Ford disc brake kit/bearing problems

[yellowpinky]

I had the Ford vented disc brake kit fitted to my van in 2005... Until now I've not had any problems until when I started hearing a knocking noise coming from the nearside front wheel.. So I took it to my mechanic & he quickly diagnosed that there was something wrong with the wheel bearings. He then proceeded to adjust (slightly tighten) & re grease (as it was a bit dry), but he also said at the time that the aluminium hub had worn...

When I drove a short distance home I thought he'd managed to fix it as there was no knocking and seemed as it should be.. But after using it for slightly longer distances, first a funny creaking sound developed, which could be heard more at very low speeds & then the knocking noise came back - I should point out the creaking sound only developed once I'd done a few miles and the knocking sound is intermittent...

So I called Bull Motif to enquire about a replacement hub.. They said that they no longer make the kit or sell that part in particular, but that they do another kit similar, this version has a steel hub. But they didn't know if it would be the same hub, that would still fit mine, just in steel... Does anyone know??

My other thoughts were to contact the Morris Minor center in Birmingham as i think they sold similar kits at the time...and also to ask the people at Bull motif to find out more about fitting newr part to their old kits..
Other than that, I'm thinking could I try to find a slightly bigger wheel bearing, one that compensates the wear??
Or having another hub made? I know a guy who works with metal, I'm sure he would/or know someone that could do it...

Any thoughts/advice would be welcome ???

[oliver90owner]

If you do a search on the forum, aluminium hubs do not get a good rating. Probably the reason why some/most/all good suppliers have stopped supplying them! Question might be whether they are wearing or fatiguing.

The obvious problem, with aluminium around steel, is that of different coefficients of expansion. What may be a tight fit at room temperature may be quite loose at elevated temperatures. Your lack of lubricant may have exacerbated the problem.

I am sure you will find replacements somewhere.

RAB

[bmcecosse]

The alloy hub arrangement is well known for being useless - presumably why they no longer make the kit. Looks like a new kit to better quality standard required. Or refit the good reliable drum brakes.....

[philthehill]

Whilst there have been problems with specific alloy hubs I understand that these problems have been overcome.
Alloy hubs are widely used by competition vehicles without any problems.
https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/al ... ing-ah-her
ESM still offer an alloy hub Ford disc brake conversion:-
http://www.morrisminorspares.com/brakes ... bs-p829476
I would always advise that both outer races are Loctited into the hub to alleviate any possibility of the bearing outer race turning in the alloy hub.
The hubs must be adequately lubricated and the level of lubricant/grease examined on a regular basis.
As regards your hubs I would find bearings with a slightly larger outer diameter and have the hubs machined to accept the new bearing.
The details of your existing bearings are stamped on the bearing races and the bearing supplier should be able to extrapolate from those details across to a new bearing of slightly larger O.D. size.
Any good bearing supplier should be able to source suitable bearings for you.
Phil

[yellowpinky]

That's all good advice, thank you all! Atm I'm too busy to be able to do much about it, but the advice given here will give me a good place to start when I look at it properly in a couple of weeks ))))))