1" axles

[JAinVA 4,619]

Hello folks,

    Some weeks ago I posted about hammered paints that I was trying out on my vise.I was more interested in reactions to the paint but it kinda went sideways so lets see where this goes.

I have had more than one 16.50 x 8 inch wheel that had been beat enough that the bearings would not stay in place.I have a way to swage the hub so that the bearings will take a press fit but that to me is a bandaid for the real issue.I feel that the hub should have been made of thicker material to take the gaff.Other makes use a 1" axle,bigger bearings and thicker hub metal

and I am going to upgrade the WHs to this stronger hub style.Is this an issue for the users here?JAinVA

Edited November 22, 2017 by JAinVA

[953 nut 54,947]

I am a firm believer that it is your Wheel Horse and you should feel free to build it your way.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,290]

@JAinVA You will have to keep us up dated on your project and of course we want photos.  I just got hearing aids but they don't help me read or write any better.

[Jerry77 1,218]

Many my not agree with me, but I feel the only thing that should be completely true to it's origin is a classic car..  Other than that, make it your own.

[JAinVA 4,619]

It should be evident that anyone who puts a 13 horse Predator on a low hour anniversary model cares little for originality.I am wondering if anyone has had problems with the front hubs beating out.I will say that no WH I own will ever be painted green but to me they are tools.If they weren't they would be in a heated garage and dusted every day.

[Skipper 1,788]

No issue at all IMO, and was it me, then I would go with the trailer hub solution and 4 bolt rims for the front. MUCH stronger than any std. GT wheel bearing. Strengthen the "bend" on the spindles, and you can easily use that on a loader GT.

Edited November 22, 2017 by Skipper

[ebinmaine 67,131]

16 hours ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

@JAinVA I just got hearing aids but they don't help me read or write any better.

Good to know..... saves me the trouble. 

[Lee1977 6,632]

I had the wheel bearing problem back in 1989 on my C-120. Had one wheel bearing that was always loose, tried several fixes nothing worked even machined a sleeve to fit over the hub. It didn't work either the bearing cut up my spindle. Trailer wheel and spindles were a lot cheaper back then I payed $125 two spindles, hubs, wheels with tires. I went with 3500# set-up. I saw 2" off the back of the spindles, then we drilled them for the 3/4" Wheel Horse axles. We also cross drilled the spindles between the bearings. Then we cut the Wheel Horse to fit inside the spindles. The 3500# spindles are 2" in diameter on the back side so there is a lot of metal to weld to the Wheel Horse axle. We welded around the WH axle and to the upright part of the axle also welded the end of the axle between the bearing surfaces.

 

 

My camera battery is about dead I'll charge it up and get some more pictures later today.

 

I though I had weld to the up-right, but I didn't, I planed to reinforce them just never got back to it. I did reinforce the ones on the 312-8. I post a few pictures of those too.

 

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Here is the 312 reinforcement.  I think I used 2" x  3" x 1/4" angle, could have been 3/16" angle.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Lee1977
ADD PICTURES

[ebinmaine 67,131]

43 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

get some more pictures later today

 

I'd be interested to see those pics too.

[JAinVA 4,619]

Thanks for the description and picture.If you post more I would like to see them.I was wondering how common loose bearings were and how they were addressed.Thanks for the answer.Vanguard swap is nice too! Luck,JAinVA

[Lee1977 6,632]

I got back and added some more pictures to the original post. I didn't pull the hub, didn't want to get into the grease. You'll also see I went with 1/2" heims joints with bushings down to 3/8" on the tie rods that was done before the spindle change. I've done a lot of modifications to my Wheel Horses over the years. I like a nice looking machine, they were repairs or improvements to the original design. I bought the C-120 new in 1977 I've changed all the bearings at least once. My PTO shaft and clutch shaft has oilite bushings. The front hitch has 1/2" thick collar welded to the front of it with a new over size pin to repair the loose motion.

[ebinmaine 67,131]

2 hours ago, Lee1977 said:

added some more pictures

Nice job on those mods Lee.

That angle iron reinforcement is a great idea for a heavier applications.

[JAinVA 4,619]

Great improvements.Hope you don't mind if someone steals the idea of the angle iron upgrade. Nice work all the way.Thanks for the pictures and sharing of the ideas.Well done!.

Luck,JAinVA

Edited November 25, 2017 by JAinVA

[Lee1977 6,632]

Your free to use any ideas you want most are not mine. Wheel Horse did something similar on front spindle for the loader tractors. They bent a plate to reinforce them. I just used the angle that was already shaped. 

Check out my post in tread "C-160 frame repair" for reinforcing the transmission mount. That not my original idea either. I got from some one on Redsquare.

Also check out posts and treads by Don1977 that was me before I could not get back in after a crash or change in the forum. Most of my modifications are in those post or treads.

I can't find any of those treads, I will have to find my pictures and post them again.

Edited November 26, 2017 by Lee1977

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

@JAinVA, I believe what @Lee1977 is referring to are the elements that came factory on the 520s front spindles, I believe you have 1 of those for actual part to copy, Jeff.

[Lee1977 6,632]

15 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

@JAinVA, I believe what @Lee1977 is referring to are the elements that came factory on the 520s front spindles, I believe you have 1 of those for actual part to copy, Jeff.

They bent the steering arm, I just added the angle below it.