Get rid of those front hub E-Clips! Tutorial

[GeneralG]

I must first thank LT250Dave for the suggestion to do this mod. I was tired of loosing the front hubs due to the e-clips falling out of the groove on the front hubs. With this mod you still have the ability to go back to using the e-clips if you want. I didn't see a tutorial like this anywhere on the site so here it is.

Here is what you do. Go buy a good qualilty tap. I bought a cheap tap made by Irwin... snapped the first one and learned my lesson. Also as advised by Turtle, make sure to use some type of oil! I used my good old KLotz, just a dab will do on the tap.

You will need the following:
-The tape size you will need is a .8mm X 5.
-2 Washers to fit snug on the outside eclip ring area, also the washers need to be the same thickness as the eclip ring.
-2 button head 5X12mm bolts
-Blue Loctite



First step is to remove the hubs from the car, in my case the one side was already removed to do a crash earlier...
Next secure the hub in a vice, put a dab of oil on the tap and proceed to tap the hole. Make sure to back out the tap every so often. 1/2 thread in, than back it out etc. I ran the tap into the hub about half way in.





Next I made sure the button head bolt screwed into the hub.



So far so good. All that is left is to insert the hub back into the bearings in the carrier, slip the washer over the eclip ring, apply a little dab of blue loctite and screw the bolt into the hub. I had thought about using a lock washer and the flat washer, but there wasn't enough room as the bolt would rub on the lower a-arm.

EDIT:Almost forgot. Another very important mod is to install 3 shims on the shaft of the front hub before running the hub into the bearings. I just used some diff shims I had laying around from my 1/8th scale cars. This way the hub has much less play, hopefully less prone to breaking anything as well.







I would think with the introduction of the RamTech cable brakes this would be a great mod so you will not loose the discs or any part of the cable brakes. Hope this was a quick and dirty tutorial that you will all be able to follow.

[jaeneke]

nice ! going to keep that in mind if my brakes arrive...

[DeepBlueRealm]

This is great! Rob should pin ("Sticky") this thread. Its a great tutorial! A lot of people have this problem with the E clips. As do I. Good Thread!

[ProBajassrider]

I still have not lost any c-clips yet ....

[fourwheeler]

Looks pretty easy...thanks man.

[GeneralG]

Originally Posted by hndaman1

I still have not lost any c-clips yet ....

Better hope you have some wood to knock on close by after saying that!

It will happen, only a matter of time, and after the clip finally gets bent enough it will fall off.

[ProBajassrider]

so far nothing, I had hit a log pile broke a lower a-arm in half nothing hit a snow fence nothing hit a jungle gym last weekend while I with Jeremy and nothing and during that time Jeremy lost 2 rear tires priceless

[USABaja5]

Great idea. I talked with DarkSoul at the RCX show about making their extenders work with the disk brakes, and also adding a tapped hole in the end for this mod.

[TurtleRacing]

Originally Posted by hndaman1

so far nothing, I had hit a log pile broke a lower a-arm in half nothing hit a snow fence nothing hit a jungle gym last weekend while I with Jeremy and nothing and during that time Jeremy lost 2 rear tires priceless

Nonetheless, you might want to quit HITTIN STUFFF!!!!
Do you miss anything???

[ProBajassrider]

Originally Posted by TurtleRacing

Nonetheless, you might want to quit HITTIN STUFFF!!!!
Do you miss anything???

I sure do............

[Gleebs]

Great mod and will probably try it myself but isn't the purpose of the e-clip to pop off when you hit something to avoid breaking the knuckle or the a arm?

[ATX Poly Products]

Originally Posted by Gleebs

Great mod and will probably try it myself but isn't the purpose of the e-clip to pop off when you hit something to avoid breaking the knuckle or the a arm?

Didn't you lose the bearing in the sand Gleebs??????

Then found it!!

[CrazyBRONCOguy]

I agree and will be doing this to mine aswell.

[phatdad]

great idea !!!!

[craddock24]

I did this a wile back and have had no prob with breaking any other items. I got tired of looking for the bearing in the grass or at the gravel pit that me and lt250dave go bash at. It works great.


PS lt250dave kinda got the idea from me.

[GeneralG]

Ok... sorry I didn't include you Craddock. To a point I would rather brake a plastic part like the bearing housing rather than loose a bearing. Going to give this mod alot of abuse at the dunes this next week.

[FastEddy]

Great tutorial. Easy to follow and well documented.
Ill be doing this mod soon.
THANKS!!!

[mxmhero]

thanks Generalg40, gonna do that mod.

[RevToTheRedline]

I'll definitely do this mod if I ever have an e-clip pop out, I've been the luckiest person so far.

[toe]

hi guys and thanx for the info ,i did it today works mint,just had 1 small prob but took care of it,the lower control arm end was rubbing on the button head screw,i ground the button head down a bit on a bench grinder and also filed down a bit of the controlarm ,awesome idea thanx again.