1939 Knucklehead Rear Wheel Work - Updating the 1935 - 1937 Early Step Hub...(and an interesting discovery regarding the rear brake...)

The wheel I'm using on my 39 is actually a 35 - 37 wheel. The hubs on these early step hub wheels are different and can wear causing problems. Main issue is that there is no 3981-39 Roller Retainer Thrust Washer (top hat washer) pressed into the hub on the big bearing side.... Thanks to Matt Olsen for turning me on to this upgrade!!!!

To update it to the 38 - 39 style you need a few things... a later center sleeve, a 3982-39 small side thrust washer and a 3981-39 Roller Retainer Thrust Washer (top hat washer)... see above. The same bearings, snap rings, etc. are used...

3981-39 Roller Retainer Thrust Washer (top hat washer)

I banged this outta a broken later hub (any year star hub).

"Pressed" it right in caveman style using an old wide glide fork tube and a small sledge hammer... make sure the hub is supported properly as not to brake the flange off on the other side... 

Make sure the "top hat" washer is seated and your bearing, washer and snap ring fit properly... make sure the snap ring seats and can be moved around in the groove...

Put the rest together as you would normally...

Ready for service!

Stuck the wheel on and sized things up...

Getting there...

Mounted a Firestone ANS

Sizing it up again...

Even better...

Got the crossover squared away...

Pulled this of my "sidelined" military big twin side car rig...

Beautiful condition..

Looking good!

Took off the OD I sprayed on it 25 years ago to uncover the black paint underneath by previous owner, then I discovered, upon further investigation, it has original USN (Navy) gray under the black! Turns out my Military Big Twin was once a USN Knuckle with a side car!!!!!

USN Gray hidden away all these years!!!!

Upon even further investigation, the Knuckle Tanks on my military sidecar rig have USN gray under the paint as well! But that's a story for another post...

Hate to do it but I'm using this old Navy brake set up on the 39 EL... brought it back to the old black paint that was under the OD (that I sprayed) and not all the way down to the USN Gray...

On it goes!

I likey...