Wheel Bearing paranoia

[Coyote Chris]

Took off my front wheel today so that the Dealer could install my new PR3 for $22 (very fair IMHO)
I include a pic of the old tire (6700 mi) but what was odd was the wheel bearings. They looked
underpacked to me. Maybe I am just old and have false memories but my dad, the GM engineer and
my aircraft mechanics school taught me different. Anyway, I pulled the two dust covers on each side and
repacked them.....does the bearing as found looked underpacked to you?
old tire which I kept to practice plugging with...

Bearing before repack

Bearing after repack but before dust covers

 

[Bear]

Chris, Your bearing was fine in the "Before Picture" More is not always better. I do bearings on racing bikes all the time--did about 8 sets in the last five days. You don't need a lot of grease. Too much grease tends to work its way out when the bearings warm up and spatter all over the place. No need to be paranoid--your bearings look fine.

 

[Coyote Chris]

Chris, Your bearing was fine in the "Before Picture" More is not always better. I do bearings on racing bikes all the time--did about 8 sets in the last five days. You don't need a lot of grease. Too much grease tends to work its way out when the bearings warm up and spatter all over the place. No need to be paranoid--your bearings look fine.

Thanks! I will keep that in mind when I take off the rear wheel tomarrow.....

 

[EX Winger]

Chris, I must agree with Alex that you may have put too much gree around thsoee berings. did you remove them and wsh them out well with solvent and get them dried of either buy air or setting where they would drain and dry over a period of time? If I am going to repack I like to washout the old greas and then do a repack but I don't smear the outside as you show in your picture, When you do the rear and have it apart don't forget to use some Honda moly 60 on the final drive gears. I would also change the final drive gear oil if I were into it that deeply.

Eldon

 

[DirtFlier]

[...do you pull the bearings to wash them, or do it while they're still seated?..]

If you use a shouldered bearing driver that into fits into the axle hole, you essentially ruin the bearing when you pound it out since it is not designed to absorb striking loads from that direction. Although people do it all the time, I don't believe that the bearing shields are designed to be removed and reinstalled.

If I feel some play in the wheel bearings, I just install new bearings. Done.

ps. If I'm not mistaken, bicycle wheel bearings are the open type and unlike our NTs you can within reason adjust bearing play.

 

[charlie b]

Yes, there was enough grease in there. No, I do not pull off dust covers are regrease bearings on motor vehicles. Inspect by feel. If they feel 'gritty' or they have 'notches' then replace. If not, then leave them in there.

Once I remove a bearing/race I toss it.

FWIW, that is for sealed ball bearings. Some ball bearings you will actually damage the cage or race if you remove the bearings.

Tapered roller bearings are made to be disassembled, cleaned, inspected, and (if servicable) greased and reinstalled.

Last, if you are that paranoid about bearings you should get new bearings and install them. Your application of grease will last for a while but the seal compromise will not keep it contained as long as factory ones.

 

[EX Winger]

Bob,

I would pretty much agree with Dirt Flier and Charlie. with regard to pressed in bearing assemblies. if they ned to be cleaned tes I would gert a pressurized and of cleaner to clean them in their seated position, also as Charlie says if any sign of grity deeling they are best replaced. I used to roller skate a lot in my younger years and had precision semi sealed bearings in my skates, They could be removed and repacked with a lite n lithium greas, and I would do that every 3-4 months , LOL they have been setting in their case now for 30 plus years and probably are in dire need , but the boots attached to them aare too small for my feet today , and I will probably never try to use them again.

Eldon

 

[Phil Tarman]

I try to picture you (or me, for that matter) roller-skating these days, Eldon, and my old mind pops its circuit breaker. Just can't handle it.

 

[EX Winger]

Phil, Just aquire my mind set, 39 & holding

One of my aquaintences here who used to bring his family to the rink I worked at when I while in high school just passed away a week ago, this subject was brought up in his celebration of life. we had talked as recently as a year ago about how much fun it would be to get the whole old crowd togather for a skating party.

I ?? think I could still do ok on them even with rink issue skates, however I wouldn't try to do today things I did on them in those years! I practically lived on them for three of my high school years , 5 nites per week plus most of Saturday & Sunday afternoons. If I was not on skates I was working at the resturant that was adjacent to the skating rink with only a wall and locking door separating them,

After coming home from Germany in 59 I skated for a couple of years, I met Judy at a Salem rink, but the last time I was on skates was in the 69 - 71 time frame while at Beale during my second of three tour there.

Eldon

 

[charlie b]

Heck, I was skating right up until my knees got worse. I did it to stay in shape for snow skiing, which I also quit because of knees. As Warren Miller put it, "your knees only have so many bumps in them so choose how and when to use them." I chose to stop skiing. Since I stopped skiing no reason to continue skating. That was in 2001. I was 'only' 48 at the time.

 

[Coyote Chris]

Remember the days gone by when cars had easily removable bearings? We would wash them, blow dry them taking care not to spin them dry, and then either with a packer or, my favorite, hand pack technique, repack the wheel bearings? Then set the preload? Those days are gone for many vehicles.....I have a technique where I am able to shove a fair amount of grease through the pressed in bearing...I do it cause it makes me feel good.
Am I doing any harm? I doubt it. Never had a bike bearing fail in 40 plus years. Changing the final drive fluid is quick and easy on both my bikes...I do it once a year...that makes me feel good too! Did the rear wheel today....and yes, I used Honda 60 paste.

Chris, I must agree with Alex that you may have put too much gree around thsoee berings. did you remove them and wsh them out well with solvent and get them dried of either buy air or setting where they would drain and dry over a period of time? If I am going to repack I like to washout the old greas and then do a repack but I don't smear the outside as you show in your picture, When you do the rear and have it apart don't forget to use some Honda moly 60 on the final drive gears. I would also change the final drive gear oil if I were into it that deeply.

Eldon

 

[EX Winger]

Fortunately my knees are OK thus far, I never got brave enough to try skiing, I enjoy watching it on TV, but always looked dangerous to me. these discussions about skating are getting me interested to possibly having to try it again if I happen to run across someone else to go with me. Maybe I better wait until I get my summer riding done though!! I sort of feel about semi serious off road riding as Charlie feels about skiing , every time I get out in the woods etc and start having fun one thing leads to another nd I find myself in a cast or hurting.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Eldon, some of my most embarrassing moments in life happened on skates. But it sounds like you could probably do OK. I take back everything I said.

 

[DirtFlier]

I've owned Honda cars since the mid-70s and they've all had sealed bearings pressed onto the drive hub. Never had one fail. The "good old days" are something we all fondly remember but not always in a critical light.