Car in question is a 1998 Sei. I'm putting a bike engine in the back so I no longer need the front drive shafts fitted. But I'm concerned that the wheel hub and bearing won't be held in properly if I simply remove the hub nut and driveshafts. What holds the front wheel bearing in? Is it the actual drive shaft and hub nut or some other mechanism?

Would it be best for me to just get some old driveshafts and chop the hub ends off and fit them?

PS the project is coming along nicely and hopefully I'll have the engine offered up this week to see what mountings I need

Can't see any issues. The bearing is held in the hub by a circlip. It's a ball race so will cheerfully take axial loads (but obviously radial loads predominate).

I don't think any of the Cento buggies use anything extra on the front hubs, but someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

How are you going to set the brake bias further rearwards?

Thanks for the quick response, I'll keep an eye out but I'll assume its ok at the minute. For once something that is less complicated than I feared!

fingers99 said:

How are you going to set the brake bias further rearwards?

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I've not got that far yet

I'm fitting punto GT calipers all round for the braking and trying to move as much weight to the front as I can, battery, fuel tank, spare wheel etc. I'm still 2 minds about moving the rad to the front, knowing that it'll only have a small bike water pump and it'll add a lot of water weight to the car.

The engine will be completely in front of the rear axle though so shouldn't be too tail heavy, and hopefully make it nice and nimble.

Now I think about it once its all built I'll see whats its like in terms of brake distribution. If its only minor differences I might just upgrade the pads at the rear. If its majorly out I might try swapping the 2 circuits over on the master cylinder but I really hope its not that off. If that still doesnt work satisfactorily I'll get a proper adjustable bias valve setup.

I'd post a link to the build thread on PPCMAG but they seem to have killed their forum in the last week

Does it have brake compensators at the rear?

AFAIK, no, but there is a compensator of sorts up front, behind the brake master cylinder.

For extra security you could leave the CV joints in place, pop them off the shafts and cap them.

Cheers

SPD

Id just fit an internal brake bias valve. not expensive. might as well do it right if you are going to all this effort!.

btw i recon you will need to look into springs (or coil overs) for this car. the front will look like its on stilts without the weight of the engine in the front and the weight in the back... even with the tank in the front.

(p.s... bloody scrap men keep trying to steal that beam i had from you! )

craigb244 said:

(p.s... bloody scrap men keep trying to steal that beam i had from you! )

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Tell me about it, they keep trying to steal my car! Just cost its up on axle stands does not make it free to pikeys

Thankfully the neighbour is keeping an eye out for me while he's out of work.

I'm aware that the suspension will need sorting out, and coil overs will be the logical conclusion to that. But for the minute I'm more concerned with getting it on the road for the minimum pounds spent. Once its on the road and running I'll know how much needs doing in terms of springs and dampers.

I'll have a look at bias valves and see how much they go for. If its less than £50 I might just get one and save myself a lot of hassle


Good idea about the CV joints. If I can get myself a cheap pair I will. A circlip might well be good enough but there is something reassuring about its being held in with a big nut done up very tight.