Topic: 68 Disc Brake Wheel Hub

[warwick]

Is this an original 1968 Ford disc brake wheel hub?  The studs have WB 24 on them. Who is supplier? Borg-Warner? Wagner?

I was ready to write it off as an after market piece but then saw on West Coast Cougar's web site a picture of a used front drum brake hub with similar markings.

[krelboyne]

We sell used hubs. They might not necessarily be assembly line. They also might be from some other 1968-69 Ford or Mercury.

[Bossbill]

I believe that's a drum brake hub. I have various deconstructed drum and disc parts laying around. I'll snap a few pics and use this post to remind myself.

[warwick]

It is off a low mileage disc brake car-it has similar markings on the wheel side (not on back) to the used drum brake pic on WCC but as indicated above the pic is not necessarily of a Ford supplied hub. The rotor has different length vanes that I believe may indicate a 68 Ford rotor.

[Bossbill]

I deconstructed a few in order to find the best/strongest hub for a rotor that simply slips over the hub (like an SN95 rotor) -- race car application.

Top pic is a drum brake hub, small bearing (pre-70). I believe it's a 68 or 69 based on bearing size.
Middle pic is a 66 disc brake bearing hub.
Bottom is a 67 disc brake bearing hub.

[warwick]

Is the drum brake hub a Ford (ie: Ford supplier hub)?

As you can see my disc hub resembles that drum hub but has larger bearings and no notch.

pic of backside attached.

[Bossbill]

I was getting ready to update my post to state that I cannot validate the drum brake hub is a stock assembly line part.
All of the hubs are pictured from the smallest bearing side (wheel side).

All of the 65-68 disc brake assembly line hubs I've seen have the notch.

I have a 68 rotor and hub, assembled. Do you want a pic?

[warwick]

I don't think the hub I show is a Ford part but I am being thrown off a little - low mileage car and as I understand it the vanes in the Ford rotor are different lengths-I guess a differentiating detail from two piece period aftermarket assy's.

I have pics of original 68 assy's and mine clearly doesn't match.

Thank you

[Bob Gaines]

I don't think the hub I show is a Ford part but I am being thrown off a little - low mileage car and as I understand it the vanes in the Ford rotor are different lengths-I guess a differentiating detail from two piece period aftermarket assy's.

I have pics of original 68 assy's and mine clearly doesn't match.

Thank you

The different length vanes are seen from the inside not out side so that detail is hard to see once mounted given the splash shield. That detail was something that transitioned over time starting in the early 70's I think. The change was seen in Ford service 2 pc rotor stock as they evolved besides the after market.

[warwick]

The info I have now after speaking to others is that: it is a production 1968 two piece hub/rotor assy, most often seen on late model year cars-most likely Dearborn.

The WB on the studs indicates the supplier as Budd. The rotors are Ford with the different length vanes.

I can now restore what came of the car.

[warwick]

Here is the rotor.

[Bob Gaines]

Hopefully it is still within minimum specs and will turn. It appears to be a little thin.

[warwick]

I haven't removed drivers side yet but the pass side has 10 thou margin left. They are low mileage but were pulling a heavy load down from speed. Those calipers lean on the inside more. They ran good when driving. The surface will not cleanup completely but I think I can get a good enough surface to improve longevity.

Maybe we will even get a two piece rotor solution in the future.

Now that I am comfortable with those hubs as being original to the car I got to run with them.

[Bob Gaines]

I haven't removed drivers side yet but the pass side has 10 thou margin left. They are low mileage but were pulling a heavy load down from speed. Those calipers lean on the inside more. They ran good when driving. The surface will not cleanup completely but I think I can get a good enough surface to improve longevity.

Maybe we will even get a two piece rotor solution in the future.

Now that I am comfortable with those hubs as being original to the car I got to run with them.

Well the good news is that you at least you got ten thousand margin. The bad news is that the ten will not last long on a driven car and the outside edges (the part you CAN see when installed) will most likely not clean up and look respectable given the amount of rust corrosion damage seen in your picture. At least not for a restored or concours car.  FYI there are aftermarket rotor hats available for various year two piece rotors . Once surface prepped (some are painted black for example ) and installed on original hub you typically can not tell the difference between assemblyline and aftermarket. The replacement rotor hats go in and out of stock from various supplies so you may have to shop around. Some suppliers are more expensive then others too. The assemblyline staggered inside fins are nice and interesting historical detail but as I said before no one else besides you can appreciate that detail and only then until you install them on the spindle can you appreciate that detail because it is not seen once installed with the splash shield.

[warwick]

I haven't found any replacement rotor hats.

Let me know where they are.

Thank you