Rear wheel spacer is it needed

[rainman]

Changed the left rear wheel bearing last fall and setting around this winter was thing about the rear wheel spacer. My question is does this spacer have to be their? And what does it do? Besides making it harder to get the left bearing out. Looks like there is too much slop from side to side to be a spacer. Has anyone taken it out? And if so have you had any problems?

[hubcapsc]

Changed the left rear wheel bearing last fall and setting around this winter was thing about the rear wheel spacer. My question is does this spacer have to be their? And what does it do? Besides making it harder to get the left bearing out. Looks like there is too much slop from side to side to be a spacer. Has anyone taken it out? And if so have you had any problems?

Number 7?



Even though "only  a few left over parts" is the basis for some funny jokes, I think it is probably almost always  bad
to have left over parts.

I removed (ruined) the brand new bearing I had just installed the time I had #7 as a left over part, and re-did the job...

I almost left out #20 below the other day   



-Mike "#20 doesn't look like that..."

[Ricky-D]

Maybe a hundred miles or so before you start to experience some very disturbing handling problems along with some very serious damage to that area of the bike!

Mechanical ability notwithstanding, it's hard to imagine a question such as this!

***

[Spirited-6]

Mechanical ability notwithstanding, it's hard to imagine a question such as this!

PLUS ME ! 

[Bobbo]

if you are talking about #7 in the diagram, the steel tube between the bearings inside the rear wheel, you would mess up the rear wheel if you left it out.  This is a spacer that locates the rear bearings a specific distance from each other, and removes the load from the bearing shoulders in the wheel.  Without it, you would over-tighten the axle, and put a lot of pressure on the shoulders, causing the wheel to crack.  That would be a dangerous or deadly thing at highway speeds.

[rainman]

if you are talking about #7 in the diagram, the steel tube between the bearings inside the rear wheel, you would mess up the rear wheel if you left it out.  This is a spacer that locates the rear bearings a specific distance from each other, and removes the load from the bearing shoulders in the wheel.  Without it, you would over-tighten the axle, and put a lot of pressure on the shoulders, causing the wheel to crack.  That would be a dangerous or deadly thing at highway speeds.

Thanks I did put the spacer back in
 

[Madmike]

Maybe a hundred miles or so before you start to experience some very disturbing handling problems along with some very serious damage to that area of the bike!

Mechanical ability notwithstanding, it's hard to imagine a question such as this!

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...... thank you God for permitting us simple folks the opportunity to experience the all-encompassing knowledge of the illustrious few........ Amen ...