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This was not a bad job, but having never done it before I was pretty paranoid about the whole process. I ended up following @Van 's YouTube process for removing and replacing the races in the hub (
I was planning on powdercoating the non-critical parts of the hub but ended up walking away from that idea. I did, however, mask up the inside reasonably before media blasting.
Here's where things started: Complete with rusted in set screw
I thought that I had taken some pictures after media blasting, but I apparently did not. Either way, the media blasting was pretty easy and, given that the hubs are aluminum, the only part that took a little bit of work, also due to the shape, was the ABS ring. I cleaned up the wheel studs too, as best I was able, as there was some baked on looking crud in the threads.
Once everything was clean and I started considering a powdercoating strategy, it became clear that it was probably not going to be a viable path. I then considered paint, but that also seemed like a pain. Really, the parts that I was most worried about were the steel bits, so I decided to just use a cold blue (Brownell's Oxphos Blue) and oil the whole hub, the hope being that the newly created oxide layer on the aluminum parts would retain some of the oil, as well. Overall, the bluing got on the aluminum and seemed to react a little bit (which was unexpected) but from far enough away it's hard to see that and I think that the hubs look pretty reasonable. I know that cold bluing steel is not a particularly tough coating but hopefully these parts are protected enough that this stays in good nick for a bit.
I don't recall if I did it in that video, but my favorite way to get races out is to weld a bead on them with the mig welder. When the weld cools, it shrinks, and you can get the race out with minimal damage to the hub.
I know I'm a hopeless tool dork, but the Porsche tool for pushing out the front bearing races is too cool not to have. With it and a press, the races are out in a minute, no drama, no fuss.
Still available from Porsche for ~$100, as is the race install tool (9154) for $75.
I know I'm a hopeless tool dork, but the Porsche tool for pushing out the front bearing races is too cool not to have. With it and a press, the races are out in a minute, no drama, no fuss.
Still available from Porsche for ~$100, as is the race install tool (9154) for $75.
It would be nice if our "dorkness" was just for factory 928 tools, instead of everything we do regarding these cars.....
You and I have it....bad.
Semi-retired, as of Feb 1, 2023.
The days of free technical advice are over.
Free consultations will no longer be available.
Will still be in the shop, isolated and exclusively working on project cars, developmental work and products, engines and transmissions.
Have fun with your 928's people!
Actually, they press in with a driver tool- the WSM uses the VW433, but for the same money you can get a generic set of press pieces that will have additional uses.
03-07-2021, 10:26 AM
Front Hub Restoration
