88-91 CRX Hubs: Weak?

J

Jon Nelson

New member
I have heard that this is a potential weak spot on these cars (front, I think, only), especially when subjected to the rigours of race tires and a bumpy track.

Is this just internet dribble, or is there some fact to this?

It'd be a shame to go end over end into turn 1 just because of an overstressed part!

I notice OPM sells a part to remedy this, but of course it's not IT legal....

Thanks;

Jon Nelson
 
On my old SSB CRX Si, I had my LF hub break once, and would replace bearings / hubs on a 3 - 6 race schedule as preventive maintenance. With an SS car, so much of the weight gets shifted from one side to another with the soft suspension, that they take a beating.

I've had casual conversation with ITA CRX guys on this, and it doesn't seem to be nearly the problem, most likely because the inside tires work harder than on an SS car.
 
As long as the part is available (and not overly-expensive) it would be a good idea to put new ones in with the new bearing whenever you do your scheduled bearing replacement.

Preventative Maintenance is always better than an emergency repair.

I don't beleive the stress analysis between the ss version and the IT car. If anything, the added grip (and power) of an IT car is going to stress stock parts just as quickly as an SS racer.

Cheers.
 
Joe, I was also skeptical on the stress analysis between SS and IT cars. The only thing I could figure was maybe the stresses in the horizontal and vertical directions were the difference. I was never able to get a straight story on why the IT guys didn't seem to replace bearings / hubs nearly as much, and could only guess.

My schedule was:

LF bearing every 3 race weekends
LF Hub every 6
RF bearing every 6
RF hub ever 8 or once a season

The one hub failure I had was due to stretching the schedule a bit and running at Nelsons.

I would be curious as to a more scientific reason.
 
Luckily, I have never experienced this. Came close though, my problem actually came from a worn out bearing. The bearing was failing and started to machine into the nice radius on the inside of the hub. My guess is that this happens and the radius becomes a sharp edge with a nice stress concentration. As the material is removed, it eventually cracks. Anyone on the list have this happen like this?



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Brent Breon
Cendiv ITA #26
www.360racing.com
 
Just some thought on why.
I think that the very high heat of racing pads is transfered into the hub and the bearings. The heat is cooking the grease and it looses it's lubricating properties. The high heat is also concentrated where the hub contacts the bearing. This lead to weaking of the hub aat the point of highest stress.
I have not lost a hub yet. We do run a duct that blows air into the center of the hub and brake disc. This cools things at this critical point. I do replace the hub and bearing about every 6 races. I also check the hub torque after each session.
 
I have been racing these cars for a long time. We had 2 situations where the LF hub broke in competition. Myself at the wheel in one of them. What tends to happen, is that they get too many heat cycles on them and that eventually weakens the steel. The hub breaks, the wheel comes off and usually takes something with it like the brake line. Then you absolutely have no brakes going into that corner and end up in the tullips with the front end bent.

Now, we replace both hubs at the beginning of the season. Now we don't have any problems with them. Take my advice and at least replace them every year.
 
I think Rabbits and Fiestas have a bigger problem with hubs than the CRX.
Trying to diagnose this, I agree that it may be a heat and torque issue--heat driving grease out of the bearing and thereby relaxing the tension on the Hub nut.
 
I WILL replace them, then. It seems strange for Honda to build a car with a fault like this... I wonder if inadequate torque on the retaining nuts would worsen this? Perhaps tightening the axle nut to 200 ft/lb might help? I, for one, am guilty of undertightening these, really just so they are easy to get off later. I can't recall the factory spec, but I know they are a bitch to get off the first time.

Has anyone mail ordered parts from majestic Honda?

Thank you all for the very helpful replies!

Jon Nelson
 
I have hardend front hubs on my 90 crx and change the bearings once a year. I get about 24 races and some test days on them. I did a test with the rear after market hub bearings with the stock grease and the bearings had play after 1 weekend. One the next pair I replaced the grease which there was not much of it with high temp grease. Now I get almost a season on them. I do this on the front and when I change out the bearings they still seem in good shape. The hubs I'm using have to full years on them!

[This message has been edited by mock1 (edited February 21, 2002).]
 
I am running a 90 CRX/Si, and have had hubs break twice on very unfriendly situations. Once making me crash into Manuel's door during a heated race for 1st place. I found the same issue with the front hubs. The seem to fracture right at the outer hub face. I use OMP's hardened one's that are replaced each season, cheaper than bodywork & suspension parts. Also I strongly recommend high temp bearing grease (redline is the best !!) as was mentioned standard grease just can't take it and the bearing loosen up within a weekend. This one of those preventative maintenance things that FWD drivers have to do to be faster than those big old wide body RWD's
wink.gif
 
I have purchased quite a few parts from Majestic Honda. www.hondaautomotiveparts.com
Their service has always been great, usually 3-4 day delivery to Ohio. Their prices are about the same or lower than the average racer discount I have received from the local Honda dealer. The best part is the website! They have all the same parts diagrams as the dealer, right on the net, available 24-7. I have used the site more than once not to buy something, but to figure out how something goes back together. Awesome!

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Brent Breon
Cendiv ITA #26
www.360racing.com
 
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