1200RT front wheel bearing removal

[simonjrwinter]

Hi Chaps.

 

I'm trying to replace the distinctly grumbly front wheel bearings on my 2005 R1200RT.

I have the front wheel off and the bearing seals out, but am not able to get a purchase on the inner face of the bearings to drift them out. There is a "spacer" tube within the wheel itself that prevents me getting my drift on the bearing. Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

Simon

[NewBlue]

Well, I never changed the front wheel bearings on an RT so this is just me thinking out loud.

 

Get a piece of round stock that fits the center race, drill and tap the center to fit a slide hammer adapter, tack weld the stock to the center race and slide the hammer

 

or

 

break the bearing cage, roll the ball bearings to one side, slide the center race over, remove the bearings and center race, use a brass drift to drive the opposite side bearing out.

A heat gun would probibly be your friend with this

 

or

 

wait for someone to post who actually did it.

[mistral]

There is another thread on this, but I just did this recently. I did it all wrong. You are supposed to heat the wheel up to about 200 degrees I think. I used a puller that fits into the bearing tightly, you then drive a bar into a slot into the puller which expands in the bearing. You then drive it out. I did not use heat when I did mine. Pretty tough to get it out that way.

 

Ron

[Don_Eilenberger]

HEAT is really pretty important. These are an interference fit - they are made so they don't fall out.

 

What you need for a puller is an expanding one that has side jaws that can slip behind the inner race on the bearing.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/blind-hole-bearing-puller-95987.html From Harbor Freight "looks" good (I have no personal experience with it - I used ones that cost 10X that amount).

 

And for installation heat/cold are your friend. Heat the hub gently (a soft flame on a propane torch keep it moving and don't burn the paint, if you burn the paint you loose..) and freeze the new bearing. It should drop right in place.

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Simon

 

This old thread pretty well covers the removal of a stubborn front wheel bearing. Just make the simple tool.

 

Bearing Removal Tool

[Hall Vince]

I had to really beat the inner spacer side ways a little, it displaces a sheet spacer/washer which is centering the tube spacer. I just straightened this out when I came to out it back in. Oh and I really packed the new bearing with extra grease.

hth

\v/

[Don_Eilenberger]

Oh and I really packed the new bearing with extra grease.

hth

\v/

Ummm.. are these bearings open bearings? The ones used on K bike 3-spoke rims were sealed.

[Hall Vince]

Oh and I really packed the new bearing with extra grease.

hth

\v/

Ummm.. are these bearings open bearings? The ones used on K bike 3-spoke rims were sealed.

 

They have a seal both sides, you can remove it very carefully with out damage, they just clip in. Sometimes it seems, there is only a token amount of grease in new bearings.

I assume it's why my ST front bearing were shot at 18k. At least the RT ones are still going OK at 32k.

And no, I don't use a jet wash on my bikes.

\v/