wheel bearings shot?

Chiming in with a FYI regarding bearing installation: When driving in the first bearing stop as soon as you go deep enough to install the snap ring. Then flip over the wheel, install the bearing spacer, and then the second bearing. If you drive in the first bearing until you reach the shoulder in the wheel it may be too deep to install the bearing on the other side (don't ask me how I learned this.)

Just to add to what @Nessism mentioned, the second bearing you install should be tapped in gently until it just touches the center spacer. The outer spacers, inner spacer, and inner bearing races make up the "axle" that the wheels spin on. When you tighten up the axle bolt, it presses these items together and can cause side loading if the bearing is driven in too far or not far enough. I've made this mistake myself along time ago and I've worked on many bikes with bad bearings that I suspect were installed wrong. The All Balls instructions illustrate this very well.

Also, be mindful of which side's bearing should be installed first. On my 81 KZ650-CSR the spacer only goes in thru one side, so if that bearing is installed first, the spacer can't be installed. then you have to start over. I've never made that mistake but have heard of it being done. My spacers have centering flanges press fit onto them & from memory I think that's why the spacers only goes in thru one side. Without the flanges, then this probably isn't a problem.

Well after reading all this I fear I may have installed my wheel bearings and seated them incorrectly. I don't recall reading anything in the SM about this procedure. If in fact the bearings were seated incorrectly would you not feel some sort of binding on them when trying to spin the wheel after it's installed? I am also trying to figure out a way to "just touch" the center spacer as you drive the bearing in. Guess I can figure that out after I take the wheel off again and take the bearings out, but at a minimum a new seal and bearing would be required correct?

Rick H.

I didn't have a seating problem. I drove them in & installed the circlips without worrying about anything.
From memory I'm pretty sure the bearings had to be driven home in order to install the circlips.
1981 KZ650-CSR w KZ550 Ltd wheels & the CSR hub components.

Rick H. wrote: If in fact the bearings were seated incorrectly would you not feel some sort of binding on them when trying to spin the wheel after it's installed? I am also trying to figure out a way to "just touch" the center spacer as you drive the bearing in.
Rick H.

Yes, if you drive the bearing in and its too tight against the center spacer, the bearing will be hard to turn. If you are tapping lightly you can kind of hear a difference in the sound when it touches the center spacer. I stick a small screw driver in through the bearing in race and see if the spacer has any slop in it. If there is no slop and the bearing spins smooth with your finger in the inner race then it's good. I've never seen the process explained in any service manual, I think they write those with the expectation that the mechanic knows how to replace bearings.

There will be differences from bike to bike, there may be some hubs that are machined to fit the spacer exactly but I know all my Yamaha's you can absolutely drive the bearing in too far. If the hub has a circlip for the bearing, then the bearing may fit looser and not require as careful of installation vs. hubs that do not have any circlip for the bearing.

Martin points out an important tip, make sure you can get the spacer in! Nothing worse than having to replace a new bearing because you put the wrong side in first and cannot get the spacer in from the other side. BTDT :blink:

I made the mistake of getting the wrong one out at first. Wound up destroying the other bearing then I was REALLY in trouble. The already weak bearing disintegrated leaving only the outer race. There was no way to drive it out so I used a dremel tool to cut the race in two places but still had the same problem. I wound up using my aggressive burr to cut two slots inside the hub up to the outer race so I could drive it out. It came out in two pieces. It was a one shot deal but I'll never have that problem again. I too got the spacer too tight so I tightened the axle so it spins freely but not binding. I'll check it again to see if it has developed slop and adjust if necessary. I'll have to be mindful of it at each tire change. I'd hate to have to change new bearings but I might have to.
Steve

jayrodoh wrote: Just to add to what @Nessism mentioned, the second bearing you install should be tapped in gently until it just touches the center spacer. The outer spacers, inner spacer, and inner bearing races make up the "axle" that the wheels spin on. When you tighten up the axle bolt, it presses these items together and can cause side loading if the bearing is driven in too far or not far enough. I've made this mistake myself along time ago and I've worked on many bikes with bad bearings that I suspect were installed wrong. The All Balls instructions illustrate this very well.

Sorry to be a nit but I disagree with Fig 1. If you fully seat the first bearing until it bottoms against the shoulder in the wheel then when you install the second bearing it may not go in far enough so you can install the snap ring.

Nessism wrote: Sorry to be a nit but I disagree with Fig 1. If you fully seat the first bearing until it bottoms against the shoulder in the wheel then when you install the second bearing it may not go in far enough so you can install the snap ring.

No offense taken. I think we're all here for the same reason, keep some older bikes on the road and share some knowledge and stories. I know I'm a little green here and my Kaw experience is limited to one Z1 and a couple KZ's but hopefully I can help some other riders along the way. I just wanted to share that it is possible on some bikes to drive the bearing in too far and that the bearings should be seated lightly against the center spacer.

So snap ring side in first just to clear installation of the snap ring, then move to other side, install spacer and bump/press bearing in to just touch spacer and stop there. I would think this is pretty simple with a hammer and bearing driver but a bit more difficult with a press or thru bolt seater.
Rick H.

lolllll @DoctoRot :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

jayrodoh wrote: Just to add to what @Nessism mentioned, the second bearing you install should be tapped in gently until it just touches the center spacer. The outer spacers, inner spacer, and inner bearing races make up the "axle" that the wheels spin on. When you tighten up the axle bolt, it presses these items together and can cause side loading if the bearing is driven in too far or not far enough. I've made this mistake myself along time ago and I've worked on many bikes with bad bearings that I suspect were installed wrong. The All Balls instructions illustrate this very well.

The .png image file failed to open for us. The link below points to the full directions at the AllBalls site that describes the installation process of not driving the second bearing into it's bore too far. The front wheel bearings on our ST1300 are the same way.

www.cyclepedia.com/manuals/online/cpp-al...ycle-wheel-bearings/

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE