Wheel bearing removal...

[gabriel_gs]

Hi folks,

I've got a set of RT cast wheels that I'm having coated black before I fit them to my 1150GS.

A few questions about removing the bearings (which I have to do before sending them to the coaters)...

1. Once I've removed the seals and retaining clip, do I need to buy a bearing puller of some sort or can I simply heat the outside of the hub with a blow-torch and then use a countersink (or similar) and hammer to knock the bearings through from the opposite side?

2. If I need a bearing puller, anyone got one they recommend?

3. Will this damage the bearings or should I replace with new ones anyway? If so, any recommendations of where to buy them?

4. Anything else I should be wary of?

Thanks in advance folks!

 

[(RIP) DitchWater]

I've done this before...

...so, use a bit of heat and a bit of leverage to remove the first side.
I wedged a length of broom stick into the inner race and waggled it around and noticed that the outer race then started to lift: Continue with this method until the first side is out.

Now take your length of broom stick and use it as a drift for the opposite side; Use a bit more heat, GO GENTLY, and knock it out from the side already cleared. Try and get your drift to cover both races so you don't break the bearing and end up having difficulty removing an outer race alone.

Keep an old bearing to use as a drift to replace your newly purchased bearings. Buy them online or from a local engineering suppliers. They should be well under £20 a side for a fairly descent specification, i.e. fully sealed and all metallic parts.

Have fun.

 

[gabriel_gs]

Thanks!

 

[ducatiparts.110mb]

...so, use a bit of heat and a bit of leverage to remove the first side.
I wedged a length of broom stick into the inner race and waggled it around and noticed that the outer race then started to lift: Continue with this method until the first side is out.

If you get too enthusiastic you'll damage the alloy where the bearing sits inside the wheel.

Far safer to drift both of then out. Obviously the first one out is a bit tricky but slowly and steadily and you'll get there. I keep a selection of old car engine pushrods to use as drifts for getting the bearings out. Use a suitable sized socket to put new ones in.

Don't ever put used ones back in as you stress the balls getting them out. If you go on ebay and enter the type number of the bearing you'll get them for £2.50 to £5.00 a side for most common sizes. Don't worry too much about the quality, a bike is quite light duty compared to what the bearing is specced to and they'll be fine.

Mark

 

[gabriel_gs]

Hmm.. without a RT user manual I have no idea what bearings I need - any RT owners out there that can help?

 

[Wrigsby1]

I recently changed my 11GS bearings. Always replace with new and there is not much difference with aftermarket suppliers and Motorworks et al after VAT and delivery is added. There is a wide bearing which is £20+ from anywhere.

Drifting out the 1st side is the worst bit. Get a sizeable drift with a sharp edge and get as good a contact as possible. Start with the single race bearing. Then you can remove the spacer and get at the wide bearing far more easily.

You will need a sizeable socket for replacing and make sure you keep to the outer race.

 

[gabriel_gs]

Thanks chaps.

 

[roddy]

I'd be interested on how you get on as I'll be doing something similar in the coming months, an I've never removed wheel bearing before ?

 

[gabriel_gs]

As with each new project, I shall try my best to take photos and report back.

 

[gabriel_gs]

Righto, got the buggers out...

Dust seal out, circlip out, speedo ring thingy out... now to get the bearings themselves out.

Didn't use a blowtorch to heat the hubs (just a lot of patient tapping/hammering!), but will defo use one to get the new bearings back in without damaging them

I found handy piece of metal piping to act as a drift and learnt after a while that the spacer separating the 2 bearings shifts slightly so I could get a 'lip' for my drift to bash against...

Here's what I mean (to those NOT in the know... like me 2 hours ago)...

Imagine 'A' is what sits 'through' the wheel hub - a bearing, then a spacer (with 2 thin 'collars' on, one on either end), then a bearing. You need to get a drift through the top bearing to tap out the bottom - but spacer between them was sitting such that I couldn't get any 'lip' of the bottom bearing to knock it out with.

Diagram 'B' shows them extruded a bit so you see 3 separate pieces.

What I realised was that the spacer was actually able to move inside the wheel hub to be slightly angled - see 'C'

This then gives you a lip (the red bit in 'D') with which to rest the drift on to bash out the bearing - just angle the spacer bash, move it around a bit to make a 'lip' on the other side of the bearing, bash again and keep 'tapping' around the inside race of the bottom bearing until it pops out. You can then take out the spacer, flip the wheel over and then bash away directly on the inside face of the other bearing to get it out. Job done!

Now, to get them coated!

Oh, and buy a socket big enough to use to safely tap in the new bearings!

 

[Wrigsby1]

Duh, just remembered a trick spooted about 20 years ago on my 1st attempt... Wedge drift in place with a biiiig suare flat blade screwdriver in from the opposite side. That stops the drift from slipping off the lip so easily... Jeez the things you forget

 

[MattW]

Probably too late now, but in the past I've used a blind bearing puller (the type usually used with a slide hammer that expands like a rawl bolt). These grip the inner race and have a little annular 'tooth' which locates on the inside lip of the bearing you want to remove. This gives you a nice target to use your drift against when aiming through the other bearing.

Of course this relies on you having a blind bearing puller set....

 

[gabriel_gs]

Yeah, last night I was thinking to myself I wish I had exactly that!

 

[MattW]

Yeah, last night I was thinking to myself I wish I had exactly that!

Sorry

I bought myself a set donkeys years ago for taking Kawasaki triple gearboxes to bits - surprising how handy they are when you've got them

 

[roddy]

could you not use one of those expanding RAW bolts to grab the inner face and drift out the bearing, it may be a bit easier ?

hmmm! just had a wee think about this an maybe not, the inner diameter of the bearing is probably bigger than these sort of bolts go up to

 

[monkeyboy]

Probably too late now, but in the past I've used a blind bearing puller (the type usually used with a slide hammer that expands like a rawl bolt). These grip the inner race and have a little annular 'tooth' which locates on the inside lip of the bearing you want to remove. This gives you a nice target to use your drift against when aiming through the other bearing.

Of course this relies on you having a blind bearing puller set....

Ditto that. I got a Clarkes (I think) one from machine mart a few years ago. Put the wheel over 2 wheelie bins with the pulled on th low side (obviously) and they pop out easy as pie. I don't think they cost me that much and they
contain a range of different size grips. Very useful indeeeeed

 

[gabriel_gs]

Right... so here's what came out of the front wheel...

Seal, speedo drive ring, circlip, bearing right side, central spacer, bearing left side

Spacer and bearings are arranged like this when inside the hub (top-most bearing is the left-side of the front wheel):

Leaving my wheels ready to be sent off and coated:

Like this:

So new bearings and old spacer in...

Circlip in...

speedo drive ring in...

and new seal in...

Now ready for tyres!

 

[Coolcarbon]

Now ready for tyres!

And New Mudguard....

 

[Stewart H]

The colour looks good

 

[gabriel_gs]

Yeah really pleased - was done by the chaps at Wheel Works UK in Crawley - lovely job.