Wheel Bearing Help

[River-Runner]

Hi Folks -

Cold and wet in Oregon right now - thinking about the maintenance I should do now before spring.

I've got a 2012 TE511 and TE310 in the garage and will be pulling wheels off both to replace tires soon with new Dunlop 606's, now wondering about wheel bearings. I have about 2,500 miles on both bikes - We really like these bikes after getting them set up - it was a process to get it right.....! The 511 tears up tires much faster than the 310 for sure - back tires on the 511 get smoked.

Could someone with experience walk me through how you check your wheel bearing play on these two bikes? When have you folks replaced wheel bearings? We do a stream crossing once and a while so we might be getting water into the bearings once and a while.

I sure appreciate the experience and willingness of folks to share on this forum.

Thanks.

 

[richard kersten]

Do you use water proof grease , that should help with the water getting in , I use Bel Ray , so far so good.

 

[Tinken]

I use a Motion Pro blind bearing puller. Then I carefully pop off the bearing seals and repack them with Mobil 1 grease that I have mixed with Maxilube. This grease is completely water proof and lasts for thousands of miles. Factory Honda also uses this grease.

 

[ray_ray]

My 250cc bikes should be about the same as your 310 and the 511 is the bmw inspired bike... Not sure on how that biker was made. Hard to tell on the bearing life but ...
you can use your fingers or maybe the wheel axle to check for slack in the bearing ... If the bearing feels tight and no real slack, you can always remove the rubber seal on the bearing and re-grease it using some grease as mentioned above, using the first link below from Seahorse ...

Here is a couple of threads on the bearing greasing that are pretty detailed ..

http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/greasing-bearings-diy.2243/#post-34493

http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/diy-front-wheel-overhaul-parts-1-2.5407/#post-64764

--

Not sure if Seahorse mentions the lip-seal that sits on the outside of the hub, protecting the bearing from dirt and mud. But that seal can be easily removed with a screw driver placed under it and twist the screwdriver tip to raise the seal. You can reuse these lots of times. The one thing I do that helps the life of the wheel-bearings behind these lip-seals, is to pack the air-space between the bearing and that outside lip seal, full of grease ... That way, that empty area between the outer seal and the bearing will not hold water and there just is no way water can get into the real bearing. The seal now is all that grease.

You can use a puller as shown above or just some sort of hammer and punch to knock these bearings out ... These aren't too big of a deal to remove.

As you hit spots that might be a sticking point for you, just post a pic here... Nothing too fancy on the 310, might be a snap ring or 2 on a bearing but you will see them easily. Again, not sure about the 511 but these are just wheel bearings and maybe nothing fancy on them either.

Seahorse has supplied pics also in his work also so open his links above.

 

[River-Runner]

Do the 310 and/or 511 bikes have a snap ring to hold the bearing in? If so, I guess I need to buy a snap ring pliers prior to pulling the wheels.

Ray-Ray - Those are great links - Thanks.

Tinken - do you heat the hub prior to using the bearing puller to make the bearings come out easier?

Thanks.

 

[Tinken]

Yes to snap ring on one side. Other side is two bearings. I don't heat the hub unless I am working on a Honda because they use a radial nut instead of snap ring.

 

[River-Runner]

Guys,

Not trying to be a pest, I've just never done a set of bearings and would like to be prepared to get it right.

Do you recommend OEM or aftermarket bearings?

 

[Tinken]

Oem is best, but All balls isn't bad.

 

[OlderHuskyRider]

On the rear wheel, you need to remove the single bearing on the brake side first, if you are using a bar to drive it out. Then use a long extension with a socket that will fit the double bearing on the sprocket side, this allows you to hit the double bearing flush and not around the perimeter.

Remove the foam piece that centers the spacer, it's likely wet with water, mine was. I rinsed it out with WD40.

Freeze the new bearings, and install the one that goes against the snap ring FIRST, install the bearing just past the snap ring groove, the install the snap ring then install the spacer and then the other side bearings, just far enough in so that the inside bearing is touching the spacer.

 

[bulto]

Tinken, how do you like that maxilube? Was thinking about try it.