How to: Front Wheel bearings - Picture heavy

[haroman666]

So off the back of my What wheel bearings do you prefer? thread I decided I'd document the process of changing them in detail.
It's an easy job (Depending on bike age, corrosion, % of Bodyguard disease) and instread of throwing £30 - £60's worth of labour money at a garage, you could throw that money at the tools you need to do the job for the rest of your riding career.

So, first up is get the wheel out. Calipers may have to come off in order for this to happen. If you get stuck at this point, then go no further. You may as well go and buy a Netflix subscription and spend the rest of your days on the sofa.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_001_zpse4ydymce.jpg

Lever your seals out. Flatblade screwdriver is all you need. If they're particularly shitty, you might have to really give it some, and work your way around the circle, and lever small amounts at a time. If you want to save the seal and re-use it, then just try not to rip any of the rubber. But likelihood is, is that the seal is the reason the bearing is fucked in the first place. So change them.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_003_zpsvwbatnhg.jpg
Tip: Don't lever against the brake disc. Get another screwdriver or something to lever off.

At this point (With both seals out) you can look at the levels of corrosion you're dealing with and whether you need to leave it soaking in some penetrating oil, like Plusgas. Anything over 10mins for it to work it's way in, should be fine.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_010_zpscr54xyli.jpg

Also, check your new bearings are the correct size.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_006_zpsngsk3rwv.jpg

The wheel bearings have a long tubular space between them, and this rests between the inner races (bearing anatomy should be researched if you aren't sure where that is). Paint diagram winning:
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/Epic%20wheel%20bearing%20diagram_zpsrq5ni593.jpg
Note the blue lines showing the wheel casting. One side is tight to the spacer. The other side leaves a small gap. This is important to observe when taking the next step.

The aim of the game here, is to lever/knock that spacer off centre so you can see the inner edge of the inner race when you look through. The spacer will only move off centre on one side of the wheel (See previous diagram and note for clarity). You can lever it with something or give it a gentle bang. You may end up burring the edges or inside of the spacer doing this, so have a round file handy in case. It needs to end up much like this:
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_005_zpsfs6x0p1d.jpg
The dark crescent you see inside is the inner edge, of the inner race of the bearing. Bang that shit. With a long punch and a hammer that matches your personal levels of ham-fistedness:
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_008_zpsdlsnjsfa.jpg
I ground the pointed "chisel" end off of mine, because the corners were chamfered and it slipped with every hit of the hammer.

Be sure to have the wheel supported with either wood or similar (or a kerb like I have done here. Being super SUPER sure the brake disc off the floor so it doesn't end up looking like a floppy tortilla).
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_011_zpseddsi4ev.jpg

BANG BANG BANG POP! Hit the inner edge of the inner bearing race from the opposite side. And be sure to move to different parts of the bearing race so as to not put the bearing on the wonk and get it really really stuck.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_009_zpsukuv5tym.jpg
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_012_zps1sphlk5k.jpg

Now one bearing is out, along with the spacer and you should look inside the wheel and see the back of the other bearing. See how the holes are different sizes as mentioned before...
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_013_zpsn9ojopeh.jpg
Bang that other bearing out, like it tried to hit on your girlfriend.

See the difference between my bearings. One is nice and clean. The other is much rust. Very corrode. Wow.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_015_zps46wjuxxz.jpg

Now. To get the new bearings in, there is some more banging to do (Unless you have a press, in which case there's some pumping to do).
I took one of the old bearings and ground a bit of material off the outer race so that I could use it to drive the new bearing home without this one getting stuck in the wheel recess. You can also use a socket of the same diameter too. but likelihood is, is you haven't got one large enough.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_016_zpsdcyks6ux.jpg

Lube up the bearing recess and the outer edge of the bearing.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_018_zpszyfrf1ve.jpg
All purpose lithium grease is best. DO NOT use copper grease. Not ideal. Nope.

Before you start banging in bearings left right and centre, be sure you put the bearing with the smaller wheel casting hole, in first. This is so when it comes to doing the opposite side, the space can sit upright and central (Picture further down)

Place the new bearing as straight as you can in the recess, so that it doesn't go in wonky. Take the old bearing (wot I ground down) and place it ontop. Going around the outer race, bang this bastard in. Little bit at a time until the note of each bang becomes more of a "solid sound". And you should feel a more noticeable reverberation through the hammer too.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_020_zps3yqtylgh.jpg
I couldn't hold the bearing, hammer and take a picture at the same time. So imagine the hammer!

Stick the spacer in, and let it sit in the hole, up against the inner race of the bearing you just hammered in. (Refer back to the note about which bearing goes in first).

See how the spacer sits upright and central. There's a good little spacer
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_022_zpsnl2swv7c.jpg

Bang in the other bearing, much like you did with t'other one. But check the spacer is still standing to attention in the correct position.

Aaaaaaaand finally grease and push your NEW seals in. Should be a finger jobby. Or thumbs... Whatever's best for you.
https://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/haroman6661/WP_20160228_023_zpsf8caycaw.jpg

Refit wheel and calipers. Torque everything correctly. Don't even use the new wheel bearings because you wheelie everywhere cause you're like fuckin Rossi m8.
____________________
The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[Nobby the Bastard]

[andym]

[Suntan Sid]

[-Monty-]

[Beehive Bedlam]

[stinkwheel]

Worth mentioning that some bikes have a circlip round the outside of the bearing, and potentially a speedo drive casting.

These need to be removed before proceeding with driving the bearing out. If there is a lot of corrosion, the circlip is not always obvious.

Also be aware it can take quite a long time and a lot of battering to get a r3eally tight bearing out.

I personally would not grease the bearing seat area. I'd clean and degrease it. A green pot scourer is good for removing any corrosion off the seat. You shouldn't be making it any easier for the outer race to turn than you need to. In cases where it's loose, you sometimes need to use bearing fit compound which is a kind of glue to stop it spinning up.

Here's a video I did a while back of changing a front wheel bearing. It is deliberately not cut and is essentially 5 minutes of me whaling on it before flipping the wheel over and finding the other one came out much easier. Shows you just sometimes need to be patient.
https://youtu.be/obPQMiQgZv0

Here's fitting the new ones:
https://youtu.be/DMDNjfcVRss
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[redeem ouzzer]

This is frighteningly "ghetto". Best way of getting the first race out is to spot weld a nut on the inner race to use a drift against. Use a manual press to put the new bearings back in (or make one using threaded rod, nuts and washers / old bearings).
____________________
Be a REAL MAN!

[techathy]

[stinkwheel]

[haroman666]

[Pigeon]

I thought this was an excellent effort and great post *. Plenty of pics, good descriptions. Top effort Sir





* I am 90% moron however, so take with much salt.

[Bridgehouse]

[Matt B]

[MarkJ]

[stinkwheel]

[MarkJ]