Wheel Bearings

[Templar245]

Hi anyone know what rear wheel bearings are used in the Atom 3's? for 16" wheels please? I believe they're Rover ones. :-)

[John Scherrer]

Later Atom 3 had uprated uprights fitted with Porsche bearings ..

[Peter255]

Post a pic of your uprights for us to easily identify the bearings.

They will be either porsche bearings in updated uprights, or the older uprights with "chocolate" rover bearings.

AFAIK the older bearings were specced for ~200BHP. They tend to die quite often depending on how you use the car and if its s/c.

[Templar245]

I know it's the rover ones for sure. I just like to know which ones they were please. :-)

[Templar245]

Also pretty dumb to fit underrated bearings on a track day car with 245 BHP...what other parts on it are substandard. They are a lot money these things for not very much fitted with Rover parts and cheap brakes!

[Monza]

changing a bearing is not a problem on an Atom and if you don't want to change them once a year on rear if you track it, buy the Big bearing rear uprights.
Concerning the brakes , the Alcon option is here since minimum 8 years so if you don't have them on your Atom, it's not Ariel choice ;-) The minimum for serious trackdays is to have Alcon front even if rear ones help a lot to.

[Peter255]

[quote="Templar245"]
Also pretty dumb to fit underrated bearings on a track day car with 245 BHP...what other parts on it are substandard. They are a lot money these things for not very much fitted with Rover parts and cheap brakes!
[/quote]

The thing is the car has gone up in power over the years. This is just one part that can suffer on certain models. However the issue is resolved in the later cars. All part of the continual development and improvement of the car.

Uprated brakes have been a factory option for a long time.

[John Scherrer]

Searching on the forum, John Williams posted this info for the UK car pre uprated uprights/Porsche bearings:-


The UK Atoms have British Leyland (MG) Wheel hubs with 4 hole , PCD (Pitch Circle Diameter) at 95.25 mm.

The wheel bearings are Timken JRM3938A 9FUA2 (Made in France). The are available in kits, for Rover/MG cars, complete with retaining clips and lock nut from SKF Bearings. The kit part number is VKBA 1452.


and

This kit is the same wheel bearing kit used for the front wheels of the Rover 100 , MGTF and Austin Maestro.
An alternative kit is the Quinton Hazell QWB661.

[ross]

Were the Rover bearings that bad?  I wouldn't be surprised if the design of carrier was also to blame for bearings failing earlier than expected.

[wasp]

[quote="Ross McWilliam"]
Were the Rover bearings that bad?  I wouldn't be surprised if the design of carrier was also to blame for bearings failing earlier than expected.
[/quote]

My experience of them would be yes, if you want to use your Atom on track, they are definitely that bad. Whether the carrier was also partly responsible could well be a relevant point.
The trouble is that with a car that weighs as little as the Atom (and of course its inherent design), you can't hear them grumbling when they are beginning to wear like you would on a normal car with a roof. I'm much much happier in the knowledge that I don't have to rely on them anymore.

Cheers,
Stu

[GTED]

When did the "later Atom" start?  2009, 2010, 2011?
Thx


[quote="John Scherrer"]
Later Atom 3 had uprated uprights fitted with Porsche bearings ..
[/quote]

[Bungle009]

Atom 3 was late 2007 i think.

[Monza]

the new renforced Uprights with big bearing were available end 2010.

[Fredrik F]

Regular bearings on late AA2 is same as Mercedes 180 from 2000 > or smaller version om MG. But the upright from AA2 and the first AA3 is to weak and you should upgrade this instead. Ariel motors had it an DPcars in USA.

[lemmy01]

It where nice to have picture's of the different upright's here. I have picture from the DP's.
Many owners have problems to identify the generation of the uprights/bearings.
And to track a atom with the rover bearings could end in a disaster in combination with big brakes at rear.
I have seen a lot of rodends rubbed down by the rotor.