HELP! Wheel bearing spacer

[bondo]

So I was changing my wheel bearings today and found that there were no wheel bearing spacers inbetween the inner and outer bearing. Were can I find these spacers? Napa and oreilly didnt even have them. Thanks

[zoom zoom]

Probably have to hit up a Mazda or kia dealership, but there's like 22 different ones?!?! I'm sure close enough would be good enough but instead of screwing with that ordeal you should probably just buy junk yard knuckles. Around here they're 35$ each..worth not going through the headache and hassle if you get the wrong size spacer and having to swap a few out to get it right.

[Bert]

Your post would presume to be about front wheels because the rear wheels have no spacers, right?
Numerous forum members have collections of these spacers and if you posted WTB no doubt you'd be able to get some. Myself (and others) also have leftover Festy hubs kicking around and if it were urgent enough they could be disassembled in order to scavenge spacers too.

[bondo]

Alright sounds good! I kinda need them before monday and I know shipping will be a while

[Bert]

Alright sounds good! I kinda need them before monday and I know shipping will be a while

In a pinch I installed a too small spacer (there was slight play after the nut was tightened) but 50,000km later everything was still good. What you don't want is too tight and/or forget to put one in.

[bondo]

Alright Ill try check the dealership but if they dont have it is there any other type of spacer thats identical? thanks

[koRnhead]

You have a friend with a lathe?

[Rocketman]

He's right... friend or machine shop with a lathe will work. I don't know their material, but I'd find a harder steel if possible. The last two knuckles I did had a #12 and a #14 spacer installed

Here's a list of the available spacers and their sizes

#1 6.285mm (0.2474in)
#2 6.325mm (0.2490in)
#3 6.365mm (0.2506in)
#4 6.405mm (0.2522in)
#5 6.445mm (0.2538in)
#6 6.485mm (0.2554in)
#7 6.525mm (0.2570in)
#8 6.565mm (0.2586in)
#9 6.605mm (0.2602in)
#10 6.645mm (0.2618in)
#11 6.685mm (0.2634in)
#12 6.725mm (0.2650in)
#13 6.765mm (0.2666in)
#14 6.805mm (0.2682in)
#15 6.845mm (0.2698in)
#16 6.885mm (0.2714in)
#17 6.926mm (0.2730in)
#18 6.965mm (0.2746in)
#19 7.005mm (0.2762in)
#20 7.045mm (0.2778in)
#21 7.085mm (0.2794in)

Info came from a 91 Mercury Capri Factory Service Manual but should be correct for all tracer/323/capri/festiva/aspire

[WmWatt]

The problem is finding out the size of spacer you need. Do a search of this forum for a description of how to do that. Your best bet is to buy a used set of knuckles with the old bearings and spacers still in them and rebuild replacing the bearnings with new.

[zoom zoom]

The problem is finding out the size of spacer you need. Do a search of this forum for a description of how to do that. Your best bet is to buy a used set of knuckles with the old bearings and spacers still in them and rebuild replacing the bearnings with new.

That would be my course of action, I met with a fellow aspirer last week and rebuilt one of his knuckles, he was missing a spacer so I hooked him up with a fresh knuckle I had laying around and rebuilt it for him...now he has a knuckle with no spacer.

He offered to give it to me but I declined because of the hassle. Now, with me being as cheap as I am and not liking to scrap potentially good parts, I've been contemplating a way of Mic'ING the knuckles built in spacer. My 1" starrett Mic is obviously too tall to fit in there, but I am thinking seriously about chopping the inside Mic fingers off a cheapo HF 4" digital caliper and half the length of the outside Mic fingers with a 4 1/2" grinder/cutoff wheel and smoothing rough edges with a file.

That should make it small enough to fit and give an accurate reading. Being as cheap as I am I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around cutting up a good working $5 4" digital caliper......

[Bert]

It is so much easier to just have the old (original) spacer in hand, isn't it. I know of no other car company that does this (take into account manufacturing tolerances over the life of the process) and have watched Kia Rios going to the JY by the sackful over the past few years only because their owners got fed up with having to replace front bearings. 40 years ago this might have been a minor problem (likely every Brit car enthusiast revels in this type of maintenance issue) but nowadays auto techs solely replace parts and that's all, and having to measure and mic and make decisions is not at all in their vocabulary/repertoire.
Apologies to Movin when I say this. Brain-dead is not a universal trait just yet and he proves it not to be the case, over and over again. And he owns a Festy!

[Rocketman]

What does the FSM spec as the procedure for measuring preload on the Festy? On the Capri/323/tracer, ford has a Rotunda tool that bolts in place of the hub to a certain torque level, and then measure the effort needed to get the bearings turning. Too much effort, and you have to go to a thicker spacer, too little effort and you go thinner. I'll scan it & post it.

I just received an original Rotunda hub service kit which include the preload tool. I will be doing Galant big brake upgrades for the Capri folks and will be nice to have around for regular bearing jobs, may be something I could offer here as well

[Fordverde]

I gave up with the festy knuckles, i'm trying to find Rio's. Don't know if we need to update the axels as well.....

[Banana Bonanza]

... but nowadays auto techs solely replace parts and that's all, and having to measure and mic and make decisions is not at all in their vocabulary/repertoire.

Used to be real MECHANICS had to be part engineer. Systems could be improved locally over factory design. Now they only use McTechs. More profitable and less law suits that way, not to mention less hassle with govt. Cheaper to hire somebody that doesnt have to actually think.

As to front wheel bearings, this is why everybody else used press in bearing assemblies. Only other mass produced front drive car I remember with multipiece front bearings is the early Ford Escorts. The engines in those didnt last long enough for anybody to ever have to replace front bearings. Also why there are still so many rebuilt Escort carburetors out there for them for everybody else to adapt to other small carb cars, engines didnt last long enough to ever have to replace a carburetor.... Shame, I actually rather liked the little station wagon version of early Ford Escort. Anymore I would go to effort to put some better engine into it if I actually found a good stationwagon body. Engine was weak point on those cars, rest of car was rather well built for the time.