Does the spacer in the rear wheel of a motorcycle need to spin or can it be a snug fit??

Question

Hello,

I have a 2005 Harley Sportster and I recently purchased another wheel but the wheel had 3/4 inch bearings and spacer. So, I had to remove the 3/4 inch bearings and spacer to replace with 1 inch bearings and spacer. However, my 1 inch spacer wouldn't fit so I had to take the wheel to a machine shop to boar it to accommodate the 1 inch spacer but it fits in there with hardly any spin. The question is: does it need to spin or can it be snug fitting????????? Help!!!!!

Answer 1

Some axles 'stop' on the bearing and some (usually custom) stop on axle shoulders. In any case the spacer, under proper torque can turn (but not freely) or not. Since you removed the bearings you need to check for side play with the spacer tube that is inside the hub. With bearings pressed in there should still be about 2 thou of side play. This allows for torqing to 'press' the bearings together on the tube without crushing them. If all of this is proper, then spacers should be tight (again, if you can turn them by hand but they don't spin freely, you're OK). THEY CAN NOT HAVE ANY SIDE PLAY... that's the key.

Answer 2

Most spacers are held rigid when the axle is tightened.  The only thing that spins are the parts on the hub.  Most things on the axle does not spin, EXCEPT the wheel, hub and bearings.

For example, when you tighten the axle the, spacers (side to side spacers), the inner hub spacers, inner bearing races and any radial spacers are held tight by the axle and nut.   The outer bearing races, the bearings, the hub and the wheel spin around the the axle.

I hope this makes sense.  I've done some wheel, axle modifications and they are never easy, or cheap.