Front and rear hubs Ariel Golden arrow

[kevin.hopcroft]

Can someone help please? I am currently rebuilding a 1961 Ariel Golden Arrow and am trying to rebuild the front and rear hubs. I have bought all new bearings, circlips, grease retaining caps and felt washers but my workshop manual and parts lists are not helping with the re-assembly. I can see from the parts list what parts are needed but not what order they are assembled in the hub eg:

Front Hub has two bearings, two grease retaining washers, two circlips and one felt washer. The parts list shows the grease retaining washers between the two bearings, but I don't think that that is right. My common sense would say that they should be on the outside of the bearing before the circlip and that the felt washer probably fits in the cup of the washer with the washer's dome facing outward.

The rear hub has the additional problem of two tubular spacers. These obviously fit within the hub but which one on which side. Furthermore each spacer has an offset flange on it, which begs the question; does the long or short side of the tube from the flange point inward or outward? The manual mentions part numbers for each part but these numbers do no correspond with the numbers in the parts list.

If anyone could give me details on the correct order and orientation of the hub parts I would be most grateful.

Regards Kevin

[bh.sprint]

Evening Kevin,

The workshop manual does have a cross-section drawing of both the rear and front wheel, they are not totally clear but should help. Some riders use bearings with the rubber seals on each side so do not need to make sure the other dust keeper out seals are in as good a condition as was the case when the bikes were new. Although some of the disc type covers, if I remember correctly, take up the play between the circlip and bearing where necessary, so the wheel cannot float about if the bearing is not such a good tight fit in the wheel.
I assembled the front hub on the MK 2 Leader last year but would have to have another look at it before I give detailed answers to your question to make sure I'm getting the assembly position(s) correct.

Brian.H.

[Roger James]

Hello Kevin,
Are you all sorted now in respect of fitting out your wheel hubs?
If not, let me know and I'll explain what to do, I did my hubs last week so its still fresh in my mind however as they say, Easy when you know how, its not quite so easy to explain in detail so it makes it easy for you to follow what needs to be done especially the front hub when it comes to re-fitting the washer, top hat section with the felt bush, ie getting the back washer the right way round.
I'll give it a go however, let me know if you are stuck.

Roger

[kevin.hopcroft]

Hi Roger, thanks for your reply. No, I haven't got them together yet and would appreciate any help you can give. You can e-mail me direct if you wish on scoot@premiersolutions.co.uk or phone on 07929 833806 or reply on the forum again. Whatever is easiest for you. Thanks again for your help. Regards Kevin

[Roger James]

Hi Kevin,
Collected the hubs and bearings this morning from my friend who wanted me to fit the bearings for him so took some photos as I went along that I hope you will find useful.
First picture of Front Hub (Alloy hub off early Leader but fitting the same on your iron hubs used on Sports Arrow).
With hub on its shoulders looking down as if it were on bike, to the offside you fit Bearing number 6302 (using the universal bearing number not the Ariel part number) a plain washer and the circlip, I fitted this bearing first but doesn't really matter.
To the left or nearside of the hub you fit Bearing number 6004 then the two washer arrangement that retains the felt washer in the middle, then the circlip, please note the first washer part is dished near the centre and you put the part that is raised away from the bearing so the raised bit meets the felt seal that itself fits within the top hat of the outer section,( I knew this was going to be a bit difficult to explain), if you fit the washer the wrong way around and put the raised section facing the bearing you would soon know something isn't right because you wouldn't be able to compress them enough to get the circlip in the groove.
That's it, one other thing to mention is that the bearings shown have side covers on and the bearings are already greased instead of using open bearings, the sealed type are now popular amongst owners when replacing wheel bearings, the covers help to keep dirt and water out.
With regard to fitting bearings I don't drift or hammer them in I use a long sturdy nut, bolt and suitable washers, neither do I fight with a loose hub on the bench whilst using two spanners one at each end, I put the head of the bolt in the vice and place the hub down over the threaded section, its held firmly and leaves you to just steady the hub and other hand to turn the spanner on the nut enabling you to keep a check that the bearing is going in square.
Next the Rear hub. Roger

[Roger James]

Hi Kevin,
There is only one bearing to fit in the rear hub, the bearing on the other side fits within the sprocket.
Hope the photo attachment works, if so, Looking down at the hub resting on its shoulders the brake side of hub is on the right or offside, it is in this side that you fit bearing number 6004 followed by a plain washer and the circlip.
With the bearing fitted you than take the spindle that fits down the middle of the hub and insert it from the left/nearside, there is a short section and a shoulder to one end, it is this that goes into the hub first and pushes through the bearing centre up to the shoulder, you then fit the dust cover to the nearside where it is pushed down into a recess, you can use a large socket to locate it or put the sprocket back on and tighten up the three nuts and in doing so will push it into place.
Just a mention re the spindle, the end sometimes get knocked about so before fitting make sure the ends are not damaged preventing you from pushing it through the bearing, check and dress with a file if necessary, also make sure you can push the wheel spindle through the centre easily and is not sticking because of damage around the end holes. I had to clean up the end on my friends spindle this morning before it would fit through the bearing and the holes either end so I could get the wheel spindle to pass through it. Easier to sort out now than find out later when you are trying to fit the wheel to the swinging arm.
All the best. Roger

[kevin.hopcroft]

Thanks Roger, I think that I understand all of that. But I also have a shorter tube with a shoulder on it. Where does that fit?

Thanks for your help it is much appreciated

[Roger James]

Hello Kevin,
The shorter tube is for the rear sprocket, once the bearing (Bearing number 6204) has been fitted into the sprocket the tube is pushed through the sprocket from the nearside and through the bearing, this leaves part of the tube that has a shoulder on it sticking out of the sprocket, when the end of the tube has been pushed through the bearing a round clip is pushed on the tube and rests in the groove then you push a dust cover on like the one that is fitted to the rear hub.
Any problems. keep asking, am happy to help if I can.

Roger

[kevin.hopcroft]

Thanks Roger,
I assume that the end with the groove in it is the end that finishes up inside the hub?
Regards Kevin

[Roger James]

Hello Kevin,
In reply to your query, yes it finishes inside the sprocket hub however just want to mention that there should be a groove on both ends of that short spindle, looking at your photograph of the spindle it looks as though someone has filed or ground the groove away, the clip on that groove on the outside is there to retain the sprocket in place on the swinging arm if you only want to remove the rear wheel leaving the chaincase and chain in situ, the clip acts as a stop on the wide chrome washer from letting the sprocket fall into the chaincase as you pull the wheel off the sprocket. I would think you can still use that spindle but you will have to be aware if in the future you remove the wheel leaving the sprocket in place it might drop into the chaincase causing more work to retrieve it.
all the best Roger