Can I Swap Hubs From Left To Right

[foreigner 0]

Just planning my crazy project.

 

And one options is to move steering rack further to the front with no engine there.

 

I assume it would be ok as everyhing else should be symetric.

 

ANy ideas????

[MerlinGTI 3]

I wouldnt of thought so, it will knock the KPI out.

 

Think of the hub (knuckle) as a wheel on a chopper motorcycle, and the shock as the forks. Although not as extreme as this on a car the angles are still there.

[jackherer 543]

You would have negative ackermann or toe in on turns rather than toe out. Its seems to work in F1 and I gather some people swap the hubs on 4x4s for proper off roading but I can't see it doing much good in a 205.

[Cameron 16]

Depends what you're going to be doing with it.. Reverse Ackermann will be great for fast tracks like the Nurburgring and Silverstone, but s*ite for any other UK track ad road driving.

[Matt180 31]

It could be done!. Would be a gamble on how well it worked but some road cars are fitted like that.

[Cloverleaf 1]

Would be good for drifting too

[oz. 2]

You'd have the problem of your calipers being in the wrong place, and the noodle on the strut welded in the wrong place.

 

Another prob - the steering rack would be pushing the wheel (in effect) the wrong way. You do a bit of left hand down and the car would swing to the right...

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

You'd have the problem of your calipers being in the wrong place, and the noodle on the strut welded in the wrong place.

 

Another prob - the steering rack would be pushing the wheel (in effect) the wrong way. You do a bit of left hand down and the car would swing to the right...

 

Calipers in the wrong place? Placement doesn't affect a caliper too much.

 

Dont quite know how you worked out that he'd reverse the steering rack as all he's doing is moving it forward.

 

All he's doing is moving the hubs, you dont have to change the struts side to side.

[Cameron 16]

He's got a point actually!

Think about it, when you turn the wheel to the right (clockwise) the right hand track rod is pulled inwards. When the track rod is mounted to the rear of the hub you're pulling the rear of the wheel inwards, turning right. You go and move the track rod to the front of the hub and you'll be pulling the front of the wheel in, turning left!

 

Easily sorted though, just flip the rack upside-down.

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

He's got a point actually!

Think about it, when you turn the wheel to the right (clockwise) the right hand track rod is pulled inwards. When the track rod is mounted to the rear of the hub you're pulling the rear of the wheel inwards, turning right. You go and move the track rod to the front of the hub and you'll be pulling the front of the wheel in, turning left!

 

Easily sorted though, just flip the rack upside-down.

 

Oops Only problem with fitting the rack upside down is it would move the pinion over to the left hand side of the car.

[Matt180 31]

Calipers in the wrong place? Placement doesn't affect a caliper too much.

 

Dont quite know how you worked out that he'd reverse the steering rack as all he's doing is moving it forward.

 

All he's doing is moving the hubs, you dont have to change the struts side to side.

 

He is wanting to swap them side for side so the track rod points at the front of the hub. Well i think thats what he means anyway.

[Cameron 16]

Oops Only problem with fitting the rack upside down is it would move the pinion over to the left hand side of the car.

 

Starting to look more and more like a really bad idea.

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

Starting to look more and more like a really bad idea.

 

Nah just more problems to seek solutions too!

[oz. 2]

What are you going to gain by changing it? Sounds like a lot of faff for little or no gain

 

My point about the noodle thing was - on the struts of a 205/306 it has a small thing welded to the side to locate it in the hub. This ensures that the hub is straight to the strut. you could put one on the other side and cut the original off but would you want to be the one faffing on getting in the exact right place? Turning the Struts around wouldn't work, otherwise they wouldn't have put the locator thing there in the first place

 

One way you could get over the steering rack thing is to find a LHD rack and flip it.

Edited December 1, 2009 by oz.

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

What are you going to gain by changing it? Sounds like a lot of faff for little or no gain

 

My point about the noodle thing was - on the struts of a 205/306 it has a small thing welded to the side to locate it in the hub. This ensures that the hub is straight to the strut. you could put one on the other side and cut the original off but would you want to be the one faffing on getting in the exact right place? Turning the Struts around wouldn't work, otherwise they wouldn't have put the locator thing there in the first place

 

One way you could get over the steering rack thing is to find a LHD rack and flip it.

 

The locating tag is in the centre of the strut at the rear, it wouldn't have to move to change the hubs over.

[oz. 2]

The locating tag is in the centre of the strut at the rear, it wouldn't have to move to change the hubs over.

 

Ah 'tab' thats the word i was looking for!

 

Why not? when you swap the hubs over from either side they get turned around. Meaning that the locating hole would be on the 'front' of the hub and still on the back of the strut.

 

 

I'm not saying that it was a stupid idea, I'm just trying to say good question but to do it would be work.

[welshpug 1,657]

its at the "back" as in the side away from you as you look at it, another way to say it is that the tab is on the "inside" of the strut.

[Cameron 16]

The locating hole will still be on the inward side of the hub carrier.

[Matt180 31]

 

Just to show that hubs can be swapped over as ive done on my S/C 106 to move the calliper to the rear!. Obviously i haven't had to faff with the rack on this because the track rod points are on the strut!. These are BE hubs aswell as its running a BE4 Gearbox.

[oz. 2]

106 on a BE box

[Batfink 201]

what would you do, swap them over and reweld the steering rack on the other side?

[foreigner 0]

Great response guys.

 

So it can be done.

 

Just few bits.

 

I never thought about the steering rack as such so it would be fun to turn the wheel left and you go right - it could be fun.

 

I am not sure if I mentioned that it's not going to be 205 as such but just bits and pieces. Engine at the back.

 

Just wanted to know if I can move the steering rack and swap the hubs, so now I know I need different rack or sort of gears to swapp it, which could actually make a steering quickener.

 

Anyway , thanx