well I just went down and put it on my meter, it read 0. So I thought I'll try something else.
I sanded the black off, and sure enough it's Aluminum. Anodized so well I thought they were plastic. The meter read 100% on the shiny part, but couldn't make the connection through the black anodized coating
You can see where I scratched it off. I'm happy they were not plastic. Nice job Powell.
When I bought my setup I was thinking the Bones Reds came with spacers. and the place I got the complete from didnt even sell spacers, or recommend them as part of the purchase.
I guess people don't use them much anymore, I have always thought they were priority.
My Sons Powell McGill Popsicle with mini logo truck, and Powell wheels came complete also without spacers.
I know spacers are a bit of debate, But I believe in them.
Since I had always been very careful re: my setups having spacers, I couldn't believe it when I got one of my first Pop setups from a local shop w/o them-- I thought they were clueless or trying to rip me off. Nowadays I could care less, and usually don't even bother with them.
Technically a bearing should be tightened all the way down with absolutely no wiggle, and will still spin smooth & free with no drag. This is with anything mechanical, Your car engine, wheels, etc... that's how a bearing is engineered. I guess I learned this from my Mechanical Ingenuity.
It's meant to be there. Otherwise your wheel will wiggle and not be perfect.
Edit: If you wanted the absolute best, the axle should also not have any play to the point the bearings inner race would be pressed onto the axle. that would be precision
I know I was out of skateboarding for a lenghty time, but I sure as hell don't remember spacers back in the 80's. Are they a small wheel thing?
Skateboard wheel bearings are MADE to not wiggle. If they do, it is so minimal you would not notice while riding.
They are made to be tightened to a specific measurment, not all the way down. Anymore and will start to drag.
I deal with bearings all day.
And bearings inside an engine are completely different and ride on a thin layer of oil, the reason those types of bearings have clearances.
I guess I don't see the need for a spacer. The hanger touches the inner bearing (or washer), that inner bearing is sitting in a cup, up against a shoulder on the inner part of the wheel whith nowhere to go. Same thing on the outside of the wheel. Unless the theory is somehow you are going to blow out the inner races of the bearings, but fuck that.
Grab a wheel 95a and wrench it back and forth. The softer the wheel skully, the more you realise it's seat isn't so secure and lateral and torsional strains are placed on the bearing. Spacers reduce this somewhat
I had spacers on mine back in the 80's for sure. I remember guys tossing them saying we don't need them.
Think of it as a single inner race from truck to nut. it allows for the inner race to be continual and fully tightened down. So the inner race is not moving. it is as one with the axle without the spacer you cannot tighten it all the way down 608 bearings are designed this way just skating there is no real issue or danger I wouldn't think. But if you are moving high speeds then I see it being necessary. Probably add longevity as well.
It also prevents the race from spinning on the axle.
I've seen bearings blast apart. back in 87 my friend went face down and the Balls were nowhere to be found. just skating flat ground. these things happened a lot, Mine never fell apart. I promise I put hundreds of miles on my boards probably thousands maybe. IDK.. It was basic transportation for us back in the 80's. 20 or 30 mile trips were the regular.
We have this big hill here called Turkey Mountain we would go down standing up at speeds of 50-60 MPH one of my friends today claim it was more like 70MPH. He is the one whose ass looked like hamburger meat.
So just for doing trick, or skating around the park maybe no need, but for high speeds I recommend using the spacers.
Also to note, the photo above is from the Skate One product page, and you can see the flaw in the wheel from their own product. Right bearing bottom there is a gap in the wheel seat which should not be there. the spacer helps it to stay even where it should be. not being sideways like this character |-/ causing bad friction.
I ride Bombers and Rat Bones. I think if you ride a softer wheel that doesn't have a core then you must use spacers. I have experimented with and without spacers and the wheels and bearings last longer and perform better with spacers, that's enough proof for me.
In regards to bearings breaking I went to Macedonia when I was 14 to see where my parents came from, and to meet family. Anyways I was there for 3 weeks without my claw and I was champing at the bit until I went to a cousins house, and he had the equivalent of a penny board, except something Sharko would've been more accustomed to. So there I was, carves, 360's,.....ollies SMASH! Little metal balls flew everywhere. Soft, off-centred wheels, shit bearings....sorry cuz! :-/
Comments
So I thought I'll try something else.
I sanded the black off, and sure enough it's Aluminum.
Anodized so well I thought they were plastic.
The meter read 100% on the shiny part, but couldn't make the connection through the black anodized coating
You can see where I scratched it off.
I'm happy they were not plastic. Nice job Powell.
When I bought my setup I was thinking the Bones Reds came with spacers.
and the place I got the complete from didnt even sell spacers, or recommend them as part of the purchase.
I guess people don't use them much anymore, I have always thought they were priority.
My Sons Powell McGill Popsicle with mini logo truck, and Powell wheels came complete also without spacers.
I know spacers are a bit of debate, But I believe in them.
This is with anything mechanical, Your car engine, wheels, etc... that's how a bearing is engineered.
I guess I learned this from my Mechanical Ingenuity.
It's meant to be there. Otherwise your wheel will wiggle and not be perfect.
Edit: If you wanted the absolute best, the axle should also not have any play to the point the bearings inner race would be pressed onto the axle. that would be precision
I believe in washers.
I know I was out of skateboarding for a lenghty time, but I sure as hell don't remember spacers back in the 80's. Are they a small wheel thing?
Skateboard wheel bearings are MADE to not wiggle. If they do, it is so minimal you would not notice while riding.
They are made to be tightened to a specific measurment, not all the way down. Anymore and will start to drag.
I deal with bearings all day.
And bearings inside an engine are completely different and ride on a thin layer of oil, the reason those types of bearings have clearances.
I guess I don't see the need for a spacer. The hanger touches the inner bearing (or washer), that inner bearing is sitting in a cup, up against a shoulder on the inner part of the wheel whith nowhere to go. Same thing on the outside of the wheel. Unless the theory is somehow you are going to blow out the inner races of the bearings, but fuck that.
I remember guys tossing them saying we don't need them.
Think of it as a single inner race from truck to nut.
it allows for the inner race to be continual and fully tightened down.
So the inner race is not moving. it is as one with the axle
without the spacer you cannot tighten it all the way down 608 bearings are designed this way
just skating there is no real issue or danger I wouldn't think.
But if you are moving high speeds then I see it being necessary. Probably add longevity as well.
It also prevents the race from spinning on the axle.
I've seen bearings blast apart.
back in 87 my friend went face down and the Balls were nowhere to be found.
just skating flat ground. these things happened a lot, Mine never fell apart. I promise I put hundreds of miles on my boards probably thousands maybe. IDK..
It was basic transportation for us back in the 80's. 20 or 30 mile trips were the regular.
We have this big hill here called Turkey Mountain we would go down standing up at speeds of 50-60 MPH
one of my friends today claim it was more like 70MPH. He is the one whose ass looked like hamburger meat.
So just for doing trick, or skating around the park maybe no need,
but for high speeds I recommend using the spacers.
These have the extended inner race without the need for a spacer, the inner races touch.
http://www.skateone.com/bones-race-reds-bearings-8pk
Right bearing bottom there is a gap in the wheel seat which should not be there. the spacer helps it to stay even where it should be. not being sideways like this character |-/ causing bad friction.
Edit: adding this diagram
pretty good video about bearings.