# Bearing race spins, where to buy hub?



## we9v (Aug 19, 2014)

After only putting on 6000 miles in the 24 years since dad and I restored our 1966 ragtop, I'm getting it ready to be a Long Hauler in this year's Hot Rod Power Tour. We're going over most of the mechanicals, replacing some things, and just regular maintenance on others. When repacking the front bearings, which were somewhat dried out, we found that one outer race spins in the hub.

For the life of me, I can't find where to purchase a new hub assembly. I've check the local parts stores, RockAuto, and all of the GTO restoration parts places. They sell drums, but they do not seem to include the hub. Does anyone know where I can get a new hub?

In lieu of that, does anyone have any experience with Loctite 660, which is supposedly made specifically for spinning races, and can fill up to 0.020" gap? According to Loctite, "Used for repairing worn coaxial parts without remachining; enables reuse of worn bearing seats, keys, splines, tapers or for retaining shims."

I've also heard about center-punching the hub in a bunch of places and then installing a new race. Seems fine for a short-term emergency fix, but would prefer a new hub.

Any help or leads would be appreciated.


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

The hubs are not reproduced. Cant say I've used Loctite 660, have both blue and red Loctite that I normally use for other purposes. On the early drum hubs, the early A and F bodys with drums used one style of hub and early disc cars ('67-mid 70) used a slightly different dimension hub as part of what many of us refer to as "two piece" rotors. I've always removed decent used early drum style hubs, often using them w/o a drum or rotor on bare spindles in order to move parts cars around.


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## zrsteve (Aug 28, 2014)

OPGI

https://www.opgi.com/gto/1966/brake-systems/drum-brakes/CH30556/

I had the same problem but chose to use JB Weld.


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## we9v (Aug 19, 2014)

zrsteve said:


> OPGI
> 
> https://www.opgi.com/gto/1966/brake-systems/drum-brakes/CH30556/
> 
> I had the same problem but chose to use JB Weld.


Thanks, I did see that, but it's on backorder. I'll call tomorrow for an ETA.

How's JB Weld holding up? The Loctite (or JB Weld) version will be a last resort. If I was only driving around the the local shows and stuff, I'd be far less concerned than the 3000 mile Power Tour.


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## zrsteve (Aug 28, 2014)

I haven't had any issues with the JB Weld. I removed the bearing race from the hub and filled the void in the hub with the JB Weld and replaced the race. I wiped off any material that got on the race, put the bearings in the hub and put the assembly on the spindle and tightened down until the hub would not turn. Removed the next morning, greased the bearings, installed seal and put back on the spindle. This fix was as last resort until I decide whether to go to disk brakes.


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## younggto (Nov 22, 2013)

I had the same problem two years ago. I took a center punch and made a bunch of indentations on the ID of the hub (to raise material up to create a press) prior to pressing a new race in addition to using Loctite sleeve retaining compound. 


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

^ Prick punching the hub and using a retaining or repair compound is something we've done in industrial maintenance and I have no concerns doing this on a hub with a pressed in race. The primary concern is that the bearing race stays concentric with the hub so I would measure if possible to see that the it seats squarely .

I've use the Loctite 660 on 600 ton industrial punch presses for spun bearing races with success so I would recommend that. The common parts store red is deactivated by heat so I would not use that.


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## we9v (Aug 19, 2014)

Thanks everyone for your input. I thought I'd update the thread with what I found, in case anyone else finds themselves in the same situation.

It seems that the only new hubs are the ones at OPGI. I called them today and they are on backorder with 39 people on the waiting list. They told me that they get the hubs from Classic Performance Products and gave me their number. I called them and they said that they lost their supplier and no other suppliers in sight, so no ETA on finding a replacement.

That leaves either Loctite & center punching, or locating a used hub. Thanks to member mytmouz for pointing out some used hubs on eBay for a very reasonable price. I've decided to go this route, of course replacing the bearings & races with new.

As a side note, brakes look pretty good for being 24 years since the last time they were serviced. LOL (but serious).


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## the65gto (Oct 9, 2008)

Local junk yards and their hot line service? I searched some really old catalogs yesterday and there not listed. Really unbelievable that those are not available!


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