Steering, Suspension, & Brakes

tips, technology, tools and techniques related to non-driveline mechanical components

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tr8todd
Todd Kishbach

(390 posts)

Registered:
12/04/2009 07:42AM

Main British Car:


TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: tr8todd
Date: February 22, 2019 03:06PM

I'm tossing around the idea of having a machinist make me up some hubs out of 6" round stock 6061 aluminum. Not entirely happy with the trailer hubs I mocked up. Too many spacers to inspire complete confidence that everything is going to hold together at very high speeds. Thinking about making hubs that are fairly close to TR8 hubs except the brake rotors will fit on the front of the hub instead of bolting to the back. 5X4.5 wheel bolt pattern to match the common Ford pattern. This will allow narrowing a Ford 8.8 without ordering custom axles, and will open up a wider selection of aftermarket wheels. I can either have him make me a couple of sets in the lathe, or I can try and find somebody with a CNC machine. The CNC set up is only worth it if somebody other than me wants these things. Once its programmed, he can run off as many as I want. Material costs should only be about $50 a piece, plus bearings and studs. Is there anybody, other than me, that has any interest in this? For me, its an easy button to solve all of my wants in the best way. Light weight aluminum hubs, with the correct offset, set up for Wilwood aluminum hats and vented rotors.


WernerVC
Werner Van Clapdurp
Lynchburg, Va
(108 posts)

Registered:
09/06/2009 12:56PM

Main British Car:
MGB 1977 Rover 3.5

Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: WernerVC
Date: February 27, 2019 10:28PM

Hi Todd,
Can you give some more details about the 5 lugs hubs ?
I have a set of vintage Maxilite wheels that I want to install on the rear end of my MGB. So I am very interested if you can get the 5-lug hubs. The bolt pattern must be 120 mm. These rims are brand new, never used and would fit for a Jaguar. Same bolt circle as Chevrolet.
Let me know about that project asap. More details on rotors and set up please.
Werner


roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Aluminum Front Hubs
Posted by: roverman
Date: February 28, 2019 11:35AM

I like the series II RX7 hubs, light, strong design with adequate bearing/spindle sizes. Art.


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Aluminum Front Hubs
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: February 28, 2019 12:12PM

How about some details on those Art?

Jim


roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: roverman
Date: March 05, 2019 05:42PM

Deep cross section like Porsche, only Japanese cheap,(many produced). I used larger shoulder, 1/2-20 studs to arrive at 5 on 4.5" bc. Art.


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: March 06, 2019 01:07PM

Good. Is it a direct fit on the MGB spindle? Does it use the same offset? Can it be used for chevy pattern as well? (5 on 4.75")

Jim


WernerVC
Werner Van Clapdurp
Lynchburg, Va
(108 posts)

Registered:
09/06/2009 12:56PM

Main British Car:
MGB 1977 Rover 3.5

Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: WernerVC
Date: March 08, 2019 08:39PM

Jim,
I am fighting the same battle. Hope to find 5-lug spindles that fit the MGB spindles. Too bad the MGC spindles are a very rare beast.
That would be a perfect fit.
Hope to get an answer soon from Art.
Werner.
PS.: I have a set of new Maxilite rims with bc of 120 mm used for a jaguar. Cannot find nuts for it. Anyone has a source for it. I need 15 of them . Nuts have 1/2" threads and shank is 3/4 "



mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: mgb260
Date: March 11, 2019 06:11AM

The RX7 hubs use straight cartridge bearings. I remember that Art bored them out for Mustang II or GM bearing races. Mid 80's Series II N/A had 4 lug same as MGB and Turbo had 5 lug Ford pattern.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2019 06:12AM by mgb260.


flylear45
Jim Franks

(8 posts)

Registered:
11/28/2013 07:29AM

Main British Car:


Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: flylear45
Date: March 24, 2019 08:38AM

Todd,

I am definitely interested in a set of hubs.

On my turbo TR7 I am presently running a stock width 86 Mustang 8.8 rear with Moser axles, and using Contour FWD offset (~45mm IIR) wheels all around. Mustang bolt circle, but the center bore is slightly smaller. I had to have my rear axles concentric hub centers turned to fit the Contour wheels.

The FWD offset poses a dilemma on the front because the front ends up way too narrow, so I had custom spacers made to push out the front wheels. I have a large outer bearing in the hub along with a tube spacer to enlarge the outer axle diameter for the bigger bearing.

It's OK but not ideal. I am currently using Merkur front brake calipers along with a custom bracket. I have to drill rotors to renew the brakes.

I am definitely interested in an upgrade since it's about time for rotors!

Jim Franks

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tr8todd
Todd Kishbach

(390 posts)

Registered:
12/04/2009 07:42AM

Main British Car:


Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: tr8todd
Date: March 24, 2019 08:40PM

One of the local TR8 owners has a son with a CNC machine in his garage. I just need to draw up the hubs for him to plot in, and then get some 6" round 6061 for him. Once they are plotted, he says he can run one off every 45 minutes or so for me. He owes me a favor as well, so I just need to get off my butt and draw up some plans for him. Spent today making up adjustable rear lower control arms for the 8.8 axle I have. They have urethane bushed ends, grease fittings, adjustable length on one end, and spring perches set at 14* to mimic stock spring angle. Set up for 2.5" ID springs with threaded sleeves on top against the frame rails. Still undecided about how I want to do the sway bar mounts. The stock bar will hit the aluminum Ford dif cover if I mount it in the same basic spot as the stock lower control arms. Thinking I will make a shark fin steel plate under the tube and mount the sway bar to that. Just make the mounting holes a little lower, and a little farther back to gain the clearance I need.
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BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: March 25, 2019 11:50AM

Yeah, and that's where we generally run into trouble since the volume just isn't there. Probably $50 just for the blank for one hub, then machine time, tooling costs and setup time, then bearings seals and studs, by the time you add in enough to make it worth your time the market has diminished to the point where the volume doesn't justify the effort in many cases. The TR8 is very much a niche market, and not a particularly large one. So you cut your profit in an effort to boost volume and in the end it's just a hobby that you are doing for your friends.

Don't get me wrong, I love to see things like this being done. The TR6 brake brackets were a great thing. Just don't quit your day job.

Jim


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: March 30, 2019 11:19AM

Lots o' meat left on those rotors, Jim F. :)


flylear45
Jim Franks

(8 posts)

Registered:
11/28/2013 07:29AM

Main British Car:


Re: TR8 5 lug aluminum hubs
Posted by: flylear45
Date: March 30, 2019 04:01PM

Posted by: MGBV8
Date: March 30, 2019 11:19AM

Lots o' meat left on those rotors, Jim F. :)


Unfortunately that picture is 10 years old! I have a fair number of miles on the conversion now, and am in the process of planning for a complete re-fresh with some new mods.


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