Hitchcocks Forum

Why can't life be simple, eh?

I'm reassembling my Bullet rear hub and decided to buy a new drum/sprocket, bearing and dust shield. When I come to put it all together there is a difference of opinion in the info available. Hitchcock's exploded diagram shows the seal & spacer goes into the drum first (nearest the centre-line) followed by the bearing. However, when I look at the workshop manual it shows bearing in first and then the seal/spacer. On my old unit (which was probably done in India) it follows the same sequence as the manual.

Does anyone know which is correct? Or even if it makes any difference given that the bearings are sealed for life?

I have to say that if it was assembled via the diagram below (Hitchcocks) then I cant see how the collar on the short spindle would fit into the bearing centre as it did on the one I dismantled.

That illustration you show is odd. Compared with all the exploded diagrams of the earlier set-up (Redditch made). In those instances the seal is always shown to be fitted outboard of the bearing. That seems the logical order of fitting. Why the Indian diagram is different is unclear to me. But as you say, with sealed bearings the order may be irrelevant.

Unfortunately - this occurs a lot with RE illustrations and one has to employ some lateral thinking at times, the bearing goes in first - and butts up to the drum - and the seal and spacer afterwards, its always useful to pay attention to the order of things before stripping them out too.

Thanks all, my manual said bearing first and the one I took off was the same so I went that way.

I checked the measurements and I think it has to be that way to mate up the stub axle with the bearing inner race.