Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Axle hubs interchangeability

I'm hoping someone can offer some technical advice on this Q relating to rear axle hubs.

I have an axle from a 2013 Roadster. It has splined hubs fitted. In time I want to use the axle in my 1982 plus 8 on alloys. I have a couple of spare hubs from the 7HA set up, and I want to know if they are the same as the hubs used on the Roadster when alloys are fitted. Obviously I am hoping just to stick them on the half shafts, but I can't find drawings. I'd also prefer not to take the splined hubs off and see if the other hubs fit ... it looks like it might not be easy with a 3 jaw puller.

The Roadster hubs used when alloys are fitted appear to have the same part number as my spare +8 hubs (MRA 1810) but that could easily be a slip up.

If that hurdle is negotiated I'd then look to using the drums from the Roadster axle. I think there's just enough meat to drill them for the studs used with alloys, but others might disagree.

I await your collective wisdom

Thank you

Terry (Canberra, Oz)

MRA1810 in parts book for 3.7 Roadster, +4 and 4/4 has text Hub rear +8 5 stud ali if that helps. Only changes for 5 stud option are the afore mentioned and brake drum MBS0740 plus bolts.

The +8 is fitted with a Salisbury Axle, the Roadster with a BTR.

The hubs will need careful lapping onto the driveshafts to ensure the tapers mate, but the hubs are interchangeable.

I wouldnt advise redrilling the drum. You can just about overlap the stud patterns, but its not nice...

The 5 stud drums aren't expensive enough to risk any potential issues

You might find that the Roadster axle is a wider track than the +8 though, which leads to issues with wheel arches and the handbrake rods, you will also need to fabricate a "xmas tree" and weld it to the BTR axle for the handbrake rod pivots

Thanks Richard ... that's promising. Perhaps someone has done it ... I'll keep watching

Terry

Thanks Simon

Good news that the part number info was actually correct. I accept your judgement about the drums, I put the hub and drums together and there would be an awful lot of holes with redrilling. Now might be the time for me to get the Nissan drums machined.

The track? I know the wire wheeled Roadster is wider by about 100mm, I put that down to the wheels being seated further out from the drum face. I hope the change in track is small. For the handbrake I was planning on going the Roadster route with its full cable operation. I have the Roadster backing plates and all its brake bits. I prefer the cable set up for safety although it seems to be a bit fragile, and expensive. I was worried about the compensator for the rods and the tank proximity so I've already cut an inch out of the mount and rewelded it further from the tank, with no apparent ill effects from the slightly altered rod angles

I appreciate your taking time to help
Terry