Rupp Roadster front wheel bearings?

[f4radar]

My 12” wheels have a cup with loose balls (like a bicycle) is this a stock setup or should I have sealed bearings like the rear. It’s a 28” spoke italian sanremo wheel

 

[Ginz61]

That looks stock to me f4. It reminds me of older bicycle wheel bearing designs. In order to use sealed bearings in that wheel you would need a modification or a whole new axle setup.

 

[cfh]

the early 12" rupp wheels had loose bearings. but by mid 1971 they moved to a sealed bearing unit. if you can get the race out of your wheel, you may be able to put in the sealed unit (avaliable from black widow MS.) i'm not 100% sure you can, but seems to me i have done that.

 

[f4radar]

I don’t know. They look pretty good I think I’ll just grease em and use em

 

[Joe51]

If you wanted to change to the sealed bearing type, you would have to get ahold of the Rupp type bearing cup to replace
the one in the photo.

 

[f4radar]

the early 12" rupp wheels had loose bearings. but by mid 1971 they moved to a sealed bearing unit. if you can get the race out of your wheel, you may be able to put in the sealed unit (avaliable from black widow MS.) i'm not 100% sure you can, but seems to me i have done that.

Thanks for helping out
http://www.pinrepair.com/minibikes/ruppinfo.htm

 

[manchester1]

Look at a parts diagram on Blackwidowmotorsports.net

 

[f4radar]

Look at a parts diagram on Blackwidowmotorsports.net

I looked but all I could find referenced was the same sealed bearings for both front and rear. That's what made me think I had non-stock wheel on the front. This thing doesn't have it's tag so not sure what year it is (I'm thinking 1973+) so I checked quite a few years and still couldn't find any reference to that cup/ball style bearing? That hub hole is too small to retrofit the sealed bearing like the rear has.

 

[ELT]

Looks like a MTD wheel to me.

 

[ruppking]

That is definitely not a Rupp axle or wheel with that type bearing in it. Rupp always used sealed wheel bearings, even the early ones had a steel dust seal. You could use them, but it looks like you are missing a few ball bearings.

 

[f4radar]

"looks like you are missing a few ball bearings." yep or "a screw loose" for buying this thing! My only consolation is that by the looks of things the guy needed the money more than I did.