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Tractor Wheel Clamp Nuts - How Do They Work

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Bib Overalls, Jun 26, 2013.

  1. No, I am not looking for tractor maintenance help. This is really a HAMB relevant question.

    I bought some Halibrand clone knock off wheels from Charlie Chops the other day. I want to use them on 46-48 Lincoln spindles with the original brakes. The Lincoln hubs will not work with the KO adapters. They are too long and fat. So, I am going to make new hubs with the KO provisions built in. The only problem is the castle nut that goes on the snout of the spindle. It will be recessed and there will be no way to set a cotter key.

    I thought about nylocks but they are not positive enough for me. Then I found these gems. Ford tractor wheel wheel clamps. Never seen them before. Do you think these would be suitable for automotive use? How do they work? The little tab on the insert throws me a curve.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Thats kinda neat but what stops the lock nut backing off ??
     
  3. Would this style work?
    [​IMG]
     
  4. DirtyDirk
    Joined: Sep 27, 2011
    Posts: 16

    DirtyDirk
    Member

    It looks as though the outer nut would have to completely fall off to fail.
     

  5. Steve,

    I just pulled a Chevy/Ford steel Trigo knock off hub - the smallone you have - and a Wilson Welding repop cast Ford hub off the back shelf. The I.D. of the front of the Trigo hub is only slightly smaller than the I.D. of the Ford hub. The mounting flange of the Trigo could be turned of and an appropriate flange could made to weld just inboard of the taper below the Trigo threads which would get you close or on the wheel mount surface. A bearing race could be fit in the front of the Trigo hub with a sop machined inside.Then a rear ring could be made and welded on to contain the rear bearing race and seal. Access to the castle nut could be drift pin through a cross hole through the hub threads. Haven't plotted it all but there might be a way.

    Charlie
     
  6. whtbaron
    Joined: Sep 12, 2012
    Posts: 579

    whtbaron
    Member
    from manitoba

    Tractor wheels turn relatively slowly and do not have the same centering/balancing issues the automotive applications do. Make sure the system you use keeps the wheel centered properly on the spindle and can be balanced without applying excessive weights to the wheels or you'll be shaking the fillings out of your teeth.
     
  7. Steve,
    The double washer locked nuts as McGurk had on his Pete would work well, using two thin jam nuts, if you could find or fab up the tabbed washers that small. Only requirement would be the keyway for the inner tab on the washer. Smallest I recall seeing was on 1 ton trucks, and are probably too big.
     
  8. Thanks guys. I am most likely going to buy a set and see if they can be made to work. The clamp with the hex has the same problem as the castle nut and cotter key. No access. Charlie's drift pin and other ideas have merit and I will give them a thought. The big problem is maintaining the stock Lincoln brake drum flange location. Ford and Wilson welding hubs fit the lincoln spindle but they do not locate the drum in the correct relationship with the inset 46-48 Lincoln backing plates. It is going to take some figuring and fabricating but I am sure that it can be done.
     
  9. 24riverview
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,052

    24riverview
    Member

    3/4-20 thread? Probably no help but 67 full size Oldsmobiles (possibly other years and brands) used a slotted nut with a groove machined around it that took a spring clip with a tab that locked into the spindle slot because the speedo cable ran through the middle of the spindle on the left side. No clue where you'd find any.
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2013
  10. enjenjo
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 2,689

    enjenjo
    Member
    from swanton oh

    several years ago I restored a race car from the late 30s. It had old school Dayton wires on it from the same era. The front hubs had a 1/4" hole drilled through them for access to the cotter pin.
     
  11. 24riverview
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,052

    24riverview
    Member

    Two seconds after typing this I remembered I had one. Probably haven't looked at it in 20 years but it was right where I thought it would be. If you think it would work you're welcome to it, would just need to double check the thread size, not sure if this is 3/4-20.
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Ford thread is 3/4"-16.

    If your nut and clip have the right thread then I would certainly like to see if it will work. Some one like Rock Auto should have them. Maybe even a Doorman part. I'll check.
     
  13. blowby
    Joined: Dec 27, 2012
    Posts: 8,661

    blowby
    Member
    from Nicasio Ca

    If not you may be able to turn a retaining groove in a standard castle nut and make a clip from a spring.
     
  14. InstantT
    Joined: Aug 15, 2012
    Posts: 716

    InstantT
    Member
    from SoCal

    What about a grade C with some green loctite. The green is shock proof and the combination with a grade C is used on Diesel engines often. They look nice, too. It won't ever come off without some slight heat applied.
     
  15. InstantT
    Joined: Aug 15, 2012
    Posts: 716

    InstantT
    Member
    from SoCal

    There is another name for them, but they are the ones with threads that are eccentric and have to stretch to get over the male thread. I use them on everything.
     
  16. Hud I
    Joined: Jul 19, 2008
    Posts: 164

    Hud I
    Member
    from Tennessee

    The nylock nuts are designed to be used with threads that have been worn or deterated. Some tractor hubs sit at an angle and apply a lot of pressure on the hub nut. The threads usually become worn in one area. The nylock nut was designed to cover more threaded area and the outer nut was to lock it into the spindle threads. They are life savers for tractor people. It beats having to replace a spindle. They work. Hope this helps. Hud
     
  17. 24riverview
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,052

    24riverview
    Member

    Sorry, they are 3/4-20, did not realize Ford was different. They go right on Chevy spindles though.
     
  18. enjenjo
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 2,689

    enjenjo
    Member
    from swanton oh

  19. Thanks, I checked McMaster Carr but only searched for nylocks. The "Drake" nuts are interesting.

    I don't think the spindle nut sees any rotating force from the bearings. The keyed washer absorbs all of that. At the same time the nut is not drawn up tight and needs some mechanism to keep it from vibrating out of adjustment and eventually off. A nylock or a deformed thread nut may be adequate. Just never seen it done that way. Hate to turn right and see my left tire, wheel, brake drum and hub go straight.
     
  20. Hey Steve,

    Check out these star washers with an internal tab, like a big truck.

    They're available at your Kubota/Woods dealer for a Woods mower.:D

    Looks like the p/n is 62840.

    Don't have dimensions, but you can check. Might just fit the early Ford spindle. Mill the existing keyway to fit the tab. Two thin jam nuts for each side and you're in bizness! :cool:

    Bill

    [​IMG]
     
  21. sunbeam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2010
    Posts: 6,214

    sunbeam
    Member

    You could drill a hole in the side of the dub in line with the cotter key thread the hole part way and plug the hole with a setscrew.
     
  22. Thanks Bill, I hear you and Larry hooked up for the long weekend. Hope you had fun.

    Certainly an idea. I guess we will have to machine the hubs and see what we have once all the boring is completed.

    One issue is the outer bearing. The cup (outer race) for the Ford bearing is too large in diameter. It looks like a Timken LM11949 cone and LM11910 cup, a standard trailer bearing, will work. Even so, I would like to find an automotive outer bearing but I'm not having any luck.
     
  23. You might consider having the race outer diameter ground to size if it's not a lot.
     
  24. enjenjo
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 2,689

    enjenjo
    Member
    from swanton oh

    That bearing and race is a standard car wheel bearing, as a set 2 from Timken
     

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