HELP - UMI Big Brake Kit w/ Wilwood Hubs

[oldsofb]

I just got around to putting the Wilwood hubs on my spindles. I adjusted down to zero play and then backed off a little to put the cotter pin in. They seem really tight. Will not free wheel at all. I'm not sure if this is normal for these.

I'm looking for some input from someone who's installed these, or from UMI if they log on. They're closed until Mon, so I may have to wait if I can't get an answer here.

Thanks everyone,
Hutch

 

[oldsofb]

I guess I could try removing the rear grease seal and see if that's the source of the drag. They are the pretty tight to the back ridge they ride on. I also understand that the small hub doesn't have a lot of mass to it. I put the rotor hat on and spun it, and it feels a little better, but still seems really tight compared to what I'm used to with factory heavy rotors. This is my first use of plastic cage bearings. From what I've read they are just as good, if not better, than stamped steel ones. If UMI packs them in their kits, I trust they've put them through the ringer on the track.

Guess I'll call UMI tech on Mon just to give me peace of mind.

Hutch

 

[melloelky]

this may or may not help but i had a set of willwood hubs before and they dragged and had a squeak upon assembly. this may sound odd but i greased where that grease seal met the spindle and it went much better.

 

[pontiacgp]

those hubs with a tapered inner and outer bearings should be adjusted the same as a rotor with a small amount of play. If they are too tight you'll burn the bearings

 

[oldsofb]

After seating the hub I backed the nut off to zero pressure and even finger tight doesn't relieve that tight feeling. Again, I may try the hub on with no seal and see if the drag or tightness is from that. The hub has no real weight per say compared to an old school rotor. We'll see.

Hutch

 

[oldsofb]

Happy to report it was the grease seal. I took the seal out and put the hub back on. I tightened it down the same and it spun like it was on butter. Glad it was that easy. Here's something else I ran across.

The bearing nut washer was the same size as the screw on hub cover. It wouldn't fit.

I found a bearing nut kit at Napa that had a smaller washer. Here's the kit with part number, in case anyone else has this issue.

The washer was already on by the time I decided to take the pic

Hutch

 

[pontiacgp]

how could a rubber seal cause the drag?....

 

[MC96]

They make low drag seals, I also ran into the washer problem.

I have bearing spacers / preloaders on mine, spins very free

 

[oldsofb]

how could a rubber seal cause the drag?....

It's not rubber. It's a rawhide seal and it grabs the base that it rides on pretty tight I guess. As I said before, it's also an aluminum hub with no real rotational mass. As long as the bearings are not the issue, I'm fine with it.

Hutch

 

[pontiacgp]

It's not rubber. It's a rawhide seal and it grabs the base that it rides on pretty tight I guess. As I said before, it's also an aluminum hub with no real rotational mass. As long as the bearings are not the issue, I'm fine with it.

Hutch

Thanks, that explains it, I thought it was similar to the seals used on a typical G body rotor