Wheel bearings

[chaos901]

I was thinking parking the bike with the left side about 24" from a wall (concrete would be best), cutting a 2x4 strut between the wall and the swingarm close to the axel but not on the axel.  Bike up right on a scissor jack.  Punch and five pound hammer.  The drive from the hammer will transfer thru the axel and any force not used to actually move the axel will go thru the strut and be distributed against the wall; the swing arm should not be taking any load really.  If the wall you have is CMU or good wood studs put 1/2 sheet of 3/4 plywood over the wall for the strut to rest against so that the load is distributed.  Works like a press. 

Now I was a carpenter so I think in terms of wood as my first choice but the previous suggestion with the plates and the all-thread looks good too.   

[PoorUB]

I agree, cut off the axle. On a bagger I  would  cut the left side off close as possible  to the wheel, then move the wheel to the left and cut the right side. All you need is an axle and spacers and the axle is probably  shot anyway.

Not picking on dealer  mechanics but many guys don't have the experience on how to hack something apart.

I remember a friend hade a wheel bearing fail to the point of falling apart.  The dealer sold him a new wheel because  the outer race was seized in the bore of the wheel and they couldn't pull it out so the wheel was shot. Now I  never saw the wheel but the bearing is supposed to be seized in the wheel. I was thinking they just had no clue how to get the bearing race out with a bearing that fell apart. Perhaps the wheel was shot but he had looked at it and said he didn't see any damage the the bearing  bores.

[BillyBob]

Try a Sawzall to cut through the spacers and axle, I think it would get in there easier than a cut off wheel.

I thought about that too. The axle doesn't seem that hard, but the spacers are really hardened. I was thinking a carbide blade, or diamond maybe. The other suggestions are all good, I just have an issue with beating on something too hard. We'll see where this goes.

[PoorUB]

I don't believe the spacers are hardened.

[Hossamania]

There's one way to find out.

[Hossamania]

A quick failed bearing story: we were following a friend, taking his old Shovel in for a complete ground up rebuild. As we are following, I notice his rear wheel slightly cocked sideways, figured it was a bent swingarm as it was a POS and he beat hell out of it.
When it was disassembled, there was no bearing in the wheel, it had failed who knows how long ago, and the wheel was just riding directly on the axle, wearing a groove into it. How that cast wheel didn't just disintegrate, I'll never know.
Did I mention that at many times on that ride, and most others before, he had it up to 80 mph or more?
God looks out for children and fools.

[BillyBob]

There's one way to find out.

Well yesterday I ran a file on a spacer I have here, and it didn't dig in at all, just skated over it. Did the same to the axle, and it dug right in, so I just assumed that the spacer was hardened steel.

[PoorUB]

There's one way to find out.

Well yesterday I ran a file on a spacer I have here, and it didn't dig in at all, just skated over it. Did the same to the axle, and it dug right in, so I just assumed that the spacer was hardened steel.

Well, crap! that makes it more difficult.

I wonder if you could pull the swing arm with the wheel and axle still in place, then get it to a hydraulic press.

Can you spread the swing arm slightly, just enough to get a sawz-all blade along side the spacer?

[Hossamania]

I'd still give the Sawzall a try. Maybe you could get a start on it with cut off wheel to get into it, then hit it with the Sawzall.

[barny7655]

One bearing butts up against the inner wheel hub flange end,this bearing is fixed in its location , the other bearing some what floats, near the other hub outer flange end, only to be aligned by the inner wheel spacer after the axel shaft  is torqued up,since the floated bearing is pressed in, its measurement is dictated by that spacer,could be 2/3 mill from hub flange end, so putting your finger in the bearing hole one can tell how far you are from the spacer ,and if spacer is loose,keep  pressing that bearing in until it butts up against that spacer so the balls will be mid ship on both bearings after the axel is torqued up , this spacer is torqued to the axel nuts settings  against the bearings and wheel spacers, hope this explains what happens , cheers

[chaos901]

If you want to cut it, surely with the nut off the axel you can get enough slack to get a blade to the axel.  A 1/16" should be enough.  I know when I am installing my wheels I have to hold everything up until the axel is in place or else it hits the ground, there is some slack there.

[BillyBob]

Well when this is all over I'll be sure to inform you guys as to my results, Thank you.

[BillyBob]

A quick update. I ended up cutting the axle with a 4 inch cutting wheel in my die grinder. Had to remove all the sprocket and brake rotor bolts except one and put that one one the bottom so I wouldn't hit it. Had to remove a bunch of other stuff to get to it but no biggie. The right side one is kind of a bitch because you have to cut through the spacer which you know is real thin, and you're trying not to damage the caliper. Didn't take too long though, a couple of hours. End of story is right side bearing totally shot, some balls missing. Galled the inner race to the shaft, but doesn't look like it was hot, had to cut the bearing off to look at it. Also screwed up the inner wheel spacer. The service dept at the Harley shop called yesterday and asked whether I had got it taken care of. He said, " In all my years working here that's the first one I've seen that we couldn't get out." Anyway, I'm making a parts list now for fixing it. I just wish I knew what I did wrong last time. I suspect maybe I didn't get the drive side bearing pressed all the way home.

[rredneckn2]

Anti-seize on the axle. Don't wash the bike with high pressure

[Dan89flstc]

Put it in a hydraulic press and push the axle out.

[PoorUB]

I am sure you know the procedure, but you drive the brake side bearing all the way to the bottom of the bore. Then drop in the spacer and drive in the pulley side until it contacts the spacer. Is it easy for the spacer to be cocked slightly, it needs to be inline or the bearing will not press in as far as it should. Some time ago guys mentioned using PCV tubing to line up the spacer and bearings. If you find a piece of 3/4" diameter PVC pipe and slit it along the length it will fit snuggly in the bearings and spacer.

If you don't have a good bearing remover/installer, buy one. Also if you use and installer use the flat side of the puller plates when driving in the second bearing. That will make sure the inner and outer races are pressed in the same depth and not under or over driven. When driving the bearings in you need to press on the outer races and inner races at the same time.

Earlier you mentioned the spacer length. With ball bearings it will be longer than the distance between the counter bores. It can be longer, much longer, just not shorter. The length of the spacer is no critical like it is with tapered bearings. On my 2010 Ultra it was maybe 1/2" longer than the distance between the counter bores.

[BillyBob]

I am sure you know the procedure, but you drive the brake side bearing all the way to the bottom of the bore. Then drop in the spacer and drive in the pulley side until it contacts the spacer. Is it easy for the spacer to be cocked slightly, it needs to be inline or the bearing will not press in as far as it should. Some time ago guys mentioned using PCV tubing to line up the spacer and bearings. If you find a piece of 3/4" diameter PVC pipe and slit it along the length it will fit snuggly in the bearings and spacer.

If you don't have a good bearing remover/installer, buy one. Also if you use and installer use the flat side of the puller plates when driving in the second bearing. That will make sure the inner and outer races are pressed in the same depth and not under or over driven. When driving the bearings in you need to press on the outer races and inner races at the same time.

Earlier you mentioned the spacer length. With ball bearings it will be longer than the distance between the counter bores. It can be longer, much longer, just not shorter. The length of the spacer is no critical like it is with tapered bearings. On my 2010 Ultra it was maybe 1/2" longer than the distance between the counter bores.

Thanks for the info about the spacer. I do have the proper puller/ installer that I bought from George's garage a few years ago. The business about the spacer being cocked or out of wack is good to know. I put these bearing in according to the manual, right side first all the way to the bottom of the cup, then the left side until it stopped. I didn't think about the spacer though, good to know. Thanks

[PoorUB]

I have the George's Garage puller/installer too. I don't know why, but the one side of the pusher washers has a step in it so it only pushes on the outer race. Don't use this side of the washers against the bearings, flip them over and use the flat side of the washers.

[BillyBob]

I have the George's Garage puller/installer too. I don't know why, but the one side of the pusher washers has a step in it so it only pushes on the outer race. Don't use this side of the washers against the bearings, flip them over and use the flat side of the washers.

I can see why you said that, probably fine on the brake side where you're pressing it in until the outer race bottoms in the cup. The other side where you're pressing until the inner race contacts the spacer you'd want to press on the whole bearing so as not to preload it sideways by pushing the outer race too deep.

[jamminhd2000]

2013 Dyna Fatbob 31k miles.....just pulled this out just now....jimmy

[PoorUB]

2013 Dyna Fatbob 31k miles.....just pulled this out just now....jimmy

Probably should replace that one.

[barny7655]

One has to understand the practice of pressing bearings the right way ,inner /or outer face depending on whats its function, wheel bearings into the hub , the outer case pressed in towards the hub face, if the bearings entire face is square,a flat thick washer can be used to press as it wont preload the balls in the race denting the race ,a smear of lube will square the install of the bearing  in the hub and bearing outer,