Do spacers affect bearings?

[Elliot182]

Im looking on getting some hubcentric spacers but just wondering do they affect wheel bearings or cause any other damage in the long run

Thanks

 

[Tony Hunter]

I would expect they will shorten the bearing life, by how much I wouldn't know.

We race with them and don't have any trouble.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Depends what the spacers are used for, if its to correct offset after fitting higher offset wheels for exmaple, then the overall loading on the bearing is likely to be effected much.

 

[sonny172cup]

Iv been running 8mm and 10mm hubcentrics on track and have been fine. I think if you was to go over 10mm, such as 15mm+ thats when I would start to worry.

Obviously avoid the shim type spacers

 

[Chip-mk1]

Iv been running 8mm and 10mm hubcentrics on track and have been fine. I think if you was to go over 10mm, such as 15mm+ thats when I would start to worry.

Obviously avoid the shim type spacers

We've used 15mm front and 25mm rear, but with wheels that are 11mm higher offset in the first place so a net effect of 4mm front and 14mm rear, and not had any issues. The rear I dont think could care what you did to it on a clio though, it see so little real load anyway.

TBH I would think that running stickier tyres puts more load on the wheel bearings when cornering than spacing the wheels out, yes it changes leverage on them, but you arent talking orders of magnitude.

 

[Elliot182]

So I should be okay running 10mm each side back and 15mm each side front

 

[Tony Hunter]

I would have said so,yes.

 

[Big Dom]

Tony, what size spacers do you run front and back?

 

[Tony Hunter]

20mm rear and 30mm front.

 

[Big Dom]

30mm each side on the fronts? Do you run alot of negative camber?

 

[Tony Hunter]

Yes, and we run 3.5deg.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Dont forget though guys that whats good for Tony for hard use for low miles on a race car is very different to the effects of 20,000 road miles, especially that camber.

That said I wouldnt think twice about 10/15mm spacers in terms of the bearings, but just in general road and racing arent always going to want the same things.

It will bump steer more if you space the wheels out too, again not something you would care about on a racetrack but can be annoying on the roads.