Myth or fact !!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,373
Likes: 6
From: Baltimore MD
Myth or fact !!!!!!!
Is it a myth or fact,that if you run 10" or more rims on the back of our cars that it puts more stress on our outer bearings and it will cause bearing failure faster.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 10,643
Likes: 8
From: Foxfield CO 1970 Convertible
If your rear bearings are in the same location as stock and you expand the width of the wheel both inward and outward, there shouldn't be any difference. For example, if you use the offset trailing arms, the location of the rear bearings remains the same, but a 10 inch wheel can be used. The backspacing to keep the wheel in the same location would be 5-1/2 inch. This is 1 inch wider to the inside - add 1 inch to the outside, which is a total of 2 inches. Add this to stock 8 inch wheels and you get your 10 inches...no bearing changes...
So my answer is...it depends...
So my answer is...it depends...
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 184
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It's all about the backspacing ... Think about that really stupid look that some imports used a few years back. They would run a 6" wheel, but it was ALL outside of the wheelwell (and bearings). That has to be hard on the car ... Besides just looking stupid.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Originally Posted by Z-man
If your rear bearings are in the same location as stock and you expand the width of the wheel both inward and outward, there shouldn't be any difference. For example, if you use the offset trailing arms, the location of the rear bearings remains the same, but a 10 inch wheel can be used. The backspacing to keep the wheel in the same location would be 5-1/2 inch. This is 1 inch wider to the inside - add 1 inch to the outside, which is a total of 2 inches. Add this to stock 8 inch wheels and you get your 10 inches...no bearing changes...
So my answer is...it depends...
So my answer is...it depends...
Last edited by MotorHead; Aug 28, 2006 at 11:47 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,216
Likes: 643
From: Orange County Ca
In the 60's and 70's the VW guys would reverse the stock rear rims--that is just take them off and rotate them 180 deg. That changed the backspace dramatically. Rear track increased by maybe 4". Everyone said that it was bad for the bearings, and probably was, but I don't remember a rash of rear wheel bearing failures. So, probably not the ideal suituation, but, MAYBE, not a problem.
Last edited by Sayfoo; Aug 28, 2006 at 08:47 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
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From: Living in the Hartland
Seems to me you need to factor in other things like backspacing and camber to determine if there is additional stress on the bearing, a blanket 'it creates additonal stress' seems wrong to me.
ie, if you run rims 2" wider than stock with 0 camber there is only additonal stress when the axle travels down, if you run it on a smooth highway then the stress is the same; but if you run postive camber with the same set up then the bearing would be stressed since you are moving the outer most contact point out 2 inches
Not a engineramagician so I might way off here.
ie, if you run rims 2" wider than stock with 0 camber there is only additonal stress when the axle travels down, if you run it on a smooth highway then the stress is the same; but if you run postive camber with the same set up then the bearing would be stressed since you are moving the outer most contact point out 2 inches
Not a engineramagician so I might way off here.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 10,643
Likes: 8
From: Foxfield CO 1970 Convertible
Originally Posted by MotorHead
5-1/2" ? , I though our stock 8 in. wheels had 4 " backspacing, no ? I better expand this, so if the stock wheel was 4 " backspacing then you add an in on each side for 10" wheels you would have 5 in. backspacing on the 10" rim ?
The way you said it is how it works, assuming that the original offset is 0. I can't remember what the stock offset is though...I went through all this when I was picking out my wheels, then I lost my calcs...
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