Wheel bearing replacement

[trbig]

I had planned on just trying to get some grease into the front wheel bearings last night, but by the time I got the seals off, I had dented up the sides of the bearings, so I just decided to replace them.

Inside the wheel between the bearings is a spacer bar. On that bar, there seems to be some kind of cupped dust cover or something. The parts list lists it as a spacer also, but it was on/around that spacer bar, so assuming it goes there? I took it off of that bar to look at it, but didn't pay attention to which side goes towards the bearing... flat side or the cupped side. What it seems to be to me, is simply a collar to make it easier to retrieve the spacer.. doesn't let the spacer fall down flat to the inside of the wheel. Is this really all it's for? I can get a pic later if needed.


Tod

[fredintoon]

You got it!

Hi Tod,
all that thing does is keep the spacer tube in the middle of the wheel hub so the axle will slide through it when you put the wheel back in the bike. Don't matter which way it faces or whereabouts on the spacer tube it sits though somewhere about the middle works best. IMHO it's only needed right after you've fitted new bearings as the initial wheel installation will clamp the spacer tube in place.

[trbig]

Thanks Fred. That's what I figured, but I often figure wrong.. lol.

One thing that was weird though, one of the bearing sides was gone. The balls and races were exposed facing the inside, but there's no pieces inside the hub?? Makes me think there's lazy Japanese workers just like everywhere else.. lol.


Tod

[xs11bobber]

You're thinking correctly trbig. I got mine new with both thin metal 'dust gaurds' in place. You got hosed. If you have one salvagable from the old it should fit fine. I accidentally popped mine with the punch I was using since I figured out it goes back together a certain way after I installed the wrong side first

[fredintoon]

Thanks Fred. That's what I figured, but I often figure wrong.. lol.
One thing that was weird though, one of the bearing sides was gone. The balls and races were exposed facing the inside, but there's no pieces inside the hub?? Makes me think there's lazy Japanese workers just like everywhere else.. lol.
Tod

Hi Tod,
it's more likely that the factory had a whole raft of SMS (single metal shield) bearings to use up.
With a sealed cavity like the inside of a hub there's no need for a shield on the inside, though having one there does no harm.
Most likely your new bearings are pre-greased and have elastomeric seals both sides?
The racing guys claim that sealed bearings have more drag but for ordinary use you'd never notice the difference and they last a lot better.

[trbig]

These bearings have metal sides, but they aren't sealed according to the bearing shop. He said it would be good to have a grease zert somewhere to keep them greased, but not really seeing how you could the way the wheel assembly is designed.


Tod

[red bandit]

The metal side is a shield. You can buy them open, shielded or sealed. Or some combination there of. Open are the cheapest then shielded and then sealed are more cost. On used seals you can use a little screwdriver to hold back the seal and use a grease zerk needle to get some grease inside. Be careful w/ the seal. I've had the seal pop out on me before, just tap it back in.

[bikerphil]

MikesXS is a good source for our front wheel bearings, P/N 24-6303 @ $10 apiece. They come already greased with the sides on them. The 650 and 1100 wheels use the same bearings. They also carry the other outer seals.

[Ivan]

In lieu of a zerk, you could repack them every 6 or 7 thousand miles. That'd be about 48 minutes for you though.

[trbig]

Local bearing shop, KYK bearing #6303Z, shielded.... $5 a piece. At least for my XJ.

That'd be about 48 minutes for you though.

When your azz isn't all busted up... you do just as many or more miles than me Mr. Grape Ape.





Tod

[schpiff]

greasing bearings

A handy thing I have "invented" for graesing "sealed" bearings is pretty simple.
I hose clamp a grease zerk to a piece of tubing (rubber, poly, dont matter) and on the other end clamp a sharpened basketball inflator needle.
It will pierce the plastic/rubber seal without making too big of a hole and works great in my experience.

[trbig]

It will pierce the plastic/rubber seal without making too big of a hole and works great in my experience.

All that does is get the grease against the outside of the bearing...

The entry point for these shielded bearings is around the center post or collar. There is a machined .005 gap that you can get grease into... but is also exposed and can let water into... if it weren't for the collar and speedo drives covering them.


Tod

[fredintoon]

A handy thing I have "invented" for graesing "sealed" bearings is pretty simple.
I hose clamp a grease zerk to a piece of tubing (rubber, poly, dont matter) and on the other end clamp a sharpened basketball inflator needle.
It will pierce the plastic/rubber seal without making too big of a hole and works great in my experience.

Hi schpiff,
you can go to Canadian Tire and buy a grease nipple with a hypodermic needle on the end of it, I've had one for years.
Now you know how I felt after I designed a special unit that decontaminated small items that had radioactive dust on them and my boss said:-
"Congratulations, you have invented the dishwasher."

[fredintoon]

Bearing styles

Seems that some contributers are using "sealed" and "shielded" as if they were the same term, and they ain't.
A sealed bearing is factory packed with grease and has an elastomeric seal on each side to hold the grease in and keep contaminants out. They are meant to be "greased for life" but some have had success with re-greasing them with a hypodermic needle spiked through the seal although the mfrs recommendation is to replace the bearing at that point instead.
A shielded bearing is a different animal. The shield is there to keep out foreign materials that may otherwise get into the bearing and damage it. Such a bearing may have a shield on one or on both sides, depending on the application. A single shielded bearing can be re-packed with a grease gun from the open side while a double shielded bearing will need a special device to force grease into it. Mr. Bodger will admit to drilling a 1/16" hole in a front wheel bearing shield to add grease with a hypodermic needle rather than make the effort to strip and rebuild the wheel hub.