rear wheel bearing ??? need spacer

The bike 1977 ltd 1000

heres the story, the wheels are aftermarket, someone posted a pic but I didnt save it so I dont remember the brand, it is a steel wheel chrome, with square tube spokes.
Now, I replaced the beaings SKF6203 2RSJEM, they were bad along with the tire, the right side bearing failed, I dont think it was a install issue, or a bad bearing, I think the spacer is the problem but I dont know what is supposed to be there, I have looked at the diagram, and everything is there so I am at a loss to what is going on.
1 does the wheel need different spacers than stock?

2 are the bearings the right ones?

any ideas? I am not fond of a rear wheel floping around while riding

Post edited by: BSKZ650, at: 2007/09/07 08:22

If it's a Lester.....yes. I went through this on my 77ltd. Especially on the brake side. Be sure the distance spacer is there between the sprocket carrier and inner wheel bearing also.

arai60 wrote:

If it's a Lester.....yes. I went through this on my 77ltd. Especially on the brake side. Be sure the distance spacer is there between the sprocket carrier and inner wheel bearing also.

i just made that mistake on my kz1000. put the wheel assembly on only to notice a spacer laying on the ground next to me. had to pull all that crap off and start over. live and learn.

BSKZ650 wrote:

it is a steel wheel chrome, with square tube spokes.

It sounds like you have an Invader mag (see picture).
The spacer in betweeen your bearings has to be the correct length. To short and it will put undo stress on your bearings causing them to wear out quickly. It can be measured with 1 bearing installed and then measure to the other side bearing lip(with an accurate measuring device, not a tape measure). Some bearings have a tiny lip on the center hole and you will need to subtract the lip distance (X 2 for both bearings) from the spacer. The spacer shouldnt flop between the bearings when installed.
Fish



Post edited by: The Fish, at: 2007/09/03 09:10

that looks like the wheel, I havent looked but I think the spacer is loose, what about the spacer on the caliper bracket, is it the same as stock

BSKZ650 wrote:

what about the spacer on the caliper bracket, is it the same as stock

Usually most of the aftermarket wheels use many of the stock items (spacers,disc,caliper,etc) when your putting an aftermarket KZ wheel on a KZ. Most after market wheels are made to be a bolt on replacement.
Usually the outer spacer doesnt have an affect on the bearing wear. It's main purpose is to get the caliper to line up with the disc (and to get correct swingarm/axle width).
One sign of the inner spacer being too short is a hard turning wheel when tightened (it would be on a bind and wont allow the wheel to rotate freely).A very slighly too short inner spacer may not bind as much and may not be felt as easy.

I contacted the mfg, no help there, but they did answer the e mail,
The inner spacer is not real tight in between the two bearings, I am going to go buy some new bearings and take a few measurements to see how short it really is I dont think its much, I am thinking about installing the wheel less the chain and rear caliper, torque the assembly down and watch to see if it moves in some way that would cause the bearing to fail

It probably wont move in any direction. The new bearings will hold the wheel in place(even if on a tight bind)but once the bearings get worn in to place it may move some.
Check the bearing retainer surfaces (in the wheel) for dings and other defects that may be keeping the bearings from seating completely. Use a bearing seting tool (that installs the bearing by the outer race). If you are torqueing the bearings into place with the axle and spacers, you may be damaging the bearing before it gets completely installed (by putting tiny dings in the balls and races). This is also what happens when the inner bearing spacer is too short.
Fish

well I have new bearings being shipped in, but the inner spacer is wrong, does anybody have one they dont need that I could but from them, the one that is there is way wrong and too short I am thinking the stock item may be the right size.
Thanks

Perhaps measurements of stock spacers may be more helpful. Theres no sense in getting another identical spacer that wont work.
I usually make my own spacers when I need. (Wheel swapping, etc)
Fish