Looking for information on Kitfox wheel hubs

[Trackwelder 12]

     I just ordered my Birthday present a new small lathe, and am trying to come up with some items to make with it. I am hoping that someone would have a few pictures of the old kitfox wheel hubs that they could share with me with a few of the measurements thrown in. I realize that with Matco coming out with the new 10 inch wheel that there is less need for them, but I wish they would have built them for 3/4" axles. thank you in  advance for any help you can give me.

[EDMO 1078]

Let me know when your lathe comes in - I have a set of what you want measured - but real busy this week.

I think you can still buy these hubs and the Douglas wheels - just have to weld in the mounts for the Matco disks.

EdMO

Edited 22 Sep 2014 by Ed In Missouri

[Av8r3400 1179]

If you have a source for the hubs, please share it.  

 

The Kitfox community has been looking for these ever since the OEM supply dried up.

[Trackwelder 12]

I have not been able to find the hubs, but the Matco discs and mounts are available and in stock, Matco now makes wheels in the 8 and 10 inch size but for 1 1/4" and 1 1/2 inch axles only, I was looking at my ATV disc brakes and thinking of mounting a caliper to the hub and use matco calipers, but like you said the kitfox community seems to be looking for them all the time.

[1avidflyer 1983]

Just reading your post, and when I read that the wheels were available for 1 1/4" axels, I right away thought: replace the existing bearings with same size outside, 3/4" inside.  Then I thought, maybe put a 1 1/4" OD tube on the axel with 1/4" wall thickness.  Just a few thoughts after only 1/2 a cup of coffee.  If I remember and can get to it, I'll try to get some dimentions for the kitfox hubs.  If one can weld aluminum, it shouldn't be hard to make them.  Weld an aluminum plate to an aluminum thick walled pipe, put it in the lathe and turn it down.  Might have to use solid aluminum rod if you can't find the right size aluminum pipe.  Like I said though, only 1/2 a cup of coffee so far..... Jim Chuk

[EDMO 1078]

Jim,

      I think you came up with the $100 best idea, and it don't cost near that much to do - sleeving the axle to fit the larger bearing is a winning idea - changing bearing size could be a worm-hole you don't want to get into - been there and failed to even get close!

      I may be wrong on the hubs being still available - I wonder if you could buy trailer hubs from some place like Harbor Freight and adapt them to fit the Douglas wheels?   I believe that Grove made a hub too - maybe not???

EdMO

      I think I saw a drawing of the hubs on some site - that could give the bearing info and dimensions?

EDMO

Edited 23 Sep 2014 by Ed In Missouri

[Trackwelder 12]

Polaris ATVs use a 4 on 4 inch bolt pattern so trailer hubs are a possibility, I believe that the Kitfox used the 3 on 90 mm and doubled them up, but I am not positive.

[1avidflyer 1983]

Trouble with trailer hubs would be the weight I think.  I believe they are always made of steel.  Also, axels are usually tapered not same diameter all the way through like the Avid axels.  Jim Chuk

[Trackwelder 12]

I know I have seen straight 3/4 inch hubs and axle shafts, but the weight would be the killer, that is why I would like to copy the kitfox assembly.

[EDMO 1078]

The steel hubs would not add anywhere near the weight that the Grove gear adds.

EdMO

[FoxDB 17]

An option I was considering was to buy the A3A Axles from Matco and bore a .75 Hole thru, then re-drill the caliper mounting plate to match the axle pattern. This saves a lot of machining. I learn years back it is less expensive to modify a mass produced part then to start from scratch.

Dave

[1avidflyer 1983]

Well Orilley is over so I can now give some dimentions on the Kitfox hubs.  I measured some old hubs I had (from a Kitfox 1)  and this is what I came up with.  Looks like they were made from thick walled aluminum pipe with a plate welded on that the wheel bolted onto.

The pipe was 2 1/4" OD, with 1 1/2" ID.  The bearings were 1 9/16" OD.  The plate was 3/8" thick, and was 4 3/4" diameter with 6 holes in a 4" circle.  The hubs were 4" long. The newer Kitfox hubs look to be a smaller diameter, maybe 2 1/16" OD (hard to measure accurate with the wheel on) and the bearings looked slightly bigger than the older hubs had.  If you still think you want to build, I can try to take a wheel off and get more accurate measurements for you.  I think the wheels have a 3" hole in the wheel.  Doesn't look like it would be hard to make some hubs using thick walled pipe and plate.  Jim Chuk

[Trackwelder 12]

The lathe I have ordered will swing the par, If you have a reason to pull the wheel please take the other measurements, If I am going to build these I would like to have them match the original Kitfox parts.

      Are you saying there are 2 different wheel bolt patterns or two different sizes of bearing outer diameters, The bearing sizes I am not worried about as I could just use the Azusa wheel bearing for a size, I believe they use a sealed bearing instead of a bearing cap on the hub.

     To save money I could easily make them 2 piece with the wheel hub TIG welded on then finish machine.

    I was not aware that there were 2 different bolt patterns, It would be nice to have both sizes so I could build either, or go with the easiest to buy wheel for.

Edited 24 Sep 2014 by Trackwelder

[1avidflyer 1983]

Different bearing diameters.  I will try to pull one off today and get some better dimentions on the newer Kitfox hubs.  Jim Chuk

[1avidflyer 1983]

Well, I finally got some more accurate dimentions for the Kitfox hubs.  I made a drawing showing them, plus a couple of pics showing the hubs themselves.  These are hubs that came with a Kitfox 3 originally,  Hope this answers most of the questions.  Bearings and seal outside diameter is 1 9/16", the bearing race is 1/2" wide.  Jim Chuk

[EDMO 1078]

Jim,

     Guess you didn't find a part number and brand on the bearing?

EdMO

[1avidflyer 1983]

Here is the type and # of bearing.  It's a Timken A 6075.  I googled it to find a race to fit it cause I didn't want to pound the one out of the hub to read it and found a Timken A 6157.  It is only 3/8" wide though.  I'm sure the ones in the Kitfox hub measured 1/2" wide.  Jim Chuk

[Trackwelder 12]

     Thank you, that is exactly what I needed. I might not go with 6 bolts for the wheel, after watching some ATV racers I think that the 4 bolt wheel pattern would be perfect, they land harder and more often on the tracks they use. I had hoped to get the plane in the air before it got too cold to work in the hangar, but I did not make it, I will be working on small projects like this this winter so that they are ready to put on in the spring.

Edited 29 Sep 2014 by Trackwelder

[marksires 484]

Yes, they land more often, and with more force, but the wheels and hubs are both steel, not aluminum.  I'd stick with the six personally.

Mark

[1avidflyer 1983]

When I was in the hangar yesterday, I looked at the hub again,  the bearing race is only 3/8" wide.  Don't know why I came up with the 1/2" wide but that's wrong.  That would mean the race I have is a Timken A 6157  and the bearing is a Timken A 6075.  That also says that the drawing I made of the hub is not correct.  I allowed 1/2" space for the race to sit in, while only 3/8" is needed.  Jim Chuk

[Trackwelder 12]

As far as ATV wheels, Douglas made the wheels for Kitfox, and make them for ATV's the hubs seem to be steel though, I suppose a rotary table could work to make certain they were all at 60 degrees, but even MATCO designs for no more than 700 lbs ith a 2000 lb ultimate. I will look into having the 6 hole wheels made.

[1avidflyer 1983]

I think the wheels came in the kit with only the three holes in them and the builder drilled the other 3 himself.   Jim Chuk

[akflyer 1427]

We just bought the 3 hole douglas wheels and drilled the other 3 ourselves.  We also made the lugs and had them welded on the wheel for the brake disk.  Make the lugs, bolt the disk to it to keep all 3 of the flat, then position them in the wheels with spacers below the lugs from the center hub to the lug to "jig" them the proper distance so you dont have a wobbly disk.  Tack them up them give the wheel a spin to make sure they run true before you bother welding them out.

 

[akflyer 1427]

http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/130-avid-kitfox-8-wheels/?hl=%2Bdouglas+%2Bwheel

 

This gives you the douglas part number for the wheel.

 

[1avidflyer 1983]

I was just looking for thick walled aluminum tube, and I found that Speedy Metals had 2 1/4" OD with 1 1/2" ID for a price of $14.43 for a foot long piece.  18" was $21.43 (that would be enough for 4 hubs @ 4" each)  Wish I could weld aluminum, I would make some of these on my lathe.  Jim Chuk

Edited 29 Sep 2014 by Jim Chuk