9 replies to this topic

[camby]

So i bought the UPC 290mm kit off ebay against all the warnings on this forum.
Not too happy with the fit of it all.

Firstly the hub that they supplied doesnt fit correctly, the bearing races inside are 2mm closer together than the standard hubs (48mm UPC, 50mm holden) and just to check that my hubs arent different i pulled apart a holden trailer hub and that measured the same as the standard ones.
This means that the outer (smaller) bearing bottoms out on the stub axle, not allowing me to tighten the nut up enough. I tried using an extra washer on the outside, hoping to space up the gap, thinking that the nut was running out of thread, but this didnt help, as the bearing was bottoming out.

Secondly the calliper mounts needed a reasonable amount of grinding to both it and the stub to get it to fit properly. The sellers firstly claimed that this didnt need to be done at all, and then in later emails said of course it needed to be done. This wasnt so much of a problem as it was just annoying.

The people selling the kit havent been very helpful with it simply asking me to check everything even after stating to them that everything else is in order and the same as original. Even after giving them measurements of everything they wont accept that their hub is wrong, as they "have sold thousands and never had any problems" and that they fit perfectly on his 3 toranas.

Has anyone got any ideas of how to get around this problem? My next step i think will be having to machine the shaft the outer bearing sits on a couple of mm inwards.

[ls2lxhatch]

I have not heard of this problem before. Maybe post a picture with the small bearing on the stub to compare measurements with others on the forum.

You may be able to press the bearing shells out and fit shims behind the bearings. I think your best option would be to return the hubs. If they won't play ball then get consumer affairs and eBay involved.

The bearings are around 53 mm apart on the Hoppers VT hubs.

Edited by ls2lxhatch, 10 June 2012 - 05:47 PM.

[ls2lxhatch]

Another option is to put the kit up for sale on eBay and in the description let potential buyers and UPC know what is wrong with it. Maybe then UPC might be interested in fixing the problem.

[dattoman]

Why did you buy it even after reading the "reviews" ?

[76lxhatch]

You may be able to press the bearing shells out and fit shims behind the bearings.

That's how most diff pinion bearings are set up, as long as the shim is square that should be perfectly safe and give a suitable result. Doesn't change the fact that it shouldn't be a problem, but I'm sure you could resolve it this way if it comes to it.

[Redslur]

Interesting stuff. I have fitted two of his 290mm kits to LX's without any problem bar having to slightly grind the caliper support. Can you post up a pic of the problem? I have had my kit on for nearly 3 years now and I have nothing but praise for the brake function now. Sounds like your hub may have been machined incorrectly.

[camby]

Yeah a shim could fix it but being in the country makes it a bit hard to just get one knocked up or sent down.
To dattoman i figured i could save 500 bucks over the hoppers kits and most of the later posts seemed to agree that the problems had been overcome.
Cheers ls2lxhatch for the measurements of the vt ones.
Ill try to get some photos of the measurements of the stubs and hubs when i get some time but am working a fair few hours so it could be a couple of days at least.
When i bring up that the hub might be machined wrong the only reply i get is that it cant be because hes sold heaps of kits.

[dattoman]

$500 well spent (yes thats sarcasm)