ALFAGTV6.COM

[grant]

Do you racers have trouble running low offset wheels and sticky tires?

I've recently switched to a wheel adapter to use 5x114.3 wheels, but my wheel/adapter combo seems like it's putting a lot of leverage on the wheel bearings. I'm worried that using track day tires with this setup will cause me wheel bearing problem.

75 turbo evoluzione uses larger wheel bearings, is there a good reason for this?

Any experiences you folks have to share?

[Zamani]

Grant,

It won't last 10-15 years, as in normal use. More like 6-7 years of 3-4 track events per year. That's more than OK I think. I run 30mm offset on 7.5" wheels, so that is not too far away from yours. Since you have your AE86, you can switch cars occasionally, so maybe you can prolong the life of the wheel bearings even more.

[grant]

That's a good point Zamani. As you can see, I just don't want to keep going down the adapter route if it will lead me to more grief. I want to buy some 15' 5x114.3 wheels and R-comps, but if they greatly increase the strain on the wheel bearings....can you see why I'm worried?

Part of the reason for the 15's, other than price, is mainly because it would put less leverage on the bearings...am I paranoid or what??

I'm OK with changing all the bearings out once every 2-3 years. That's worth it, to race such a fine automobile as an Alfa. But if I have to change them out after every 4 track events....

So can other racers please assure me I'm just making a big deal out of nothing??

[Mats]

You are making a big deal out of nothing.

[grant]

Alfettas have the smallest wheel bearings, no problems still??

I'm assuming weight doesn't have much to do with wear (since tires would exert the same amount of force on a heavy car as they would a light car..just at different speeds) ?

[Mats]

Do I have to repeat myself?

[kevin]

Nothing like Swedish humour. I have run full season on huge offsets to clear big brakes and no problems but I also chainge wheelbearings every year as a maintenance thing any way.(when you dont have kids you find things to do on the cars) Must admit since removing the dust shield I have got more rubbish getting in behind the dust seal. Top quality bearings with quality bearing grease following Alfas manual on tightening them and you will have no problems. Cant comment on longer than a year but there was some theory we looked at on the angle of taper on the bearing to the point of loading for the optimun design(which the Alfa engineers used )so a lot of it depends on the safety facror built in on the bearings. Maurizio would calc this in a second. You can look up all max loadings on any bearing on web.

[MR2 Zig]

For a wheel bearing grease try this stuff:

Huskey
105
Hi-Temp
Part number 00503
made by Husk-itt corporation
888-4huskey www.huskey.com
http://www.huskey.com/home_flash.html

I have no relation to these folks.
I have used this grease succesfully on my cuda(that goes around corners) and my GTV6. This stuff also works in industrial applications where standard greases failed miserably (i had to make new bearings as a result)

hth
scott

[grant]

Yeah, the only thing I've come across is that the Turbo Evoluzione seemed to use larger bearings. Why would they go through the hassle, right?

But then again, if the stunt 75 can run on 2 wheels...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=svahMH8TedU

[Micke]

I have the old style small front bearings and they don't make any trouble. They hae to be replaced every couple of years but are dead cheap.

The rear bearings last slightly shorter and are more expensive plus not that nice to change. Still not a reason to re-engineer if you don't do 24 hour racing with huge slicks.

The leverage due to rim ET has an impact on the longevity on roads. However, while racing the main force is lateral which is not affected by ET.

[grant]

Thank you Micke, that's great info. That's unfortunate, as I was hoping to use low ET wheels for street use

[Micke]

Go ahead. If you have to change bearings at 100 tkm instead of 150t if's no big deal. Definitely worth it.