[TLexup]

I change my tyres today, put a set of Michelin Power... But before to put the front wheel I check the bearings and found it was block, I mean I can't move it just by hand, so I remove the dust seals and tried to grease the inside a bit. Just a small improve.... So I think it is time to change it.

The question is Anyone of you has changed it before? .I've been checking the service manual and looks quite easy with the special tool from Suzuki... but you know I just have heavy tools (hammer and big screwdriver :devious ) . Do you think I can carry out the job? and any trick to do it easy?....

Thanks friends

 

[Mr. DOBALINA]

Heat. Pry the grease seal out first & then grab a propane torch. Those are available in the US at hardware stores for about $12.00. Have an old tire ready (not mounted) & a large rag you put in the center of the this old tire. Grab the torch & heat the center hub assembly where the bearing is located. Aim the flame on the outside of the hub & move the torch around in circles. Do not direct the flame in one area for too long, just keep going around in circles, slowly. This will take several minutes & you will smell & see the grease in the bearings burn when it is close to the proper temperature. Once you see the bearing grease smoke you are almost done but keep the torch directed at this inner hub for about another 2 minutes. Put the torch down, grab the outside of the wheel & hold it over the old tire that is laying flat on the ground. hold the wheel about a foot over this old tire & with a quick motion throw the wheel down on the tire with the hub section lined up so it is in the hole of the tire laying on the ground. It may take two or three drops but the bearing should fall out. If not, get that torch quickly & heat the hub up some more. You may have to heat up the other side of the hub to get that other bearing out depending on how hot that hub got.

Note, there are some people that say this is not the way to do it & will damage the wheel. I was shown this technique by a very well known AMA roadrace crew chief & when I was at the AMA National at Road Atlanta last year I saw the team Ducati mechanics doing this on their pricey magnesium wheels as well! You can use the old bearings to drive in the new ones. If a bearing is frozen so that you cannot move it at all you have NO business putting some grease in it & using it again. Unless you have a death wish that is. That is a very good way to experience first hand what a bearing failure is like & they can be ugly.

.

 

[TLexup]

That procedure sound impress and efective Doba... but well....my wheels are painted and I'm scare about to burn the paint whit the blame or if the hub get to hot maybe the paint will damage.... Maybe if I did the job with the front rotors mounted ..What do you think about it?

 

[133bhp]

Its easy, but first I'd check you haven't messed up the installtion of the wheel somehow? As more likely to very loose (and noisy) than tight! missed out or put a spacer on wrong?
But to get the bearings out, first you need to force over the inner spaacer (between the bearings) enough so you can put a old socket down inside and catch on the bearing as you hit it quite hard evenly all round. It should come out okay. The same then for the other side. Use the old beaing to knock in the new ones. Clean surfaces before you do.

 

[h0ssman]

What about forged aluminium wheels? do you follow the same process?

 

[Imrayzor666]

I just replaced the front bearings on mine and found out that they were pretty simple and stright forward. I was lucky, because one of my bearigs had completely let loose of it's cage and the center just came right out. Once I got the center out and the outside ring out, I used the axle itself to GENTLY tap out the other bearing. I left the socket that I used to remove the axle with on the axle and tapped on it instead of the axle itself. I then used the old bearings to tap the new ones in. Be careful when using the old ones to seat the new ones as the old ones will start to seat inside the rim and can be pretty fun trying to remove!

 

[Imrayzor666]

BTW, you do not, NOT have to remove the rotors to change the bearings, like the service manual says, just leave them on and be careful with them.

 

[wesley erick]

Yes guys, the procedure for heating is safe for the wheel. You can heat most alloys to 250 degrees F without any damage. I am a helicopter mechanic, and I use this method to remove and install bearings from gearboxes and such. It works because magnesium and aluminum (aluminium...) expand more than steel when heated, thereby relieving the tension from the wheel and allowing the bearing to fall out. I learned this same procedure from the many different maintenance manuals that I work from. The key is to be careful not to overheat the metal or it could warp or weaken it.

 

[davidnormanu]

If you are worried about damaging paintwork on the wheel use boiling water. This should be enough to expand where the bearing seats. You can also use on old thin bolt and knock the bearing out evenly.

 

[pad]

Bashing the bearing out stresses the aluminium
It will eventually lead to a sloppy fit and cracks in the housing

Heating is the best way to change a bearing
Using a press or puller is the next best

Hitting it with a hammer is the worst

 

[davidnormanu]

It all depends what you've got to use when you need your bike back on the road ASAP. I have been replacing wheel bearings for many years as a bike mechanic and heating up is the best way but if you've got a a freshly powder coated wheel your not going to want to heat the paintwork up. If your careful and knock the bearing out evenly after pouring boiling water over it if will be fine.

 

[Loki-TLR]

On my moped I used to heat the stuff with a hairdryer! But that might take a little longer on a wheel.. I guess it's no problem for a wheel to extend more at the hub then on the rim? isn't that creating tension in the spokes?

How is the stuff called from a spraycan getting real cold real quick? Maybe you can spray that on the bearing..? :O

Last time I had my wheel out I felt how the bearings feel but wasn't much movement either. Put the wheel back in with the callipers of and it felt real smooth :dowhat

 

[Ruby]

I just got the workshop to do this for me when I got new rubber fitted.

 

[Mr. DOBALINA]

It all depends what you've got to use when you need your bike back on the road ASAP. I have been replacing wheel bearings for many years as a bike mechanic and heating up is the best way but if you've got a a freshly powder coated wheel your not going to want to heat the paintwork up. If your careful and knock the bearing out evenly after pouring boiling water over it if will be fine.

However I have done just that, heating up a freshly powdercoated wheel to remove bearings I just installed and had no issues with it what-so-ever. I wasn't careful when installing the wheel bearings & used the center spacer off my TLS wheel which is wider than the ones found in the later model GSXR 1000 wheel that I was putting back together. Oops! What a bonehead maneuver that was. No problem with this at all except for my kicking myself over & over as I heated the wheel up & then reinstalled the bearings after getting new grease in them, again.

Just be careful & concentrate the flame path around the part of the center hub that isn't painted & slowly move the flame around & around. In my case the powdercoated wheel had been picked up at the powdercoaters a few hours before. I think it is all about technique you use & if you are a little nervous about getting too much heat on the wheel go ahead & take the wheel & whack it on that old tire that is laying on the ground a few times. If the wheel bearing doesn't plop out the wheel isn't hot enough.

-

 

[Jota81]

Powder coated wheels if you must are ok to heat as the powder coat process involves heating the "powder" to fusion temperature and can be as high as 240F for certain types. Proper heat controlled hot air gun are my first choice, propane if i must.

To install the NEW bearing get a length of threaded rod ( close enough in diameter to fit the bearing inner diameter ) from your local supply house and some matching large thick washers or purpose made mandrels fabricated to the size of the bearing outer diameter, less a tad. Nuts on the threaded rod and pull the bearing in square as you check for correct alignment, as the old fitting and machining guys told me after berating me for bashing the bearings in. Ditto for head bearings, threaded rod is very cost effective tooling.
HTH