# ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?***



## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

Could running wheel adapters or spacers cause your wheel bearings to go bad? I had one go bad recently....and I ran adapters on my hubs to convert for a porchse rim......damage occured while my stock VW wheel was back on though......thanks http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## dennisgli (May 17, 2003)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*

I would say yes - ie. I doubt that VW designed the bearings for use with adapters.


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (dennisgli)*

dang man......anyone know what should also be uprgraded/replaced if I were to run adapters that have 17mm bolts that hold them in....I run the porcshe wheels in the summer


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*

does anyone else wonder about this?


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## GotBoost01 (Mar 28, 2004)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*


_Quote, originally posted by *DubStyleVr6* »_does anyone else wonder about this?

Yes I also was wondering, my younger brother whom is a mechanic explained to me YES it does cause more stress on your bearings. But in my previous car a 01 1.8t gti had no problems, for the 20,000 miles I put on it, with 15mm spacers in the rears, atleast until the car was totaled







. But now got a R32







.


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## dennisgli (May 17, 2003)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*

I didn't mean to imply that if you install spacers that the bearings are automatically going to fail. I just think you should expect that it would be more likely the more you changed the wheel offset from what VW designed for. A lot of people do this anyway and you don't hear a lot about bearing failures. Just don't be too surprised if you find yourself having to replace bearings more often then you expect.
_Edit - sorry for the english!_


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (dennisgli)*

ya I guess that sums it up for the most part, good info. thanks http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*

I feel skeptical about running the adapters now......don't want my bearings to keep messing up....


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## 4valvemk2 (Feb 14, 2003)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*

IMO: If you run top notch spacers such as H&R that are hubcentric you shouldn't have a problem running through bearings quicker than normal.If you run crap spacers that aren't hubcentric then you might run into problems.


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (4valvemk2)*


_Quote, originally posted by *4valvemk2* »_IMO: If you run top notch spacers such as H&R that are hubcentric you shouldn't have a problem running through bearings quicker than normal.If you run crap spacers that aren't hubcentric then you might run into problems.

ya, that sounds logical


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## 20vturbo #733 (Oct 2, 2003)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*

anyone have an explaination of why changing the bolt pattern would wear out the wheel bearings? Just curious....


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (20vturbo #733)*

wheel bearings will go out as the car ages with miles/etc......However, as long as the spacers/adapters are quality and TUV approved (hubcentric) you should be fine.....


_Modified by DubStyleVr6 at 8:28 AM 12-16-2004_


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (4valvemk2)*


_Quote, originally posted by *4valvemk2* »_IMO: If you run top notch spacers such as H&R that are hubcentric you shouldn't have a problem running through bearings quicker than normal.If you run crap spacers that aren't hubcentric then you might run into problems.
 http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Delux (Dec 9, 2001)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*

does anyone know a good place to get some adapters that would be hubcentric on my 5x100 gti? i want to run some wheels drilled 5x112


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (Delux)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Delux* »_does anyone know a good place to get some adapters that would be hubcentric on my 5x100 gti? i want to run some wheels drilled 5x112 

Try Autothoirty.....I know of the bat that they deal with H&R's line of products.......other than that, I got mine from GMP Performance.....(gmpperformance.com)


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## dennisgli (May 17, 2003)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (20vturbo #733)*


_Quote, originally posted by *20vturbo #733* »_anyone have an explaination of why changing the bolt pattern would wear out the wheel bearings? Just curious....

I don't see how changing the bolt pattern could make a difference. But changing the track or other suspension parameters might. And using adapters that cause the wheel not to be centered, properly aligned, or secured might.


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## nosegoblin (Sep 19, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (DubStyleVr6)*

Running spacers/adapters will definitely shorten the life of the bearing. The reason being is the bearing resists the vertical forces that travel from the road, through the tire/wheel, through the hub, and finally through to the bearing. But also there is a bending force, due to the offset. Increasing the offset through the use of a spacer or adapter will increase the bending force (sometimes referred to as the bending moment). So the force at the bearing increases, which reduce it's fatigue life.
To what extent, it would be hard to predict an absolute number, since roads vary a lot - - I just moved to AZ and the roads are almost perfect. I used to live in MI and the roads were full of pot holes.


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## 20vturbo #733 (Oct 2, 2003)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (nosegoblin)*


_Quote, originally posted by *nosegoblin* »_Running spacers/adapters will definitely shorten the life of the bearing. The reason being is the bearing resists the vertical forces that travel from the road, through the tire/wheel, through the hub, and finally through to the bearing. But also there is a bending force, due to the offset. Increasing the offset through the use of a spacer or adapter will increase the bending force (sometimes referred to as the bending moment). So the force at the bearing increases, which reduce it's fatigue life.
To what extent, it would be hard to predict an absolute number, since roads vary a lot - - I just moved to AZ and the roads are almost perfect. I used to live in MI and the roads were full of pot holes.

thanks http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## DubStyleVr6 (Mar 22, 2002)

*Re: ***Wheel Spacers/Adapters Cause This Damage?*** (20vturbo #733)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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