Sierra rear wheel bearing housings, how easy to make?

[Bonzo]

I have been looking at this particular problem for a while.

The Sierra hub assembly could be replicated to take a different size bearing. it is quite a simple hub.

The cost is likely to be prohibitive, as you say they would most likely need to be machined from billet with the added expense of having the bearing housings machined once the hub is made.

You may remember me posting a while back about plans for a rear/mid engined 7'ish car.

Some of the early drawings are taking shape. We have done some R&D on the rear hubs. Looking at the driveshaft issue, personally I think the most cost effective solution would be a hybrid driveshaft.

Donor engines CV joint on one end & donors hub joint on the other end.

[mr henderson]

Originally Posted by Bonzo

The cost is likely to be prohibitive, as you say they would most likely need to be machined from billet with the added expense of having the bearing housings machined once the hub is made.

How about having the flange laser cut, then a cylindrical bearing housing turned on the outside diameter, welded to the flange, then the inside diameter machined for the bearing? A bit long winded, but it would cut down on the size of the stock needed, and save a bit of turning too.

I realise there is a cost element to this, but surely supplies of Sierra units aren't going to last forever, and most other makes of car are either front wheel drive or the bearings are pressed straight into the trailing arms (such as BMW)

[RAYLEE29]

For a rear engined car using a frontwheel drive transmission why not just use the uprights from the donor with suitable wishbones and a tie rod instead of the steering rack
its not a new idea its been done before I think transformer do/did it on the stratos replicas and didnt gtm do it with a mini based kit?
Ray

[mr henderson]

Originally Posted by RAYLEE29

For a rear engined car using a frontwheel drive transmission why not just use the uprights from the donor with suitable wishbones and a tie rod instead of the steering rack
its not a new idea its been done before I think transformer do/did it on the stratos replicas and didnt gtm do it with a mini based kit?
Ray

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's too restrictive in this case, and the donor uprights are completely unsuitable. Then there's the problem of the brakes, of course, need cable operated handbrake.

If this can be solved then it will in fact be easier than using any of the donor front suspension (which possibility I did investigate at some length.

[Bonzo]

Originally Posted by RAYLEE29

For a rear engined car using a frontwheel drive transmission why not just use the uprights from the donor with suitable wishbones and a tie rod instead of the steering rack
its not a new idea its been done before I think transformer do/did it on the stratos replicas and didnt gtm do it with a mini based kit?
Ray

I mulled over the use of the front wheel drive donors uprights & it was the handbrake issue that stuck in my mind

I am sure that there is probably a hydraulic solution there somewhere but to be honest I do not posess that sort of knowledge.

Had serious visions of using Citroen BX/Xantia front uprights

It was about then that I thought it was about time I stopped trying to think

[AshG]

if its just a case of getting bearings that will fit the sierra bearing carrier and a different size driveshaft im sure you can get a different bearing. i use a company called LBK. they have never faild to get me bearings in the size i wanted.

if thats not the case i would be looking at machining/casting an upright with bearing carrier ways machined in the hub material effectivly making it all a single piece that the bearing races are pressed into.

[Bonzo]

I have used a company called Bearing Services LTD ( BSL ltd )

They are a national chain & more often than not come up trumphs for obscure bearings.

As Ash has said, it is well woth measuring the OD & length of a bearing, then finding out if one with a smaller or larger ID is available.

Folk probably know this but the numbers etched onto the face of a bearing usually contain the type & size of the bearing

Bearing supplyers are also a good source for oil & grease seals, again the numbers on them are often the type & size

[georgenewman1]

could you not just modiey the upright to accomodate the bearing hub of your choice, i made my own uprights out of plate instead of pipe and the seem to work alrite

[mr henderson]

Originally Posted by georgenewman1

could you not just modiey the upright to accomodate the bearing hub of your choice, i made my own uprights out of plate instead of pipe and the seem to work alrite

Not too sure what you mean there. Do you mean to use plate thick enough so that it could be bored to a press fit for the bearing itself? It might need to be quite thick for that.

Depends on how wide the bearing is (anyone know how wide a Sierra bearing (for instance) is?) but I suppose a piece of really thick plate could be machined to the OD of the bearing and four bolt holes. Then it could be bolted to an upright.

[flyerncle]

Just one thing to be aware of if you make your own hubs,bearing preload.
It will be built into the Sierra hubs,BSL and the likes do bearing carriers but they are possibly meant for radial loads and not axial/sideloads as in motor vehicles.
Ronnie for your own sanity dont think anythng Citroen !( trust me I have been there,1970 till present day).

I have replaced one pair of rear bearings but took no notice of thrust faces etc but I will measure them and post dimensions if you need them.