Front wheel hubs breaking

[Frankzy]

There are quite a lot of tractors out there that don’t have anything conical on the studs. One of our tractors (haven’t checked the new one) and the combine have flat faced nuts and the rims are not counter sunk.

Conical studs, or fasteners, are used to center the rim and to make sure they don't walk loose. But on machinery, most of the time, neither of those features are needed since the rim is centered good enough by the little "ledge" that are on the hub and if there is a risk of the bolts working loose you can just use locking washers.

 

[Deerefarmer]

Conical studs, or fasteners, are used to center the rim and to make sure they don't walk loose. But on machinery, most of the time, neither of those features are needed since the rim is centered good enough by the little "ledge" that are on the hub and if there is a risk of the bolts working loose you can just use locking washers.

In the OPs photos it looks as tho the little ledge would be holding the rim away from the face of the hub. Even if it were a very small distance when the bolts were torqued down it would put a strain on the cast that could eventually lead to what happened.
Just my opinion looking at the photos

 

[Pistonbroke]

I don't see any amount of vertical load causing that damage,the axle would fail first. Sideways force,yes. Some wheel centre have a bevel to centre it so it fits tight,no chance the wheel centres themselves are back to front? We had a Sanderson tl6 that the book said you could turn the wheels around for more stability and the first time we did,it fecked the wheel studs because the bevels were only on one side. Didn't break the hub like that though