Need a bit of advice on this.
I've got some 17mm spindle front wet rims and I've just bought a kart with 25mm stub axles.
I assumed that you just replaced the 17mm bearings on the rims with 25mm bearings and hey presto everything fits. Looking on the net I can't seem to find any 25mm bearings so the realisation is starting to dawn on me that this may not actually work...
Can you actually replace the 17mm bearings or is it a case of either replacing the stub axles everytime I want to run the wets or finding 25mm bolt on wets?
Appreciate your help.
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Comments4
The outside diameter of the 17mm bearing is 35mm. No 25mm suitable bearings have a 35mm OD, the smallest i have found is 37mm. I have a set of 35mm OD front rims that had been machined to 37mm to fit the 25mm bearing. Not a hard job for a machine shop or skilled hobbiest with a lathe and dial indicator.
But for all that effort it is not worth the reward. You will be still limited to track width when using wets. I would sell off the rims (not worth much though, prob better to hang onto them incase you go back to 17mm stubs) and get 25mm hubs with bolt on rims. Definitely better for the wet.
The Arrow X1e is the only kart I know of where you could replace the front 25mm with 17mm. I did so in 2011 so we could run wets (also on 17mm spindles) & do wheel alignments with our older model lasers.
You will have to buy front rims 25mm. Same rims wet or dry tyres so you should be able to pick a pair up cheaply.
I just leave my wets with a set of 17mm stubs atatched all the time, takes less time to undo the one bolt and change the stubs than it does to change the hubs and spacers anyway
Thanks guys, very helpful! For now I think I'll just grab a set of bolt on wets.