADA Member No.: 177 |
Installed.. Haven't driven on them yet
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Sep 22 2014, 03:44 AM
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#67
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newbie Group: Members Posts: 5 Joined: 2-October 12 Member No.: 147,270 |
Any update from anyone on these hubs? Just replaced 8 hub bearings in the last 1000 or so miles...3 of them in the last 100 miles. Was considering lighting the car on fire until I joined this forum and found this thread...Are these hub bearings the answer to my prayers? Someone please tell me yes!
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Sep 22 2014, 04:44 PM
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#68
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Experienced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 1,019 Joined: 18-September 04 From: State College, PA Member No.: 462 |
Some people have had a good majority of the year on them, I hope they can chime in with results or thoughts!
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Oct 1 2014, 05:52 AM
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#69
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Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 51 Joined: 17-May 04 From: Vancouver BC, Canada Member No.: 341 |
In for some updates here as well. Just killed a stock repacement after 3 autox events.
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Nov 8 2014, 07:28 AM
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#70
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Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 78 Joined: 27-October 11 Member No.: 119,647 |
QUOTE (Zedzag @ Oct 1 2014, 12:52 AM) In for some updates here as well. Just killed a stock repacement after 3 autox events. With what these cost (and they appear to be worth it) I imagine if there were failures, we'd definitely be hearing about it. No news may be good news in this case. This post has been edited by InfernalVortex: Nov 8 2014, 07:29 AM |
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Jun 1 2015, 05:12 PM
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#71
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Advanced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 300 Joined: 3-August 12 From: Boston, Ma Member No.: 142,797 |
Looking for some reviews after about a year of production/usage of these hubs? I recently killed 3 hubs over the NJ Pro weekend. I killed 2 Brand New Hubs in (4) 30 second Pro Solo runs on fresh A7's. So I very interested in buying these in order to start finalizing my car.
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Jan 19 2017, 05:45 PM
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#72
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newbie Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 30-March 13 From: Minnesota Member No.: 213,589 |
Any Updates? Interested in a set. Was wondering what anyone thought about these + the Wilwood BBK that Sam Strano is selling. Sounds like there might be a bracket clearance issue with the ID of the bracket?
From Hoosiers website - "The housing is larger and extends deeper on the inside of the spindle, so there may be a clearance issue with the inside diameter of the track bracket mounting plate when for Corvette brakes." Should I just go with some SKF 'vette bearings? Really interested in these new ones though... -EDIT- Well silly me, but I only just realized that Sam sells the hubs too, so I sent him an email. This post has been edited by FormulaJoe: Jan 19 2017, 05:53 PM |
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Jan 22 2017, 03:41 PM
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#73
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Advanced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 321 Joined: 15-November 04 From: Canada Member No.: 542 |
QUOTE (FormulaJoe @ Jan 19 2017, 12:45 PM) Any Updates? Interested in a set. Was wondering what anyone thought about these + the Wilwood BBK that Sam Strano is selling. Sounds like there might be a bracket clearance issue with the ID of the bracket? From Hoosiers website - "The housing is larger and extends deeper on the inside of the spindle, so there may be a clearance issue with the inside diameter of the track bracket mounting plate when for Corvette brakes." Should I just go with some SKF 'vette bearings? Really interested in these new ones though... -EDIT- Well silly me, but I only just realized that Sam sells the hubs too, so I sent him an email. I would call Sam as he sell both the bearing kit and the brake kit. If anyone knows it is him. I personally have the adapters, but Hoosier was not ready to ship when I was looking. |
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Feb 2 2017, 02:40 PM
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#74
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Advanced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 602 Joined: 3-April 14 Member No.: 223,804 |
Keep in mind HPE may not always offer parts for these hubs. Since 90% of the components are custom machined pieces, this may become a problem for you to rebuild them.
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Feb 2 2017, 03:51 PM
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#75
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Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 224 Joined: 20-April 16 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 223,910 |
QUOTE (Smitty2919 @ Feb 2 2017, 09:40 AM) Keep in mind HPE may not always offer parts for these hubs. Since 90% of the components are custom machined pieces, this may become a problem for you to rebuild them. Agreed |
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