You *must* use the spacer and have it torqued up. The arrangement
of the spindle and the spacer act as a composite beam with a *much*
greater stiffness than the spindle alone. Under this arrangement, the
stresses on the base of the spindle (as a result of the bending moment)
are a small fraction of the stresses seen if you use the spindle alone.
I won't bother with the detailed calculations, but without the spacer, the
spindle is seeing surface stresses 10 times greater or even more.
Running without a spacer can result (will result eventually) in spindle
failure.
Exactly when depends on peak load (how big the bumps are) and the number
of load cycles. It is all about fatigue life. At very small loads (as
compared to
failure stress), life is practically infinite. As stresses increase, the
life reduces
dramatically.
A local specialist supplier/repairer (Gillspeed) issued a bulletin warning
B owners (and spridget owners) against removing the spacers after a number
of spindle failures. The failures were as a result of the owners removing
the
spacer and installing tapered roller bearings.
Remove the spacer at your peril.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan and John Roper <vscjohn@iamerica.net>
To: Barney Gaylord <barneymg@ntsource.com>
Cc: WSpohn4@aol.com <WSpohn4@aol.com>; mgs@autox.team.net
<mgs@autox.team.net>
Date: Friday, October 23, 1998 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: Wheel bearings
>As usual Barney is dead on. The spacer, shims and bearings are parts of a
>mechanical system. Bent spindles are probably not a great risk, but
>cracked/broken spindles may well be, and are of much greater significance.
>John
>
>Barney Gaylord wrote:
>
>> <<Is there a valid reason why the front bearings need the spacer and
shims?
>> Why can't it be reassembled without the spacer and treated like 99% of
the
>> other cars on the road with tapered roller bearings? ....>>
>>
>> When the inner bearing races are tightened securely with a spacer in
>> between, it increases the bending strength of the bearing spindle
>> significantly and reduces deflection under load. Whether this is of any
>> signifigance for an MGB I have no idea. Has anyone ever bent a front
>> bearing spindle by hitting a pothole or a curb?
>>
>> Barney Gaylord
>> 1958 MGA with an attitude
>
>
>
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