MTFCA Forum

I'm looking to chase the threads of the front wheel hubs for my Ash Three bolt wire wheels. The grease cap is the same as the wood wheel hub cap. Can anyone give me a location to get a die for this job with out a lot of cost. Tom

McMaster Carr might have such a thing, or you might make a thread chaser die out of an old damaged hub that has good threads. You could take a small 3-corner file and carefully go around the hub threads, filing notches across them every 3/4" or so all the way around, then clean up the notches with a small file. For this to work, the notches and hub threads would have to be burr-free.

These were available - https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/Prod ... el-t/tools - Lang's might also carry them.

There is also the Stevens 181 tool

   

If they aren't too bad, I would try chasing the threads with a rear hub puller. (If you don't already own a rear hub puller, you should. One should be in every T owner's tool box.)

Note that I am not a machinist or the world's greatest mechanic for that matter. I'm just thinking out loud. So, if this is a bad suggestion, please chime in.

You are absolutely right, Bob - just not too plentiful - just used mine on Scott C.'s rear hub the other day !

Original 'pliers' type thread cutters for those hubcaps are very desirable, and generally expensive (I have seen a few sell at around $500!).
Someone was making thread chasers for model T hubs, and they were sold through the usual model T parts suppliers. Reasonably priced, but not cheap. I often don't like thread chasers myself. They are ridged, and must usually be put on from where the threads are most damaged. Which makes them difficult to use.
And, since I am almost always on a very tight budget, some years back, I made my own.

I used some steel strap iron, about 3/4 inch wide. It is strong enough to hold the light pressure, yet flexible enough to open and then clamp down again over the old threads. I welded some steel rod along the outside of the handle and part way around the hub area, to make the handle more ridged. The size for the whole thing had to be figured out fairly precisely, and might vary due to specific donor thread cutter size.
I do not recall what I used for the cutters. It was a common bolt size, something under a half inch (may have been a 3/8?), with a tread count/pitch the same as the model T hubcap. I don't recall what that was either, but if you have a thread gauge, it should be easy to determine. The thread die I used had four 'chip' holes between four sets of cutters, common hardware store thread die. I cut/cleaved though the chip holes. Then, using a good thread hub, I CAREFULLY (the tricky part!!!) placed the four cutters (the order should be kept as per original!) around the hub's threads, using the hub's threads to hold them in alignment. With the carefully sized handle held clamped around the cutters holding everything in place (I used electrical tape out on the handle to hold it clamped), I brazed each of the cutters inside the handle clamp circle.
The heat from brazing will take some of the hardness out of the cutters. However, I kept the heat as low as brazing required, and the loss of hardness has not seemed to cause any problems.

At the time, I had bought a car that had a damaged front hub. I was in a hurry, and did not make a neat job of it. It may be a bit rough and crude looking. But I have since cleaned up quite a few hubs with it. It hangs proudly on a nail in my workshop where I can find it on a minutes notice.

Thread file. They come in coarse & fine threads . Each one has 8 different thread pitches. Work quite well on t hubs if still round.

This was on Amazon, but now you will have to google it.
E-cowlboy 7402 Universal Outside Thread chaser

The reason most front hubs won't accept the hub cap is that they have been spread by having slightly oversize bearing races forced into them. That's why you find split hub caps, they in turn have been forced onto a spread hub. Close examination of my hubs show they have a hairline crack the full length of the thread.

So, if you're fitting new races, I would suggest grinding the o.d. so they're a light push fit and using Loctite.

For my hubs, I am going to have to drive out the races, find a means of pulling the hub back into shape so it accepts a cap and welding/brazing the split. Then I'll grind the race to fit the hub.

The cheapest option would be to purchase a " thread restoration " file to clean up and reprofile the existing threads.

Unless you use a tool such as "DHort" has suggested, you'll need to know the thread size and find a die. Can anyone here say what the thread size is?

I recently purchased a die for the exhaust manifold thread on eBay. It came from China, (took a while to get), and was about $50. That size is 1-7/8-16 by the way.

John K. has a perfect answer: Thread File. Make sure you purchase one with the correct thread count. Then start with the good thread area and work through the bad threads. The one bad thing about thread files is they only work on Outside Threads and not on inside threads. Been There, Done That.

There is a company Drills and cutters.com that has or can get just about anything at a very reasonable price, i purchased the dies for both front axles right and left hand thread and the #14x24 taps for the flywheel and Bendix cover.

Rick

As part of my “wake-up from a deep sleep” project on my 1927 Touring Car I wanted “USA made” Rethreading Taps and Dies. My internet search led me to JAWCO.com, in Reading, PA. Per their website they are also Veteran Owned and Operated, All tools are Made in USA unless noted, and Flat Rate $8 shipping.
Please review their website as they offer thread segments as shown above in this thread!

Thanks guys. I have a thread file that I'm working with and am making progress. It's a slow going but I'm getting there. Tom

The device you seek is available from Langs, but it is pricey. I have used one with great success.

Jack Putnam was reproducing the Stevens T181 tool. I think he only did one run.

I know this does not help your search, but I found this one at at auction, last March. I have never seen another one like it.



Definitely not old or used very much when I got it, but very well made and works tremendously well.

Pep that is a nifty set you've got there !