Second Guessing Myself: Front wheel mounting

[aspire61]

heh guys:
i just re-installed my front wheel after getting a new tire mounted. Just to make sure- those spacers that go between the bearing and forks- male end to the tire or fork?
thx- mat

[lather]

Narrow end fits snug in the the wheel bearings with a little high temp grease.

[aspire61]

thanks lather.  When i finished I thought it was a little odd to have a small gap between the spacer and the bearing even though I was mostly sure it was correct. Just thought I would double check.

chrs- mat

[lather]

It should look like this:

[BlkBird]

Had to replace mine during my first tire change.... the outside plating was actually peeling away and I was concerned they would cause the seal to fail thereby the bearings.

[B.D.F.]

Not sure what you are seeing but there should not be any gaps anywhere between the bearing spacers, the forks and the axle flange and the axle nut flange.

When the front axle is tightened (same thing goes for the rear axle too), the outside flanges should be exerting tremendous pressure from one side all the way to the other side flange. This squeezes the forks against the bearing spacers, the bearing spacers against the inner races of the bearings, and the inner races of the bearings rest on the bearing spacer tube inside the wheel. When tightened, the front axle makes an rigid assembly that is effectively trying to 'crush' everything in that column of components. There cannot be any gaps or the front wheel would slide sideways as far as there was a gap.

The bearing spacers fit inside the wheel seals so you cannot see where they end but when you install them (the spacers), they should seat firmly and rigidly against the bearing race.

Brian

thanks lather.  When i finished I thought it was a little odd to have a small gap between the spacer and the bearing even though I was mostly sure it was correct. Just thought I would double check.

chrs- mat

[B.D.F.]

Me too- and there was a pretty deep groove worn where the seal was supposed to contact the spacers. They were replaced under warranty and the next set is still on the bike. You having the same thing happen makes me wonder if there was a manufacturing change sometime in '08.

Brian

Had to replace mine during my first tire change.... the outside plating was actually peeling away and I was concerned they would cause the seal to fail thereby the bearings.

[BlkBird]

Me too- and there was a pretty deep groove worn where the seal was supposed to contact the spacers. They were replaced under warranty and the next set is still on the bike. You having the same thing happen makes me wonder if there was a manufacturing change sometime in '08.

Brian

Agreed Brian, as I am still on the second set and they have done quite well in comparison to the first set.  Mine were not replaced under warranty because I simply didn't trust the dealer to touch my bike and it wasn't significant enough to merit the risk.

[lather]

Agreed Brian, as I am still on the second set and they have done quite well in comparison to the first set.  Mine were not replaced under warranty because I simply didn't trust the dealer to touch my bike and it wasn't significant enough to merit the risk.

My original spacers are made of aluminum, are in good shape and don't show any sign of having any plating. Maybe I have the improved version.

[BlkBird]

My original spacers are made of aluminum, are in good shape and don't show any sign of having any plating. Maybe I have the improved version.

Mine were aluminum but looked to have a zinc plating or something similar. 

[aspire61]

Not sure what you are seeing but there should not be any gaps anywhere between the bearing spacers, the forks and the axle flange and the axle nut flange.

When the front axle is tightened (same thing goes for the rear axle too), the outside flanges should be exerting tremendous pressure from one side all the way to the other side flange. This squeezes the forks against the bearing spacers, the bearing spacers against the inner races of the bearings, and the inner races of the bearings rest on the bearing spacer tube inside the wheel. When tightened, the front axle makes an rigid assembly that is effectively trying to 'crush' everything in that column of components. There cannot be any gaps or the front wheel would slide sideways as far as there was a gap.

The bearing spacers fit inside the wheel seals so you cannot see where they end but when you install them (the spacers), they should seat firmly and rigidly against the bearing race.

Brian

Yeah- i should have explained it better. What I see on both my bike and the pic posted is a gap between the spacer collar and the wheel bearing.

chrs- mat

[B.D.F.]

OK, I am assuming you mean the bearing spacer flange to the seal, and yes, there is a gap there. But not really because the bearing spacer actually enters the seal to make positive contact with the bearing. The flange is just the outside diameter and really meaningless, at least the diameter. But as long as the smaller diameter of the bearing spacer is touching the bearing's inner race, and the larger diameter face is in solid contact with the fork (on either side), and the axle is tight, then all is well.

Brian

Yeah- i should have explained it better. What I see on both my bike and the pic posted is a gap between the spacer collar and the wheel bearing.

chrs- mat

[B.D.F.]

Yes, they are aluminum and are not plated but anodized. Specifically, they are 'hard coated' which is thick anodizing. It is the anodizing that was flaking off in specks on my spacers and it does sorta' look like plating.

Brian

Mine were aluminum but looked to have a zinc plating or something similar.

[VirginiaJim]

I added a bit more to the subject line....

[dolomoto]

My spacers at the last tire change:



What caused this?

I'm going to replace them at the next change.

[lather]

My spacers at the last tire change:



What caused this?

I'm going to replace them at the next change.

Mine show no sign of that after 102,000 miles. Did you or your tire changer: "Apply high-temperature grease to the grease seal lip."  WHEELS/TIRES 10-7

[B.D.F.]

Corrosion and seal wear.

The grease on the seal picks up road dust which is a lot of silica, which is an excellent abrasive (think sandblaster). The new sand- filled grease (think: lapping paste) rides against the bearing spacer until the lips of the seal carve those grooves in the spacer.

The rest of the splotches (technical term) are corrosion.

Good idea to replace the spacers but also replace the seals as well 'cause they are no doubt shot as well. Liberally grease the inside of the wheel bearing area just behind the seal, sort of packing the area just behind and up to the lip of the seal. I have also used just a dab (about 1/2 the size of a pea) of moly paste on the seal after the chassis grease is packed in there. Not sure if it helps but it seems to be a good idea.

I went through a set of spacers and seals the first year I had the bike. The second set is still on the bike and still in nice shape even after two more sets of seals.

Brian

My spacers at the last tire change:



What caused this?

I'm going to replace them at the next change.

[B.D.F.]

Sure your spacers last but you go through axle nuts like water.

 

Brian

Mine show no sign of that after 102,000 miles. Did you or your tire changer: "Apply high-temperature grease to the grease seal lip."  WHEELS/TIRES 10-7

[lather]

Sure your spacers last but you go through axle nuts like water.

 

Brian

[JS_racer]

My spacers at the last tire change:



What caused this?

I'm going to replace them at the next change.

mine are like that also, was told about it from the guy doing the fork work. glad its not only mine i guess.
should i try to get this covered or just purchase and install myself ??