Spitfire formula four

[Willie]

Since I have a hard time believing that my wheel core and the spacer are perfectly sized together, I don't use spacers.

[Zimmer]

Since I have a hard time believing that my wheel core and the spacer are perfectly sized together, I don't use spacers.

This.

The best bet seems to be running speed rings, with no spacers.

[Esquivel]

Expand Quote

Picked up some radial slims and new bronsons and upon putting the spacers in one of the bearings will slide slightly out of the bearing seat. It's not enough to cause it to become loose but it's not flush (maybe like 1mm on 1 bearing) and I have been wondering if it'd be more beneficial to ditch the spacers or just use it like it is or even order some slimmer spacers?

[close]

My opinion on bearing spacers is that they are completely unnecessary in most, if not all modern wheels.

They were created when wheels were much softer, and were designed to help keep the bearing (and bearing seat) aligned perpendicularly with the axel.

Since most wheels now are a much harder duro, or have harder cores below the softer urethane, I have not once found them to be beneficial in any modern skateboarding situation.

from personal experience, if the spacer is slightly wider than needed then the wheels are going to get damaged no matter what and this alone is a good enough reason not to ever use spacers. The bearing sockets will become slack because the wheel will constantly keep moving/slipping sideways left and right as you skate. I dont know if i made myself clear here with my shitty eglish.
in modern skateboards spacers are only beneficial if you start getting slipping axle because when incorporated within the wheel/bearing system they work as a "limit" for the axle's motion.

[duzerdrof]

Has anyone skated the 54mm 99a conical fulls? I've been using the conical ones and now I want to try the wider ones. Is there really any major difference between the two riding surfaces?

I have both sets in 54mm and I really prefer the conical fulls. I'm usually riding an 8.5 with indy 149s and the 54 conical fulls feel perfectly in proportion with the rest of the setup - super smooth ride, the wider contact feels great on walls and tranny. I think once you get into the 54mm and above territory, the regular conicals feel a little too tall and narrow and awkward for flip tricks.

[tangar]

This is too much science for me to comprehend.

[Esquivel]

This is too much science for me to comprehend.

unless you longboard, spacers are shit

[unerds]

Expand Quote

This is too much science for me to comprehend.

[close]

unless you longboard, spacers are shit

yeahhh, this is mostly longboarder-ish gearhead shit, but i stand by the 'reduced rattling' property.

that's all i'm after with them, really.

there is no way for any of us to quantify whether or not other claimed benefits are true - shear forces and whatnot...

but i can tell you, explicitly that my shit doesn't rattle when i have spacers in, and my nuts are tight.

[Hannity]

Expand Quote

had to scoop more 58mm conical fulls after my last set-up got jacked at a local school (stupid me for forgetting it. anybody else have weekend sessions with the homies hauling a bunch of shit around from spot to spot and lose stuff along the way?) best fucking wheels ever. nothing holds u back.

[close]

Gotta agree here. I picked up the 58's for a bowl setup but they're just an awesome wheel in general - wide and fast. They haul ass over any pavement. Do you use risers with yours out of curiosity?

yep the 1/8" ones

[Esquivel]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

This is too much science for me to comprehend.

[close]

unless you longboard, spacers are shit

[close]

yeahhh, this is mostly longboarder-ish gearhead shit, but i stand by the 'reduced rattling' property.

that's all i'm after with them, really.

there is no way for any of us to quantify whether or not other claimed benefits are true - shear forces and whatnot...

but i can tell you, explicitly that my shit doesn't rattle when i have spacers in, and my nuts are tight.

this is exactly the thing that helps "fix" slipping axles (but then the board feels/sounds the way YOU want it to) . the higher quality bearings you use, the less the rattling. but is this a good thing? if the skateboard doesnt make any metallic/rattling noise then the pure urethane rolling sound makes it sound like a toy board, like the ones with the soft wheels. dunno, to each his own i suppose

[Xen]

Still waiting on that blunt slide....

[N.L.]

 

funny you should mention that. going to set up the 101 radial slims tonight, as i just cracked my salman agah and my 99s are pretty wrecked. time for new board/ wheel combo.

hopefully, this weekend i'll film a shitty little bluntslide for you...

[Shartarse]

Do formula 4's grip and slip like stfs, or do they have a more constant grip like regular urethane?

I love being able to powerslide at 90 degress for several feet without getting flatspots  (like you can with stfs), but I also like being able to ease into a lower angle powerslide and ~drift on the edge of griping/sliding, which I find easier on regular urethane... Which category do f4s fall into?

Cheers

[zephyrpatio]

I found this by accident today while searching for some classic full 51mms. I've never seen it anywhere before. Didn't know all the different shapes that existed.

[fulfillthedream]

^ whoa! hard core nerd shit here. man ive tried a few different ones but the classic shape feels right

also aren't most OJ wheels the Awol shape?

[N.L.]

put in a couple of sessions on the 101s. pretty stoked. not as teeth chattering hard as i thought on the streets and enough grip in the parks. way less sketchy than i imagined they'd be. i def prefer the 99s but the 101s are fast as fuck... filmed the blunt slide but it's so shit, i'm a bit embarrssed  to post it... but maybe doing so will force me to get a proper one....

[tangar]

+1 for the follow through.

[perverted super otaku!]

+1 for the follow through.

[BMCsteve]

+1 for the follow through.

[LennyDLXSF]

put in a couple of sessions on the 101s. pretty stoked. not as teeth chattering hard as i thought on the streets and enough grip in the parks. way less sketchy than i imagined they'd be. i def prefer the 99s but the 101s are fast as fuck... filmed the blunt slide but it's so shit, i'm a bit embarrssed  to post it... but maybe doing so will force me to get a proper one....

Fuck yeah!

[144p]

Expand Quote

put in a couple of sessions on the 101s. pretty stoked. not as teeth chattering hard as i thought on the streets and enough grip in the parks. way less sketchy than i imagined they'd be. i def prefer the 99s but the 101s are fast as fuck... filmed the blunt slide but it's so shit, i'm a bit embarrssed  to post it... but maybe doing so will force me to get a proper one....

[close]

Fuck yeah!

[N.L.]

you fuckers are too nice. going to get a tolerable blunt slide by summer's end.

[Xen]

I found this by accident today while searching for some classic full 51mms. I've never seen it anywhere before. Didn't know all the different shapes that existed.

AWOL shape = best spit shape I've ridden nest to the Radial Slims. Loved those wheels.

Expand Quote

+1 for the follow through.

[close]

[Main]

All about dem classics...

[N.L.]

I'm sold on the 101s. Fucking fast as fuck. Love the 99s but the 101s def ride faster. Sketchier slides but its worth it. Finally learned backside power slides on the 101s. Stoked. 101s for the summer. 99s for the winter. Done deal. Nerd out, over.

[Main]

^ Yep! I always had the 101's and tried the 99's for the first time today and I didn't really like them. Takes a lot more effort to powerslide and was less responsive and controllable. I feel like if I bombed a hill with these I would stick on a powerslide and eat shit really bad. In the winter when I have to skate indoor parks they will be perfect though.

[Noble Experiment]

101s for life. It's usually what I get when I get F4s. I love a slick wheel that's easy to slide.

[sharkin]

Was all good until this..


took a chunk outta my 99a radial slims -- probably from slides, i saw it when i got home

gonna get some reynolds slims now

[johnes]

I really want the Mint colored f4s, such a nice color.

[256 Ply]

They had a weird defect in the blue F4s, it was as if they poured them too small. They would split almost instantly:


Problem appears to be fixed now, I think it was just a bad batch.
But I've never seen a defect like this before .

[Paco Supreme]

Woah, thats a significant split. Anyone chime in if thats common with coloured wheels, ive heard they wear faster in general but thats crazy