Just wondering as I am trying to source some 12mm to 15 mm top hat spacers for flexifoil axle bolt to PL wheel...

Would it just make more sense both from one less part to purchase and less play for things loosening up to get a set of original flexifoil 12 mm wheels?

Does anyone even sell them anymore? Seems like the spacers are almost 1/2 of the wheel cost @ 19.99 each. (PL plastic wheels)

Which way are you going? Are you trying to mount a 12mm wheel to a 15mm axle? That won't work. If you are trying to mount a 15mm wheel to a 12mm axle, then yes, all you need is some top hat spacers. I am not sure where you would find any of these as that is quite rare. You will need two pair to mount two wheels to your rear axle. We stock 20mm to 15mm and 20mm to 12mm adapters, but have never had anyone need a 15mm to 12mm adapter.

Another option (and most common solution) would be to just change the 15mm bearings to 12mm. Bearings cost around $5.00 each, total cost for both wheels (4 bearings) $20 bucks. The OD of the 15mm bearings is the same as the 12mm bearings (32mm) so you can just pop out the 15's and insert the 12's or visa-versa. To do it properly, I would highly suggest changing out the internal spacer as well from 15mm to 12mm. This will insure the spacer meets up correctly against the inside race of the bearing. If you are trying to mount a 12mm wheel to a 15mm axle, then you would need to order in the 15mm bearings and spacers and just put those into the wheels you already have and your set. No top-hat adapters necessary.

12mm and 15mm PL wheels are getting very hard to find anymore, they stopped making them about 4 years ago. I have one or two here still, but everything has gone to the newer 20mm wheel. You can purchase adapters to go from the 20mm bearing to a 12mm or 15mm axle.

I guess I shouldn't of assumed...I have a 12mm flexifoil axle bolt and I am running some Bigfoot tires on PL rims (all new)...so I guess I don't exactly know the size of the PL arbor or bearing.
It would be nice to just change the bearing to a 12mm arbor and get rid of the spacer. Then I can just switch from my barrows to bigfoots without much hassle.

AWOC,... aren't the top hat spacers for the bearings on the downtube to the front fork for a Comp XR 15mm to 12mm?

I only ask because when I fabbed up the down tube for my VTT Stinger - XR HYBRID, I had to futz around with those bearings a lot, and I seem to remember them being markedly different from the wheel bearings (I know they were only 40mm OD as opposed to 47mm),... I'm pretty sure they're not 20mm ID, but that's been a month or so ago, I may be wrong... Just a thought.

I like you recommendation re the bearings though,... That seems like the easier answer.

Ya know, I never checked the bearing ID on the goosneck, you may be right and the top hat spacer may be a 15 to 12mm. That tophat spacer is quite expensive though and you will need to check the model because the ST buggies use a 10mm bolt instead of a 12mm.

It would still be less expensive to just change the bearings and spacers.

Just to clarify, the new wheels all come with the larger 47mm OD x 20mm ID bearings. The older wheels used either 32mm x 15mm bearings or the 32mm x 12mm bearings. To switch the older wheels from 15 to 12 or visa-versa, all you had to do was change the bearings and internal spacers. These bearings are too small to fit into the new 20mm wheels. If you have the new 20mm wheels, you need to use adapters to reduce the 20mm ID bearing to the 15mm or 12mm ID.

electronic digital calipers

top hat spacer ID 12.37 measured it x3 (a little big but don't know if that is manufacturing thing or a slight bit of wear)
top hat spacer OD 19.85 to 19.90 measured it x3

6204rs numbers on the bearing currently in the PL rim
could not fit the calipers in bearing for ID measurement, as the sidewall of tire prevents me from a nice 90 angle for measurement

Kent.....laughing and crying at the same time.....Looks like I need to get top hat spacers from a 20 mm reduced to 12mm (for flexi axle bolt) Murphy's law

Is this information correct?...and is there another way that makes more sense $$ and less moving parts. Can I have a bearing shop make some that are PL bearing OD with a 12mm ID? just asking

Just for the record....The last time I posted there were a couple PKF members that got all assed up over price, but here is a prime example of both supply & demand and knowledge...Kent is always right on top of the posts to offer help and products to get you on your way. I'm not saying that doing your own homework and purchasing items directly to save money is wrong just bringing up a point that if you "NEED" an item and don't want the hassle then here it is..."AVAILABLE"....pay the piper.

Please let me know if info is correct so I can purchase what I need to get me back in the saddle again.

Didn't measure but top hat spacer for headset in PL kinked downtube but it is different then the wheel spacers. (let that be another issue/post haha)

I know the spacers we used at WBB to fix your big foots was a 20mm -12mm top hat. Are you looking for the same thing???

Yes....and another question now that you posted.....Do the things even need to be a top hat reducer? I know getting them out of the wheel is easier but it seems that they are only there to reduce axle bolt...once in place and a washer is over the arbor then you are good to go too.

Problem with using a washer over an arbor / tubing is that the washer has to be large enough to cover the inside bearing race, but can't come into contact with the outside bearing race and probably shouldn't be in contact with the shield/outside of the bearing. The reason is that any friction between the washer and bearing could cause excessive heat and could either burn up your wheel or cook the grease in your bearing or both.

Top hat reducers are very expensive and also have a wide shoulder on top, this could interfere with the bolt and tightening. The wheel adapters from PL or the ones that we make have a shoulder of 1/16" so they are barely noticeable when installed and don't interfere with the size of the front fork or how deep the threads are inserted in the rear axle.

PL supplies wheel reducers/adapters for going from 20mm wheel/bearing to 12mm axle bolt. The ones that PL supplies are steel. I have some made here locally that are made from T316 stainless steel. Price on the set (of 2) adapters is $19.95. These are much less than the cost of the top-hat spacers which are $24.95 each.

The way the adapters are made/sized is they are exactly or just a fraction of a mm less than 20mm on the OD. They are also slightly oversized on the ID so the axle bolt / headstock bolt will slide in without binding.

We make two types of adapters. One goes from 20mm OD to 15mm ID, the other goes from 20mm OD to 12mm ID. They are also made to stick all the way through the bearings and into the wheel spacers so you don't have to change the internal wheel spacers, just slide the adapters onto the wheel and mount it onto your buggy using your existing axle bolts.

All new PL buggies are shipped with the 20mm wheels and include one set of adapters to mount the 20mm wheel onto the front fork which still uses a 12mm axle.

Picture of adapters:
http://www.awindofchange.com/product/20mmwheeladaptors.html