Mini's use the same kind of front bearing setup, and the bearings and spacer
were sold as a matched kit - the spacer was touted as not interchangeable
between different pairs of bearings, let alone different manufacturers of
bearings. Now, new bearings come with shoulders to replace the spacer, and
again are matched sets. Key is to get the correct preload, and I have no
idea at all as to how to measure that for ball bearings. I suspect that the
way to do it is to install the bearings, measure the distance between the
inner races under low load, and then make up a spacer one or two thousands
below that distance. And as Rich points out below, the spacer effectively
locks the inner races of the bearings together, transfering load from the
outer bearing to the inner, reducing the load on the outer part of the stub
axle.
Brian
At 09:21 AM 2/27/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Some responses to this topic mention eliminating the distance piece
>when roller bearings are substituted for the ball bearings. While
>this allows for adjustment like most other cars, I appears to greatly
>increase the stress on the stub axle - like by a factor of the square
>of the ratio of the diameter of the distance piece to the diameter of
>the stub axle or more ( my structural mechanics course was way too
>long ago for me to remember the equation.... jeeze most of these cars
>weren't even built then....) Anyway, the WERACE roller bearing kit
>instructions made a big deal of making sure you use the distance piece
>to prevent axle breakage.
>Rich Wagner
>74 midget
>90 miata
>
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