To all,
The Red Rat Bastard #99 was the "test mule" for what turned out to be a
great solution for the age old Sprite leaking double bearing hub situation.
The solution? Pretty simple really. First off, the outer bearing is replaced
with a sealed bearing. There are two styles available, a steel sided, and a
rubber sided. You want the rubber sided bearing. These are sealed for life
and suitable for high speed applications. The inner bearing is hand packed
in hi-speed synthetic grease, and the inner seal rides on a Speedi-Sleeve.
So, the oil in the axle tube sloshes out to the axle cap under cornering,
bounces off the cap, hits the sealed bearing, and can go no further. The
bearing packed in synthetic grease seems to motor quite happily.
Initial tests of this setup, using a double lip seal at Road America,
revealed some minor seepage of grease past the seal. It turns out the double
lip seal is about 6 thousandths smaller than the single lip seal... so the
seal basically fell out of the double bearing hub. I have "peened" the
inside of my hubs where the seal rides, and with the addition of the proper
Loctite, it should stay put. But, since it's not seeing any oil, only
grease, I suggest using the single lip seal because of it's larger OD. You
should still glue them in.
A word of caution... when you bend the washer behind the axle nut over the
nut, be sure not to damage the rubber on the sealed bearing face.
The Speedi-Sleeve may be a different one than you're used to seeing, but
there's reason for that. It rides all the way in on the axle stub, so that
the only thing riding on it is the seal, not the inner bearing. The double
bearing hubs inner bearing won't fit over the sleeve. When installing the
Speedi-Sleeve, make sure you dress the existing axle stub surface with
emery cloth. Also, take the installation tool that comes with it and throw
it away. Find a suitable piece of tailpipe, with the correct ID, and gently
tap the Speedi-Sleeve into place... all the way to the backing plate area.
The lip on the sleeve can stay in place, if it's seated against the back.
Another thing, take the paper axle gaskets and the O ring, and toss them out
too. I have used the "Secret Schmoo" method successfully for about 7 years
of hard racing, and never had any leak from the axle caps. I am running
stock later model axles, not the overpriced "comp" axles being sold these
days.... more on this subject later. If you are running the comp axles, you
most likely have seepage from the splines. Careful assembley with a gasket,
some schmoo, and washer should slow the flow. This works absolutely fine on
stock hubs as well. Use Brakeclean on the hub surface and the axle cap. Use
a razor blade if necessary to scrape the axle cap clean. Use RTV sealant,
(blue, black, copper... doesn't seem to matter) applied to the inner surface
of the axle cap. No gasket, no O ring. Install the axle. Use the counter
sunk screws (available from Winner's Circle) with the allen head rather than
slotted or Phillips. The reason is that the first one that goes on with the
axle, the short one, can be tightened again after the drum and remaining two
screws are in place. It doesn't hurt to install and torque the wheels right
away, as it makes sure everything that's being glued together is snug.
Also, remember the "driver's side" (on a left hand steering Sprite) axle nut
is "reverse thread".
The parts list is as follows...
Sealed bearing SKF 6207-2RS1/C3HT51 available from Berry bearing.
or MRC 207-SZZ/H501 available from Winner's
Circle
There is a bearing available from NAPA that can be cross refenced to the
numbers above. I paid about $24-$26 from BB or WC, and about $32 from Napa.
The inner bearing is the one that came with the hub, just packed in grease.
The Speedi-Sleeve number is Chicago Rawhide CR 99172
The single lip seal is Chicago Rawhide CR 17695
This is also available through NAPA
You mileage may vary, objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear,
I didn't know she was 16...
WST
Flounder
Team Thicko
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