Do wheel hubs have gaskets?

[DCE]

I have just had new wooden wheels made for a 1920 Dodge Brothers Touring Car. When I dismantled the metal components of the wheels to restore them I noticed what I would describe as a gasket type of material where the exterior hub bolts onto the bearing housing of the rear wheels.

What material would be correct for this application? Should there be gaskets as described or was this an after thought by a subsequent owner etc.

Thanks Dale

[72caddy]

Dale,

i'm having trouble following the question, but trying. The brake drum is bolted to the wooden spokes of the wheel and the center bearing housing is press fit in between the center of the spokes, so not sure of the location that you are describing. I would see no reason for a gasket between the wood spokes and the brake drum.

[DCE]

Sorry for the confusion in my question. The rear hub has 8 nuts. When I removed the 8 nuts the final drive hub (not sure of the correct name)? is able to be removed. The material was between this drive hub and the center bearing housing. I will attach a picture of the "Final Drive Hub"

Sometimes this is tough when I do not know the correct terminology for the items I am trying to describe.

Thanks for you help and patience.

Dale

Edited April 7, 2013 by DCE (see edit history)

[DCE]

This is a photo of a rear wheel that has been reassembled. I will now have to paint the entire wheel, felloe band, brake drum in Ditzler Paris Blue. The tire rim, tire rim bolts & wedges will remain in zinc electroplated finish.

[Guest 1930]

Thats a great looking wheel Dale, lotta work

[30DodgePanel]

This is a photo of a rear wheel that has been reassembled. I will now have to paint the entire wheel, felloe band, brake drum in Ditzler Paris Blue. The tire rim, tire rim bolts & wedges will remain in zinc electroplated finish.

Hi Dale,

I cannot help with your material question your seeking an answer for but I'm very curious to know the answer as well.

Can I briefly ask about the paint and a couple of other things?

What is Paris Blue IM#?

Also, was the zinc electroplate finish farmed out or did you use a kit yourself ?

Any recommendations for your wheelwright ? Very good craftsmanship ..

[DCE]

Hi Dave,

I contracted the Zinc Electroplating to a Third Party shop. I was very happy with the results. I sandblasted all the tire rims, rim bolts & wedges prior to taking them to the shop. They dipped them all in a number of acid baths, blasted them again and then electroplated them. From my research this is correct for these parts. It totally eliminates any chipping of paint etc. when mounting tires removing rims etc.

My understanding is that the original color of the wheels was done in Ditzler Paris Blue. I am just starting to source this out to see if it is still available. I understand there are identical replacement colors should I not be able to find the Ditzler Paris Blue. I have read a very close match is Pratt & Lambert Postal Blue (BV 013A) available in Marine Enamel.

I have only pictures of the new wheels. I will not personally see them until May of this year. The pictures I received throughout the process of the rebuild looked great and I believe the processes the contractor used were what I had expected based on the research I had done.

Here are a couple of more pictures of his work

Edited April 4, 2013 by DCE
Delete Duplicate Pictures (see edit history)

[DCE]

Hello Caddy,

Please find below photos of the hubs where the gaskets appeared. Not between the drum and spokes but between the outer removable hub and the bearing housing.

Thanks for your coments.

Edited April 6, 2013 by DCE (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Sounds as if it may be an oil sealing gasket.

[Machinist_Bill]

Beautiful new wooden wheels........ New tires & tubes......... valve stems........

Adds up to more than I paid for my Coupe! VERY NICE!!!!!!!!

[72caddy]

Got it. Pictures always help. There is no gasket between the hub (the part that holds the bearing) and the outer hub cover in the master parts book. Since the bearings have felts, retainers and locking bolts holding them in place and covered in heavy axle grease the only real purpose of the outer hub is probably just to protect the bearings from the outside elements and keep grease from slinging over the wheels and the axle pin so the axle can't work it way out of the rear gear as there are no end clips on the axles like modern cars.

if you have oil coming out the axle ends, you have overfilled the rear gear (done that !)

Your wheels look great. I had one redone when my spokes cracked and it took me a while before I was comfortable varnishing them as they were so nicely crafted.

[Guest Bill Miller]

I have A 1915 DB Touring and about a year ago I removed the rear wheels to have new ones made. While the wheels were in the works I repacked the bearings and replaced the felt seal on each wheel which fits outside the outer wheel bearing. Here's a photo (this is my first upload of a photo and I hope it works) of what I found as I was dismantling the wheel assemblies and this was the only seal there was outside of the bearings. I think your car is similar. You can buy new felt seals from Tom and Cindy Myers or from Romar for a few bucks.

[keiser31]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]187292[/ATTACH]I have A 1915 DB Touring and about a year ago I removed the rear wheels to have new ones made. While the wheels were in the works I repacked the bearings and replaced the felt seal on each wheel which fits outside the outer wheel bearing. Here's a photo (this is my first upload of a photo and I hope it works) of what I found as I was dismantling the wheel assemblies and this was the only seal there was outside of the bearings. I think your car is similar. You can buy new felt seals from Tom and Cindy Myers or from Romar for a few bucks.

It sure does look like there's a paper gasket around the studs in this photo.

[DCE]

Hello Bill,

Please find below what I was able to salvage off my outer hub. It looks to be like a gasket material of sorts. Thanks for the pictures of your 1915. Beautiful Car!

Best regards,

Dale

[ATTACH=CONFIG]187292[/ATTACH]I have A 1915 DB Touring and about a year ago I removed the rear wheels to have new ones made. While the wheels were in the works I repacked the bearings and replaced the felt seal on each wheel which fits outside the outer wheel bearing. Here's a photo (this is my first upload of a photo and I hope it works) of what I found as I was dismantling the wheel assemblies and this was the only seal there was outside of the bearings. I think your car is similar. You can buy new felt seals from Tom and Cindy Myers or from Romar for a few bucks.

[DCE]

Keiser,

Do you know what the correct material would be for this gasket?

Thanks,

Dale

It sure does look like there's a paper gasket around the studs in this photo.

[keiser31]

Keiser,

Do you know what the correct material would be for this gasket?

Thanks,

Dale

Thin, stiff brown paper type gasket material available at your parts store.

[keiser31]

Your old gasket looks to be about the same material as I recommended.

[Guest 1930]

A cheerios box cut out will do the same thing

[keiser31]

I would use more of a paper thickness material almost like a brown paper bag. Just try to find something about the same thickness as the old gasket.

[db17]

Sorry to bud in but I'm rebuilding my 1917 hubs. Bill when you rebuilt your hubs where did you get your parts? I was hoping you might know where to find the retainers (J2821 and J2823). Mine have been turned into cones. I'd like to replace all the retainers and spacers (J3668)

Thanks!!!

db17

[jpage]

I would recommend using a regular gasket paper as it is impregnated with a sealant to prevent wicking. I would also recommend spraying the newly zinc plated parts with a good clear overcoat to prevent deterioration. Zinc deteriorates at a very rapid rate, much faster than cadmium when exposed to the elements.

[Guest DodgeKCL]

DCE -Canadian Tire stores sell all sorts of gasket material in rolls on one of their shelves. Use it all the time. Keep it in my own stock. Their material is impregnated with stuff to make it water and oil proof. Comes in rolls and sheets. Can cut your own water inlet/thermostat housing gaskets rather than trying to find original.

[countrytravler]

What is the size of the wooden wheels for theses cars? I have about 100 wooden wheels that I'm trying to identify. There is a local vedor here in Sonora that has about 700 patterns for redoing the wooden wheels.