2008 front wheel maintenance

NicD · Sep 28, 2018

When I removed both front wheel bearings the right side spun almost as new. The left was utterly dead. Barely spins and feels like there are rocks in it.

Looking at seals there is clearly a design issue. Right hand seal covers both races, so packed with grease it will prevent ingress of water. Left seal has wider inner diameter to seat spacer that sits between left hand bearing and fork leg. This seal does not cover the inner race of the bearing, so water can get in and wash out the grease in the bearing, knackering it.

Going forward I will replace the left hand seal in a couple of years and ensure that the outisde face of inner race is covered in grease to keep water out. Definitely don't pressure wash that side of the axle.

Micky · Sep 28, 2018

NicD said:
When I removed both front wheel bearings the right side spun almost as new. The left was utterly dead. Barely spins and feels like there are rocks in it.

Looking at seals there is clearly a design issue. Right hand seal covers both races, so packed with grease it will prevent ingress of water. Left seal has wider inner diameter to seat spacer that sits between left hand bearing and fork leg. This seal does not cover the inner race of the bearing, so water can get in and wash out the grease in the bearing, knackering it.

Going forward I will replace the left hand seal in a couple of years and ensure that the outisde face of inner race is covered in grease to keep water out. Definitely don't pressure wash that side of the axle.

It's not a maintenance issue ... it's a user issue. Don't pressure wash any side of the feckin' axle

Or anywhere else for that matter ...

Oh ... it's the 1200 section, sorry

:beerjug:

NicD · Sep 29, 2018

I don't own a pressure washer. I would imagine that if I had pressure washed the bike, the bearing would have died sooner

Pukmeister · Sep 29, 2018

Mine gets a splat of Silkolene Pro RG2 grease when I do a major service just to keep dirt and water out of the front wheel bearings.

Bendy toy · Oct 4, 2018

Use 2RS bearings and new OEM seals. It's worth popping off the new bearing seals to check the grease content, but if it does look "thin" don't add too much as that will churn, blow the seals and leave you with dry bearings. 50% grease fill is correct for rolling bearings.

NicD · Oct 4, 2018

Yes, would be madness to replace bearings with two rubber seals with bearings with only one seal

Do you know what brand the BMW-supplied seals are?

Bendy toy · Oct 4, 2018

The Eper image doesn't define the bearing sizes (strange as many others are defined) but they look like open races. Integral sealed bearings along with new wheel seals would be pretty much bulletproof against dirt, water or anything else for that matter.

AberdeenAngus · Oct 4, 2018

10 yrs out of a bearing isn't too bad.

NicD · Oct 4, 2018

I know bearing size - 6205, C3 clearance, double rubber seals. OEM is NSK

My question is whether you know who makes the BMW-supplied seals. You said only to use the BMW ones and I am wondering why. Thanks

g.s.john · Oct 4, 2018

Replacing the front wheel bearings on my 07 1200 next week getting noisy after 52K not too shabby IMO.

Bendy toy · Oct 8, 2018

NicD said:
I know bearing size - 6205, C3 clearance, double rubber seals. OEM is NSK

My question is whether you know who makes the BMW-supplied seals. You said only to use the BMW ones and I am wondering why. Thanks

Its hard to remember but I think it was hard to find non OEM in the correct size. It's a larger bore than the bearing ID.

2008 front wheel maintenance

NicD

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Micky

Never knowingly understood

NicD

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Pukmeister

Well-known member

Bendy toy

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NicD

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Bendy toy

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AberdeenAngus

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NicD

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g.s.john

Getting old aint fer pussies

Bendy toy

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