8 replies to this topic

[jonsharman]

Hi All,

Just looking for a bit of advice - I've fitted up new arms etc. today with just the grease caps to now fit with the hub nuts up to torque etc.

I understand they are a tight fit but I'm struggling to get then to go in at all! I've put a bit of bearing grease on the cap edge and inside the hub and hit with a leather and copper hammer a good few times but they don't want to go in! Is it just a case of persistence and persuasion or is there a trick to getting them in? I'm trying not to deform the caps themselves as everything is new.

Thanks!

[Ethel]

I've never found them that hard. There should be a chamfer on the hub to guide the cap make sure the cap sits on it and both are burr free. Once the cap is fitted beyond the chamfer you may find it easier to tap circle pattern around the edge to "walk" it in.

[jonsharman]

Thanks for that! The chamfer is there but does look a little less smooth than maybe it should.
I'll whip some 1200 round both edges to see if I can make an easier fit to start then walk it in as you suggest.

[nev100]

I had exactly the same problem a few weeks ago mate.

I was convinced they should pop on with a but of assistance but no way....

I was told to file the edge but still no way they were going on.

In the end I had to resort to a flap disc in the grinder and run that all the way round.

That eventually removed enough to tap them on with rubber mallet.

Sounds drastic but they were still tight when they finally went on.

[alex-95]

Have you got an old one to try in or measure the diameters with a vernier? Sounds like new ones aren't made to tolerance?

[mk1leg]

smear grease on the touching surfaces use a rubber mallet and a tube the same diameter of the ridge round the cap 

[Magneto]

I also had a real problem with the last set I bought, and had to grind a pretty good chamfer around the edges, even then it was a struggle to get them to go in.

[Icey]

Had problems with some recently as well. Find a socket that fits over the top and hit that with a normal hammer.

[jonsharman]

Thanks for all the advice!

The new caps are from Mini Spares yet I don't have a vernier to check the internal and external dimensions - a useful tool to add to the list I feel!

I had another look last night and I think the chamfers on the hub could do with a clean up - although they were masked off when painted there is a bit of crap from where the old cap had been. I was wearing gloves yesterday when I was first trying and with a bare finger I can feel a much rougher surface than it actually looks.

The edge of the cap is very blunt so a flap disc to get a shallower edge looks a must. One side is better than the other in that the cap will at least seat all the way round with the other being sitting more on the outer edge rather than within the chamfer.

Hope the clean, grease and socket / tube will do the trick but the real job gets in the way during the week so will be this Saturday before I get back to it now! ;)