That little spacer

[Gliderjohn]

You know the one on the T-3 rear wheel where it fit and looks right either way you place it. So, kind of like flipping a coin you think you would be right about half the time but no! Seems like 8 out of 10 times I get it the wrong way. Good news is it isn't much of a problem to pull the axle and reverse it. I can't remember which way it goes from tire change to tire change. 
GliderJohn

[John A]

Yep I remember it well… I’m guessing it goes large diameter out but I’d have to look it up.

[Gliderjohn]

From John A:

Yep I remember it well… I’m guessing it goes large diameter out but I’d have to look it up.

It looks more like it should go that way but guess what you would have been pulling the axle again, I think, damn it.
GliderJohn

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Large diameter out, small diameter against the bearing. If you install it the other way, chances are good it'll deform and lock onto the axle.

[Gliderjohn]

I will double check. The first time I installed it the caliper wouldn't line up. Reversed and the caliper was no problem.
GliderJohn

[SmithSwede]

So, I’m not trying to me a smart-*ss here.  But I have gotten sick of dealing with this sort of issue.   There is a solution. 

I keep a little bottle of yellow nail polish in my tool kit.   Whenever I disassemble anything that might possibly require a certain order to reassemble that might be confusing or non-obvious, I put little yellow marks on the parts when they are in the known correct position. Do it so that yellow must mate with yellow.

I had the same issue on a Ducati. The rear axle spacer looks like it could go either way.  DANGER.   One way is correct.  The other way is wrong and over-torques the bearing. 

Paint it yellow if there is even a chance of the assembly being reversed.  You can easily remove the nail polish marks once you put it back together and know it is correct.  Or if you are like me, leave them there for next time.

Also, take hundreds of photos on your cell phone as you work on anything unfamiliar.  You can always delete them later.

[testa_di_formaggio]

This one? https://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=218&products_id=2482

As Charlie says, noted in the part description.

[kballowe]

I also mark them.  It doesn't prevent me from having a dumb*$$ attack, but it does help.

[Scout63]

Larger diameter out so that inner side mates to the inner bearing race.  I flipped it on my G5 and couldn’t figure out why the wheel was locked up.  The forum set me straight.

When I first reinstalled the rear wheel on my cast wheel SP I spent two days looking for that spacer before I checked the parts diagram and realized that cast wheels don’t use them.

[fotoguzzi]

You won’t find it in the parts book but that’s called the Top Hat spacer.. maybe named by Mike Tiberio.

[Bulldog9]

I also mark them.  It doesn't prevent me from having a dumb*$$ attack, but it does help.

Same... because I can't remember which side the marked piece goes, but it does increase the chance of getting it right the first time. 

I've owned my Yamahas for almost 40 years. Both are shaft drives and when reassembling after taking the rear tire off you slide the axle from the pumpkin side through the wheel bearings, then line up the caliper stays and through the other side of the swing arm. A pretty easy affair and muscle memory.

So the first time I changed the rear tire on my V7 that's the way I did it went perfect and smooth..... That is until the final 2 in. After wiggling and fighting with it and pushing and checking for 20 minutes or so I almost went to grab by 5 lb sledge Hammer to convince it, then I thought that it might be a good idea to check out the service manual. It was then that I realized the axle goes from left to right. Of course trying to hold the tire in place with those stupid rubber dampers while you slide the axle through and hold all of the rear brake apparatus in place turned it into a language event that resulted in a couple days of repentance :-)

I finally ended up just using bungees to hold the wheel in place to the shock and rear swing arm and it's a pretty easy affair to do it solo.

[testa_di_formaggio]

https://www.thisoldtractor.com/mg_manuals/spare_parts_catalog_t3.pdf

Table 16 (Rear Wheel), part number 19, "spacer"

https://www.thisoldtractor.com/mg_manuals/spare_parts_catalog_g5.pdf

Table 17 (Rear Wheel), part number 19, "spacer"

https://www.thisoldtractor.com/mg_manuals/spare_parts_catalog_convert.pdf

Table 17 (Rear Wheel), part number 19, "spacer"

[fotoguzzi]

 Of course trying to hold the tire in place with those stupid rubber dampers while you slide the axle through and hold all of the rear brake apparatus in place turned it into a language event that resulted in a couple days of repentance :-)

I finally ended up just using bungees to hold the wheel in place to the shock and rear swing arm and it's a pretty easy affair to do it solo.

shoulda read this first,

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=118269.0

[Stretch]

I have a phobia about losing spacers and putting them in wrong.

Witness marks - with paint or a Sharpie - are ALWAYS a good idea!

You can save the swear words for other projects.......

                                           -Stretch


(Did you know that the ink in a Sharpie is alcohol-based? Alcohol takes
it off completely. I use Sharpies on stuff all the time. Buy black for
light-colored stuff and silver for dark stuff. Use it in the kitchen, too.
Write right on the container before it goes in the 'frig or the freezer
with the date and contents. Wipes off with rubbing alcohol so you can
use the container again with something different in it. Tell your wife - you'll
look like a HERO!    )

[Scout63]

Thanks Stretch. The Sharpie tip is great.