Wheel Spacer Bands

[youngstown.bulldog80]

On 20” and 22” Dayton hubs - What determines the width of the wheel spacer bands?? Most of what I have use 4” wide bands on 20” hubs, however I was organizing some stuff and came across 4.25” and 4.5” wide bands (some for 22” hubs). I just can’t recall how to know off hand when to use the 4.25” and 4.5” bands. 

[Geoff Weeks]

Ahh you have hit the nub of it! The mfg determines the spacing when they make the spoke hub. It can be hard if years later things have been mixed and matched.

 The spacer band and the wedges are critical to the assembly.

 I have found that if you measure from the front of the spoke (where the wedge is) to the back where it just starts to taper up, if the measurement is over 6" a 4.25 band is a place to start.  Of course this means that you are using the stock wedges.

 If at all possible, look for the casting number for the hub and look up the mfg specs for the bands and wedges.

 You need to end up where the outer rim is placed where the wedges are far enough on the spoke to fully support the rim, but not so inboard that the wedge bottoms out before the correct force is on the  wedge.

 It is nice when setting up an unknown spoke, to have a selection of bands.

Again, if you can find how it came from the factory, you will be better off, but I have had to build some up without the factory specs.

 Too narrow and the rim will spin on the spoke, too wide and the wedges are not on the spoke and can snap studs and the assembly fail in a catastrophic failure.

 The spacer band also effects the duel spacing, but you don't change bands to try and fit a bigger tires and wider spacing, the spacing is set by the design of the assembly.

[Joey Mack]

GW is the man for the job.. pay attention.

[youngstown.bulldog80]

3 hours ago, Geoff Weeks said:

Ahh you have hit the nub of it! The mfg determines the spacing when they make the spoke hub. It can be hard if years later things have been mixed and matched.

 The spacer band and the wedges are critical to the assembly.

 I have found that if you measure from the front of the spoke (where the wedge is) to the back where it just starts to taper up, if the measurement is over 6" a 4.25 band is a place to start.  Of course this means that you are using the stock wedges.

 If at all possible, look for the casting number for the hub and look up the mfg specs for the bands and wedges.

 You need to end up where the outer rim is placed where the wedges are far enough on the spoke to fully support the rim, but not so inboard that the wedge bottoms out before the correct force is on the  wedge.

 It is nice when setting up an unknown spoke, to have a selection of bands.

Again, if you can find how it came from the factory, you will be better off, but I have had to build some up without the factory specs.

 Too narrow and the rim will spin on the spoke, too wide and the wedges are not on the spoke and can snap studs and the assembly fail in a catastrophic failure.

 The spacer band also effects the duel spacing, but you don't change bands to try and fit a bigger tires and wider spacing, the spacing is set by the design of the assembly.

Thank you for the info! Again, I've only had to deal with 4" bands so the wider ones threw me off. I figured it would have something do with hubs/wedges. Would it be the same theory behind hubs on Rockwell axles? And, is there a "standard" width used on Macks with the 22" hubs on Mack axles?

[Geoff Weeks]

I don't know what Mack used, and I sure it varied depending on how the truck was spec'd.

Size and shape of the wedges has an effect on how they seat on the spoke.

Rockwell is the same as others when it comes to spokes. Often the hubs were made by Gunite or Webb not the axle or brake mfg.

 4" is common also. I just meant that with that measurement over 6" a 4 1/4" spacer is a good place to start when you are trying to determine what is needed. It is the middle ground of what is common, if it is too wide and the wedges don't go on the spoke far enough ( too much gap between the heal of the wedge and the spoke) you can try a 4".

http://www.plazafleetparts.com/uploads/2/1/9/0/2190100/spokewheel.pdf

has a lot of good info on spoke wheels.

[youngstown.bulldog80]

12 hours ago, Geoff Weeks said:

I don't know what Mack used, and I sure it varied depending on how the truck was spec'd.

Size and shape of the wedges has an effect on how they seat on the spoke.

Rockwell is the same as others when it comes to spokes. Often the hubs were made by Gunite or Webb not the axle or brake mfg.

 4" is common also. I just meant that with that measurement over 6" a 4 1/4" spacer is a good place to start when you are trying to determine what is needed. It is the middle ground of what is common, if it is too wide and the wedges don't go on the spoke far enough ( too much gap between the heal of the wedge and the spoke) you can try a 4".

http://www.plazafleetparts.com/uploads/2/1/9/0/2190100/spokewheel.pdf

has a lot of good info on spoke wheels.

Thanks so much for the help.. your input is much appreciated.