Steering, Suspension, & Brakes

Does anyone know of a web resource that lists interchangeability of wheel bearings? That would be extremely useful for any hub/spindle modification issues.

Specifically, I'm looking for information for my Model A project. I've got a pair of tatty MGB wires, but the splines are good. The plan is to lace the centres to 18" or 19" rims and run them on MGB hubs on a solid front axle. The wheel bearing spec would inform my choice of spindles.

Of course I'd need the same information for the various spindle options I'm considering, and then some kind of list of all the available combinations of inner and outer race diameters, etc. Has anyone come across anything like that?

Thanks

-D

Dawie, try a search for "bearing interchange" for starters, any good bearing house would carry such a manual at their counter and it may now be online. Timkin also has a downloadable bearing selection guide which is really pretty good. It's a program you have to install, so a little ponderous for a one time use but maybe worthwhile anyway.

Jim

Dawie, back in the "old days" of hot rodding swapping hubs was a lot more common and there were a couple of ways to go about it. If the spindle was smaller in diameter than the ID of the new hubs bearings then most would have spacers machined to slip fit over the spindle and register the bearing. If the spindle was too large but only by a small amount they would chuck it in the lathe and turn it down to match the bearings. The same things were done to fit different backing plates for the brakes as well, either spacers or turn down the shoulder of the spindle. If you could find some MGA wire wheel hubs then you could retain a drum brake if you wanted and have the wire wheels. Jim's solution is the easiest if there is a bearing that will fit both the ID and OD then you're done, if not it's the machine shop.

Thanks guys. I downloaded a number of documents from the Timken website: they're extremely useful, and free!

Quite appropriately the A is looking like having '28-'48 Ford spindles. The MGB outer wheel bearings are an exact fit, and the inners will need a thin sleeve; no machining to parts anywhere. Doubtless I'd need to have some spacers made up to get things to fit in the axial direction.

-D

That's good news D, now just make sure that the spindle is long enough to span the distance between the bearings and not too long to tighten the nut and pin. You might have to have that inner sleeve machined with a shoulder that would positon the hub further out a bit. From my memory the Ford spindle is pretty long compared to the MGB spindle.
I'm interested in your project. One of my long term plans is for a pseudo pre war type car using the drive line from a B and either an early Ford or Chevy beam axle. I'll have to do the same sort of adapting that you're planning. Something that resembles this car is the aim.

Very much my cup of tea, too!

My idea of happiness. I had this Frazer-Nash as my wallpaper for quite some time.

I think the sleeves will need collars anyway, to keep them from working their way loose and hanging free on the spindles between the inner and outer cones. Now I need to get hold of the parts.

And: the same sources reveal that bearings exist that might allow me to run Mercedes-Benz Ponton/Fintail front hubs on my Minor, giving me access to hundreds of M-B bolt-pattern wheel options! That'd be perfect, as I'd already had VW commercial perforated steelies with that bolt pattern in mind. I'd still have to devise spacers, though.