# Eclipse - Morrow Rear Hub



## pedalpower17 (Apr 20, 2018)

I'm overhauling a recently acquired 1936 Davega-Westfield.  The front hub is a New Departure.   The rear hub has a Morrow brake arm, but upon removal of the rotting leather hub polisher, I found the hub shell stamped with Eclipse Machine.  What is the relationship, if any, between the two companies?  Are Morrow parts (e.g. clutch rings, brake sleeve, brake sleeve expander) generally compatible with this hub?


----------



## Herman (Apr 20, 2018)

Eclipse Machine is the manufacturer of the Morrow hubs , everyone I've ever seen is stamped that way


----------



## pedalpower17 (Apr 21, 2018)

Herman said:


> Eclipse Machine is the manufacturer of the Morrow hubs , everyone I've ever seen is stamped that way



Herman, that's good to know, and I regret having to ask the obvious.  A big part of the fun of this hobby is learning the histories of these old companies.  This is my first Morrow hub overhaul and I had already purchased NOS clutch rings and sleeve expander.  I appreciate your help with this piece of the puzzle.  Now let's see if I can't get her braking and engaging a little better.....and how those spokes come out of an Evaporust bath!


----------



## Krakatoa (Apr 21, 2018)

....and to add a little bit Eclipse was from the late 1920's under the umbrella of the Bendix corporation.

Great hubs and an equally great story...

https://history.gmheritagecenter.com/wiki/index.php/Bendix_Aviation

enjoy!

N


----------



## kreika (Apr 21, 2018)

Here’s some help I’ve found here.


----------



## pedalpower17 (Apr 22, 2018)

kreika said:


> Here’s some help I’ve found here.



kreika, fantastic stuff!  I think it will come in handy when time to reassemble.  I took it apart today the could not remove the small pins that maintain the expanders in the brake sleeve.  I had another Morrow publication that instructs to simply pull them out with pliers, while your instructions here say to grab them with cutters.  Not happening with mine.  Maybe 82 years has seized them up.  Any suggestions for getting them out?


----------



## Bozman (Apr 22, 2018)

pedalpower17 said:


> kreika, fantastic stuff!  I think it will come in handy when time to reassemble.  I took it apart today the could not remove the small pins that maintain the expanders in the brake sleeve.  I had another Morrow publication that instructs to simply pull them out with pliers, while your instructions here say to grab them with cutters.  Not happening with mine.  Maybe 82 years has seized them up.  Any suggestions for getting them out?



Place a flat head screwdriver in the slot of the pin and carefully turn it to expand the slot.  You should be able to slide the expander ring assembly out on one side.  Repeat on the other side. 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## Mercian (Apr 25, 2018)

Hi All,



Herman said:


> Eclipse Machine is the manufacturer of the Morrow hubs , everyone I've ever seen is stamped that way




The same was true for me until recently. Please see the Morrow marked hub belonging to Blackcat in Post 15 here:

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/my-collection-ww2-g519-military-bikes.128550/

With the green paint and US stamping it is apparently military, but both WW1 and WW2 military bikes have the standard markings for the era on their hubs.

Does anyone know why this one is marked Morrow, and is undated and does not have a spoke number/size indication? Is it a rebuild, using a spare shell from military stock? Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Adrian


----------



## Herman (Apr 25, 2018)

This is just a guess , but since that hub was found in France I'm wondering if Eclipse didn't start marking some of their hubs that way that were intended for European use to eliminate any possible confusion


----------



## Bozman (Apr 25, 2018)

What you have here is the last year of production of the Morrow Hub.  It has a date code of U3 which makes it a 1952 hub produced in the 3rd Quarter of the year (July - September).  The Eclipse Machine Company was taken over by Bendix Corp so they probably only stamped Morrow on it.   I have a NOS Chrome replacement hub with the same markings.  

It also looks like the hub size 36 - ? Is stamped after the Elmira NY stamp.  

Boz

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## blackcat (Apr 25, 2018)

Bozman said:


> What you have here is the last year of production of the Morrow Hub.  It has a date code of U3 which makes it a 1952 hub produced in the 3rd Quarter of the year (July - September).  The Eclipse Machine Company was taken over by Bendix Corp so they probably only stamped Morrow on it.   I have a NOS Chrome replacement hub with the same markings.
> 
> It also looks like the hub size 36 - ? Is stamped after the Elmira NY stamp.
> 
> ...




Thank your comment.
The hub is well marked U3, it is NOS and has never been mounted on a wheel.
It was found in the west of France 35 years ago in Brittany in a stock of US supply vehicules in HD WLA parts.
It is the size of g519 ww2 and stamped 36-10.
Regards;
Serge


----------



## Bozman (Apr 25, 2018)

blackcat said:


> Thank your comment.
> The hub is well marked U3, it is NOS and has never been mounted on a wheel.
> It was found in the west of France 35 years ago in Brittany in a stock of US supply vehicules in HD WLA parts.
> It is the size of g519 ww2 and stamped 36-10.
> ...



Most likely a replacement part for the G519s still in service.  The G519 was used until the mid 50s so that makes sense that the NOS part was still available.  Actually very cool because it gives a date in which parts were still in service.



Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## Mercian (Apr 26, 2018)

Bozman said:


> It has a date code of U3 which makes it a 1952 hub produced in the 3rd Quarter of the year (July - September).  T




Oops, lack of attention to detail on my part. A glance on a small screen, and the U3 looked like a US to me! Now it makes more sense.

With the late 53 date, perhaps ordered in to replace depleted stock for the Korean war, which ended June 53. Or ordered because the military knew production was stopping?

Best Regards,

Adrian


----------



## pedalpower17 (Apr 26, 2018)

Bozman said:


> Place a flat head screwdriver in the slot of the pin and carefully turn it to expand the slot. You should be able to slide the expander ring assembly out on one side. Repeat on the other side.



So, as gently as I expanded the sleeve with a screwdriver in the slot, the sleeve cracked at the end....and the expander rings fell right out!   Not a tragedy, because Dan at Bicycle Bones has sent me a NOS sleeve.  I still have to get at least one of the pins out of the expander rings in order to get them into the new sleeve.  We'll see if a little liquid wrench can free them up.


----------



## Bozman (Apr 26, 2018)

Yikes!  That was really stuck!  Never had that happen to me.   Normally they fall right out.  

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## pedalpower17 (Apr 28, 2018)

Bozman said:


> Yikes!  That was really stuck!  Never had that happen to me.   Normally they fall right out.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk




Shout out to Dan at Bicycle Bones, whose sleeve will get the Morrow rolling and the Davega Roadster back on the road soon...and actually braking!


----------



## pedalpower17 (Apr 30, 2018)

Replacement parts acquired and others all cleaned up.  Ready to put it back together.   Lubrication?  Is there an exception to "grease everything, the more the better"?  What about the drive screw?  I've seen Morrow literature that says to put oil on it, not grease...and I would assume that also goes for the inside of the expander ring into which it threads.  Also, the small port in the hub shell is presumably for oiling, not greasing.  So, do you guys put oil or grease on the drive screw?


----------



## fat tire trader (Apr 30, 2018)

pedalpower17 said:


> Replacement parts acquired and others all cleaned up.  Ready to put it back together.   Lubrication?  Is there an exception to "grease everything, the more the better"?  What about the drive screw?  I've seen Morrow literature that says to put oil on it, not grease...and I would assume that also goes for the inside of the expander ring into which it threads.  Also, the small port in the hub shell is presumably for oiling, not greasing.  So, do you guys put oil or grease on the drive screw?
> 
> View attachment 798047



I recommend blue marine trailer bearing grease and put as much grease in the hub as is possible.


----------



## pedalpower17 (Apr 30, 2018)

fat tire trader said:


> I recommend blue marine trailer bearing grease and put as much grease in the hub as is possible.



Thanks, Trader.  Do you believe that Eclipse included the little "lube hole" in the shell for injecting more grease or for oil, and why would the Morrow lit say to oil that part?


----------



## fat tire trader (Apr 30, 2018)

pedalpower17 said:


> Thanks, Trader.  Do you believe that Eclipse included the little "lube hole" in the shell for injecting more grease or for oil, and why would the Morrow lit say to oil that part?



I believe it is for oil. If you use really thick grease, the clutch mechanism that is operated by the drive screw will not work properly. If you do not use it on long steep downhills, the grease gets really hot and liquefies. I do not think Morrow was expecting such hard use.
I'm the guy riding the Elgin with the big basket.


----------



## pedalpower17 (Apr 30, 2018)

fat tire trader said:


> I believe it is for oil. If you use really thick grease, the clutch mechanism that is operated by the drive screw will not work properly. If you do not use it on long steep downhills, the grease gets really hot and liquefies. I do not think Morrow was expecting such hard use.
> I'm the guy riding the Elgin with the big basket.



That makes sense.  My 36 Davega won't get close to that kind of effort, but used just to cruise the neighborhood and the park with my 7-year-old.  I'll be using Park's bike grease...and will apply liberally.  Great video and happy Klunkin!    - Mike


----------



## pedalpower17 (May 2, 2018)

This hobby offers a lot of pleasures, and maybe the mechanical side doesn't get a lot of attention.  When I bought a 30s Westfield, the crank required and 1/8 turn before the sprocket engaged, and the braking was like a fully loaded container ship on the ocean.  The process of getting deep into the greasy history of this bike, discovering the wear and tear, and bringing the 80-year-old Morrow hub back to mechanical life has been really satisfying!


----------



## KingSized HD (May 31, 2018)

pedalpower17 said:


> This hobby offers a lot of pleasures, and maybe the mechanical side doesn't get a lot of attention.  When I bought a 30s Westfield, the crank required and 1/8 turn before the sprocket engaged, and the braking was like a fully loaded container ship on the ocean.  The process of getting deep into the greasy history of this bike, discovering the wear and tear, and bringing the 80-year-old Morrow hub back to mechanical life has been really satisfying!
> 
> View attachment 799242




I fully agree, my attraction to the hobby is primarily the mechanical aspect, although meeting the great people is another bonus. It’s a complete departure from my day job which is what I want in my free time and it’s very satisfying to bring something “dead” back to life.


----------



## fattyre (May 31, 2018)

Morrow hubs are sooo good.  I don't understand why more people aren't fans of them.  

The most satisfying part for me is about 200 miles after a total overhaul.   New bearings & old races settle together nicely, a few fine cone adjustments make the hub run super smooth,  braking pulses wear away to complete smoothness & excess grease oozes out in the summer heat.  Those are some things that make riding vintage good for me!


----------



## fattyre (May 31, 2018)

fat tire trader said:


> I recommend blue marine trailer bearing grease and put as much grease in the hub as is possible.




Not saying thats bad, but temperature is always a consideration form bombing hills to freezing.

Here in the midwest in the late fall or early spring the last thing I'd want is heavy duty marine grease in a hub.  Tried it a couple of times and it felt like glue in cold weather.

Any grease should be just fine, but along with intended use consider your climate too.


----------

