Replacing the wheel bearings: Difference between revisions

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====The replacement process====

Wheel bearings are simple. You'll want two small sections of 2x4, or a milk crate (same stuff you'd use for [[A mounting & balancing pictorial|changing tires]]) to hold the rotor off the ground. For removal, the [http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/tools/3-4_and_1_radial_ball_bearing_remover_set Motion Pro Bearing Remover Set], or something similar is the correct tool for the job. The short piece fits in the axle opening. The long piece has a wedge that fits in the slot of the short piece, which allows the whole thing to 'grab' the inner race. Then, as you beat on it with a hammer, it should work the whole bearing out evenly (it doesn't always, but it works better than anything else.)

Wheel bearings are simple. You'll want two small sections of 2x4, or a milk crate (same stuff you'd use for [[A mounting & balancing pictorial|changing tires]]) to hold the rotor off the ground. For removal, the [http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/tools/3-4_and_1_radial_ball_bearing_remover_set Motion Pro Bearing Remover Set], or something similar, is the correct tool for the job. The short piece fits in the axle opening. The long piece has a wedge that fits in the slot of the short piece, which allows the whole thing to 'grab' the inner race. Then, as you beat on it with a hammer, it should work the whole bearing out evenly (it doesn't always, but it works better than anything else.)

If you don't want to spend the money on the tool set, and many people don't, you can get by with a drift (aka a punch), or a long 3/8 drive extension. Since you're not trying to save the old ones, feel free to bash away at the inner race. The tube that runs through the wheel doesn't usually completely cover the inner race, so you can kind of get a purchase on it, beating the bearing out from the opposite side of the wheel. The down side is that you have to move around the race to get the bearing out evenly, and you're going to have to be careful, because the drift will probably slip off and bust your knuckles a few times (think "leather gloves").

For putting the new bearings in, all you need to do is hammer them in. '''Important:''' ''You only want to put pressure on the outer race (the outside rim of the bearing)''. You can do this with a [http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92387 bearing seating kit], or a socket that you carefully hold in place so you don't hit the bearings. You can also ~~place the~~ old bearing on top of the new ~~one and pound it~~ in.

For putting the new bearings in, all you need to do is hammer them in. '''Important:''' ''You only want to put pressure on the outer race (the outside rim of the bearing)''. You can do this with a [http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92387 bearing seating kit], or a socket that you carefully hold in place so you don't hit the bearings. You can also disassemble an old bearing and use only the outer race, with a piece of wood on top of it, to drive the new bearing in.

One tool that makes installation easier (rent/borrow if you don't have one) is a forced air shop heater. Hold the wheel hub in front of it until it's around 200 deg F. The expansion from the heat makes it marginally easier to remove the old bearings. This also works for installation. Leave the new bearings in your freezer until you're ready for installation, and install them into the heated hub. It reduces the amount of interference just enough to make it easy to tap in the new bearings.

The new bearings should last significantly longer than your stock ones.

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 ====The replacement process====
-Wheel bearings are simple. You'll want two small sections of 2x4, or a milk crate (same stuff you'd use for [[A mounting & balancing pictorial|changing tires]]) to hold the rotor off the ground. For removal, the [http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/tools/3-4_and_1_radial_ball_bearing_remover_set  Motion Pro Bearing Remover Set], or something similar is the correct tool for the job. The short piece fits in the axle opening. The long piece has a wedge that fits in the slot of the short piece, which allows the whole thing to 'grab' the inner race. Then, as you beat on it with a hammer, it should work the whole bearing out evenly (it doesn't always, but it works better than anything else.)
+Wheel bearings are simple. You'll want two small sections of 2x4, or a milk crate (same stuff you'd use for [[A mounting & balancing pictorial|changing tires]]) to hold the rotor off the ground. For removal, the [http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/tools/3-4_and_1_radial_ball_bearing_remover_set  Motion Pro Bearing Remover Set], or something similar, is the correct tool for the job. The short piece fits in the axle opening. The long piece has a wedge that fits in the slot of the short piece, which allows the whole thing to 'grab' the inner race. Then, as you beat on it with a hammer, it should work the whole bearing out evenly (it doesn't always, but it works better than anything else.)
 If you don't want to spend the money on the tool set, and many people don't, you can get by with a drift (aka a punch), or a long 3/8 drive extension. Since you're not trying to save the old ones, feel free to bash away at the inner race. The tube that runs through the wheel doesn't usually completely cover the inner race, so you can kind of get a purchase on it, beating the bearing out from the opposite side of the wheel. The down side is that you have to move around the race to get the bearing out evenly, and you're going to have to be careful, because the drift will probably slip off and bust your knuckles a few times (think "leather gloves").
-For putting the new bearings in, all you need to do is hammer them in. '''Important:''' ''You only want to put pressure on the outer race (the outside rim of the bearing)''. You can do this with a [http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92387 bearing seating kit], or a socket that you carefully hold in place so you don't hit the bearings. You can also place the old bearing on top of the new one and pound it in.
+For putting the new bearings in, all you need to do is hammer them in. '''Important:''' ''You only want to put pressure on the outer race (the outside rim of the bearing)''. You can do this with a [http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92387 bearing seating kit], or a socket that you carefully hold in place so you don't hit the bearings. You can also disassemble an old bearing and use only the outer race, with a piece of wood on top of it, to drive the new bearing in.
 One tool that makes installation easier (rent/borrow if you don't have one) is a forced air shop heater. Hold the wheel hub in front of it until it's around 200 deg F. The expansion from the heat makes it marginally easier to remove the old bearings. This also works for installation. Leave the new bearings in your freezer until you're ready for installation, and install them into the heated hub. It reduces the amount of interference just enough to make it easy to tap in the new bearings.
 The new bearings should last significantly longer than your stock ones.