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Front Wheel Bearing Spacer
Topic Started: Dec 18 2010, 05:12 PM (2,441 Views)
Chip
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I’m doing the front wheel bearings on a ’93 3/5. It has the two identical bearings with a spacer in between.

The question is about the spacer. It was slightly damaged and I’m guessing is now about .005 shorter than its ‘supposed’ to be. It measures .995 long now. Is there a critical tolerance on the length? I know it’s bad not to have one but I’m not clear on exactly what it does. Anyone willing to measure/post the length of an undamaged one?

Many thanks,
Chip
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Fireball 89
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2.4 Cylinders of Determination

Hi Chip-

The spacer is important, it is internal support for each of the wheel bearings. When I replaced my four wheel bearings in both of my front steering knuckles (the things the wheel bearings are in), the spacers looked slightly mushroomed on their ends. This maybe because of previous wheel bearing failures and previous owners/shop personnel attempts to remove the spacers. I just cleaned up the assembly, made sure everything was lubed up and reassembled with new bearings. I didn't even consider they may be out of specification. I'm curious as well. However, Fireball is still puttering around today, the bearing job was about six years ago. Maybe attention should be on the proper bolt torque on the wheel bearing assembly. I do not drive Fireball very hard.

One thing you may run across when ordering replacement wheel bearings, sometimes you might be provided with one large wheel bearing instead of two bearings. Be sure to inspect at the parts counter.

Below are two threads for your reading enjoyment. I now will try to find out if there is a dimension that will render the part unserviceable (junk).

Bearing Came With The Hub...? Advice?
http://geometroforum.com/topic/3944767/1/

94 Front Wheel Assembly Modification Questions
http://geometroforum.com/topic/3762925/1/

Edward

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Chip
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Thanks there ‘Fireball’,

I know this whole deal is kind of OC [crazy]…How can .005 make any difference? But, the spacer rides on the inner race of the bearing so if the spacer were shorter than ‘spec’ and the spindle nut were torqued to the proper value; it would seem that the side load on the bearing would be more than intended…

Chip
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Rooy


For the reason you stated, I would just replace it it if you know that it's damaged and is now shorter than it originally was.
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Chip
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Rooy... I'd buy new ones, [doin' both sides] in a heartbeat, just for the peace of mind... But where?
Chip
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Jittney
Anchorage 92 XFi

If it were mine, I would not worry about it.
See Fireball 89's post....he replaced the bearings, but not the mushroomed spacers 6 years ago and it's fine.
It's just a spacer.
I've read of people who were riding around with no spacer, and didn't find out until they put in new bearings.
Anyhow, I checked the FSM to see if they had anything to say about the spacer specs.....zip.
If I had a spare around, I'd probably use the better one of the two.
If not, I'd run it as is.


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Chip
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Jittney, ever the voice of sanity...
You're no doubt right... But if I could buy new ones I would ;-}.
Chip
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Rooy


Your best bet would be to try a GM or Suzuki dealer.
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Rooy


The test to see if the spacer is too short would be to install the bearings and spacer and then try to push the spacer around. It should not move freely or float around. You could use your old bearings for this test so if you find out you need a new spacer, you don't wreck your brand new bearings when you have to take them back out.

It would be interesting to find out if Fireball noted the fit of his spacers. The spacer could be mushroomed in some spots but still be long enough on other spots which would keep it fitting tight.

The spacer is important. If it's short by only a few thousandths of an inch, the bearings probably not going to fail too quickly, but it will shorten the bearings' life by some amount. There have been instances of people that have had no spacer (and didn't know there was supposed to be one) and ended up eating bearings multiple times until they figured this out.
Edited by Rooy, Dec 18 2010, 09:33 PM.
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JoeBob
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Why you Mutt!

Without the spacer, the hub rubs against the steering knuckle (been there, done that...a previous owner removed it for some unknown reason). That being said, I don't think .005 inch is going to make any difference in its operation.

I got one out of a car at the junkyard, never measured it (nor did I know the spec).

I think that, as long as it is not damaged, it should be fine.
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

I see no tolerance for the spacer in my FSM. So let's say the bearings are seated against the Knuckle, therefore the spacer floats between the two bearings. If it seats against one bearing then the extra distance is 0.005" if, as I assume, the bearing situates between the two then the difference is 0.0025 on either end of the bearing.

Kinda like having the brake "specialist" tell you your brakes are out to tolerance by 0.015 (approx. guess) and you need new brake rotors. That's 0.0075 on each side which is in tolerance and they last another 20 years with light use. :-/

What I do see in my FSM is fill the clearance outside the spacer with 40% Wheel Bearing Lubricant. And that the outer bearing bearing seal should face out and the spacer must be snug and centered between the bearings.

Did you see this drawing?

Posted Image

This is intended to "aid" in installation to get the brake rotor centered in the caliper.
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Chip
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Thanks Bad Bent,

I don’t see that drawing. I’m working from pages 3C-7 to 3C-10 in the ’93 FSM. Also there is no ‘outer bearing seal’ on mine only an inner. Could your FSM be for a different year?

I figured that centering the rotor in the caliper was taken care of by seating the bearings with the spacer on the shoulders in the knuckle and is not adjustable.

My concern is the center spacer. I think that if it’s too short it will cause side load on the inner race which I understand is not a good thing. I’m thinkin’ that the spacer should be exactly the same length as the shoulder in the knuckle is wide. I don’t have the proper tools here to measure it exactly enough. Have to take it to work tomorrow.

Film at 11 ;-}

Chip
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

The drawing is a more accurate representation of what is on page 3C1-7 of my '91 FSM and it's not in my '96 FSM so they must have removed it. It was a lousy drawing anyway and intended as an "aid" but likely did nothing.

If you install the bearings and they butt up against the Knuckle seat then that is the length of the shoulder. If you install the bearing and you think there is to much play then I'd replace it. Mind you 0.005 is not a lot to take up with a new OEM spacer, granted you can find one.
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Chip
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Thanks again BB,

Here’s how I got it figured. My replacement bearings are Koyo 6007 2RSC3 GXM’s. They are ABEC-1 and the specs say; “Preload level – None’. So, once I get an accurate measurement of the width of the shoulder I can shim the spacer to the correct length. McMaster-Carr has shims that will do the trick. I’m bettin’ I can get it down to +/- .001.

As an aside, if folks don’t already know them; McMaster-Carr is a great place. They got stuff there that I haven’t even dreamed about… yet.

Best,
Chip
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