Bicycle Mechanics - Too many Balls

I just serviced my rear hub on my bike and when i counted the balls their were 18 that came out. Shimano Deore hub. When I had cleaned it all up and started to put it together I could fit 9 balls per side but they touched. So I put it back together with 8 balls per side. Am I going to have problems or is the hub going to roll easier with 8 rather than 9 balls ?
JOHN

I haven't taken one apart for some time, but if I remember right, it was always 9 to a side. Maybe most of them touched, but not tight enough to be binding. Also I believe they get spread apart a bit as the wheel gets snugged up and they fit into their proper place.

Depends what kind of mileage you put on the bike, but 8 might be enough to handle everything until it's time to relube it.

Always always 9 1/4" bearings per side. While I cannot see 8 doing any damage in the short term, they were most certainly designed for 9 a side.

9 per side is correct for that hub. The correct way to pack a hub is to place the number of balls in the cup that will sit uniformly in the cup without jumbling. In other words, if you tried to put a tenth ball in the cup it would not sit in the cup uniformly, that would be one too many. With eight balls per side, with no gap between any of the balls except two, you have a gap big enough for one more ball and a tiny bit more space. That will work, but you have reduced the amount of bearing surface by leaving out the ninth ball. Again, the correct number of balls for that hub is nine per side.

If 9 per side (which is correct) seemed too tight, I think you had them to far inward and not sitting in the circle they will when the cone is installed. Disassemble the hub and add the 9th ball on each side.