Spacer Question

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

OK so today my brother and i decided to swap wheels. He's got the RR MB816's from the RBK 9K's and Ive got the RR Hot Shots from the CCM vector 6's.

First off, i took the wheels off of the skates, they needed cleaning anyway, and saw that they have different spacers because the MB816's use floating spacers whereas the hot shots use standard, long sleeve?, spacers.

so i took the spacers out of the wheels and swapped the over. Now the floating spacers are too long and the long sleeved spaces are too short.

what can i do to make them fit or what kind of spacers do i need to make this work?

Also, is it necessary to have a spacer in the bearings at all?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

[jpeaslee 30]

I think the problem you're running into here is that one wheel uses mini bearings and the other doesn't. Mini bearings are thinner so the spacer sleeve(or whatever part its called that is in between the bearings) has to be longer. Its the skates that use floating spacers vs regular spacers, not wheels. With the wheels you need 688 sized spacers or 608 spacers. So basically you both need to get a new set of spacers.

I think. Maybe someone else can verify what I said. Assuming what I said even makes sense.

[sdcopp 1]

you are correct. Both 608 and 688 bearings need either a floating spacer or sleeve spacer, and the dimension between all four is different. 688 bearings are thinner, so both floating and sleeve spacers occupy more space in the middle. Trying to use 608 spacers of either kind with cause them to rattle around in there because they aren't sitting flush to the bearing.

You'll need to get 688 sleeve spacers and your brother will need 608 floating spacers

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

and the floating or sleeved spacers depend on the size of the axel.

I get it now, thanks everyone. Guess i need some sleeved 688 spacers.

thank you :D

[Bender 0]

Also, is it necessary to have a spacer in the bearings at all?

I might be wrong on this, but I believe the idea of the spacer is to help stop the bearings being pressed inwards from the centre when the axles have been tightened so that they spin properly. You don't have to have spacers, but if you don't your going to mess up a lot more bearings a lot quicker than if you don't.

[jpeaslee 30]

I've never skated on bearings without spacers for long periods of time, so i can't speak to the affect on longevity. But, I did feel like there was a performance difference between the two. When you add downward pressure to the bearings without the spacers, it causes the spacers to bind sometimes, and not spin as freely.