very scarry, aint it?
I'm shocked that it was the right front as it is the left front that takes most
of the racing load on nearly every track we race at. Anyhoo, I second the
remove and inspect advice but it takes even more than that as we have found
that eventually the front hubs get worn enough to allow the races to wobble and
move in them, then they start tearing up stuff in a hurry. Must inspect very
carefully for signs of such a thing. When it starts to happen, locate some new
hubs and start all over again.
We've found that modern tires are very tough on the front end. Expect to
replace the bearings a lot more often than with a street car.
Get the left off and check it very carefully. And I'd worry about secondary
damage to the right stub axle, check that sucker and the hub as well.
As for the brake drag, we took the valve Kas mentioned off the car years ago
and trained my right leg to do an automatic double pump when going for the
brakes. The whole mess flexes enough in turns to push the pads back a fair
ways. Turns out legs learn pretty well, and then they are subborn. Cant get
it to not do it when driving other cars. Oh well, stays in practice that way.
Drag also comes from the felt seal used on the back side of the hub.
and finally, shame on you for comparing some of Britain's finest with that
kraut stuff. :)
Hope to see you this summer. You making Mid-Ohio again this year?
mike
Richard Taylor wrote:
> Fellow FOTers,
> On the fifth lap in the HSR Enduro yesterday at Road Atlanta, I had my
> right front wheel-bearing blow out. No whining, no growling, no wobble,
> just PUUSHH! The tire went catywompus; billowed huge amounts of smoke
> until it blew. Then there was just the lumpy excursion off into 50 yards
> of freshly mowed grass. Since it was so early into the race, I had an
> exclusive (but rather lonely) spectator spot.
>
> Alan Pinel lent me his spare wheel bearing kit so I got to run the Vintage
> Race that afternoon..and did OK.
>
> This brings me to the question. What is the accepted drill for checking
> wheel bearings? I wiggled the tires before the qualifying race and they
> seemed fine. Does just tugging at the top of the tire really tell you
> anything?
>
> But even after I got the whole wheel back together, there seems to be an
> awful lot of drag. The wheels on my everyday car, a 30 year old 911, spin
> effortlessly. For the life of me I can't get the TR-4 wheels to do this.
> Especially the front ones. The 911 has a spring deally at the top of the
> brake pads to keep them from dragging. The Triumph pads seem to take a
> much longer time to release completely. What's the preferred drill on this?
>
> I'm sorta embarrassed to ask this august group about something as
> elementary as wheel bearings but, hey, we're family, aren't we?
>
> Richard Taylor
> Atlanta
> TR-4
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