wheels spacers cause wheel bearing issues?

[clancy]

has anyone had any issues with wheel bearings wearing out etc after fitting spacers?
mechanic i was talking to said it can cause them to mess up/wear out fast etc

 

[deer_dodger]

Theoretically if you push your wheels out further it will put more stress on the bearings.

My previous mini and my current 182 have both had wheels with greater offsets, 8mm and 7mm per side respectively and neither has ever displayed any wheel bearing wear. The extra offset would provide a very similar if not identical effect to adding spacers. Make sure you get hubcentric spacers to avoid balance issues and extended bolts to avoid losing a wheel and thereafter your no claims bonus / life!

 

[Coops Mk1]

if you run like 50mm spacers or something then perhaps, under heavy track use, may shave a few thousand miles off the bearings life. but basically no it wont cause more wear that you'll notice. talking perhaps changing a bearing every 4 years instead of every 5, lol!

 

[Munson]

They will alter steering geometry also.

 

[clancy]

ok then so get tracking done after fitting?
cheers guys

 

[Munson]

No. They alter the steering geometry. Nothing to do with tracking. The steering centre point is shifted away from where it's meant to be.

 

[clancy]

ok, so where do you go to get the geometry set up ?

 

[JackJack]

Ktec can do it.

 

[clancy]

any idea how much ?

cheers guys

 

[Munson]

You can't set the steering centre.

 

[clancy]

You can't set the steering centre.

so are you saying i need to have anything set up or not ? do you just put the spacers on and thats the end of it, or do i need to take the car somewhere

 

[Goodj]

The big question really is:-

Why?

just wondering, it's not like you're building a replica or anything staringly obvious like that.

 

[Munson]

so are you saying i need to have anything set up or not ? do you just put the spacers on and thats the end of it, or do i need to take the car somewhere

You can do what you want. I'm simply saying that spacers mess up the steering geometry. It cannot be corrected.