Front wheel "Collar" length Discrepancy

[BonS]

Ok, Tech Board, after having front wheel bearing failure I've been trying to understand the cause. The background story is that I purchased chrome wheels for my '99 I/S and the front wheel is a '97. I simply put in new 6004 bearings and reused the "collar" spacer from my '99. The bearings lasted approximately 10k miles before failure. The postmortem revealed that the collar is about 4mm short compared to the distance between the bearings and this led to the bearing failure. The part number for the '97 collar is different from the later year collars. However, I have seen references that state that substituting the later '98+ model collar is okay and I now believe that it's not.

The '97 wheel uses 6004 bearings but the later years use the 6204. The difference between the two bearings is 2mm of width. Aside from the bearings and the collar part number, the rest of the components are the same. My conclusion is that the '97 wheel hub spacing is 4mm wider than the later year wheels due to the 12mm wide 6004 bearings. Later year wheel hub spacing must be narrower for the 6204 bearings that are 14mm wide. This means that the wheel collars must be different lengths and that length is 4mm.

Now, most of us keep our wheel collar together with our wheel and simply replace our bearings if and when needed, but for those that buy wheels that don't have the bearings and spacer installed - or buy a chromed wheel that has had its bearings and spacer removed for the chroming - you must examine the required collar length very carefully.

As indybobm pointed out in another thread there are markings on the wheel hub that identifies the different wheels. He states that if it has a 1J it probably is a 97 wheel. If it has a 2J it is probably a 98 and later. On my chromed wheel the wheel markings were buffed into oblivion and can not be read.

In my case we fashioned a 4mm spacer and installed it with the too-short '99 collar and made up the deficit in the collar length. Since the '97 collars are no longer available this is about the only route to go. I suppose that you can also buy two '98+ collars and cut them roughly in half to achieve the correct length.

The collar part number for '98+ front wheel is 44620-MZ0-010 and is called out as 27mm x 119mm.
 
The collar part number for a '97 front wheel is 44620-MZ0-000 and the dimensions are not called out and the part has been discontinued.

[Ricky-D]

It's not that big a deal actually. Using a washer with the spacer works and you

can also get some steel pipe and cut it down to what you need. The important factor being

the spacer has to be at a minimum as long as the distance between the two bearing lands.

Longer than the distance is Ok, as long as it is not excessive. The ends have to be true and square.

***

[BonS]

It's only a big deal if your spacer is too short and then you're screwed. The Honda factory service manual and Clymer manuals don't mention this issue or even recommend measuring to fit, so some might be blindsided like I was, and that's why I posted my recommendation. Finding a piece of pipe or washer with suitable thickness along with a suitable ID/OD may be a challenge as well.

[Gryphon Rider]

It's not that big a deal actually. Using a washer with the spacer works and you can also get some steel pipe and cut it down to what you need. The important factor being the spacer has to be at a minimum as long as the distance between the two bearing lands. Longer than the distance is Ok, as long as it is not excessive. The ends have to be true and square.

That last part is the kicker.  Probably best to finish both ends with a lathe.

[Rio Wil]

when the wheels were chromed, did the chrome the bearing pockets in the wheel also? if so, the id of the pocked might be a little tight for the proper press fit of the outer race. also the bottom of the bearing pocket will be a bit too shallow for the stock spacer. once you determine the length of the spacer, install the bearings properly bottomed out in the cup. take a big bolt (or the axle with appropriate spacers) long enough to go from side to side with a washer on each side that will contact only the inner race, torque down to what the front axle bolt is supposed to be and see if the bearings still turn easily......if not, you still don't have the proper spacer length to allow the balls to run in a relatively neutral path in the bearing races...

[BonS]

Three of us closely examined the bearing pockets and concluded that they were properly plugged during chroming and there isn't any chrome buildup. I think it's way too coincidental that we needed 4mm of additional spacer and the difference between a set of 6004 and 6204 bearings is exactly 4mm. As you suggest Rio Wil, torquing things down with a long bolt should disclose any binding and be a more sensitive test than spinning the wheel after everything's installed.