Originally Posted by
Portlandjim
The freewheel butts up against the right side hub flange, so the freewheel drive torque doesn't flow to the center barrel. This failure would seem to indicate that the drive flange's internal thread stripped out. I can't see how the flange would have just rotated due to the Loctite slipping. Would any hub have held up to that load? The treaded portion of the center barrel is rather thin on these early Phil hubs due to the bearing OD, but if the tread on it failed the wheel would not collapse.
Yeah not sure if I got to see the post-mortem on that hub back at the shop, but I did see the aftermath with my own eyes from a couple feet away there at the scene, same as many other spectators. The wheel definitely collapsed when the spokes all got loose from the flange moving inward, while 3 strong dudes were still sprinting. My assumption was the threads stripped, probably the threads in the aluminum not the steel. I agree the flange can't thread further on without rotating, which the spokes absolutely prevent.
This was almost 50 years ago, so my memory may be off on details, but it was a very memorable event!
I didn't think Santana had anything to be embarrassed about, but it was a very public failure, with probably a couple hundred people watching. So they didn't stick around, they whisked the crippled bike away ASAP. Even Phil shouldn't be too embarrassed IMHO, given the insane amount of force that was going through that hub when it failed. Jim asked if any hub would have held up to that load, and it's a good question, I'd expect that Phil to be one of the strongest hubs ever made, and I can't think of any other I'd call stronger.