400 ex axle bearings replacemtn?

[soda7o]

Where do i buy new axle bearings for a 2005 400ex...?
and is it hard to replace them..? ( is there a how to out there somewhere?)

thanks all

[480ex]

you can get them from hear:http://www.magicracing.com/Axle-Bearing-Seal-Kit--TRX250X300EX400EX_p_0-784.html

getting them out is a biitch if they r all chewed up but if they r still intact it's not that bad. Some times it's ezer to take the bearing carrier out to do it. good luck :p

[itismejoshy]

ya it's not too hard, just find a socket or a big round piece of something to apply eqaul pressure around the breaing when removing, also you can put the new bearings in the freezer for an hour or so and they will skrink just enough to make it easier to install. also if your in a cold area get your bearing carrier warm it will have the oposite effect as freezing and make it expand slighly.

[2004yellow400ex]

so it isnt a huge job and not that difficult to replace the axle bearings on a 400ex

[redline400ex]

Not that big of a job but it would be safer to press the bearings in instead of tapping them in to protect your carrier... ;-)

[Z400champion]

Its not that hard to change them. You should have no problem finding them either. u can get them anywhere they sell quads. the only hard part is getting them out. Just make sure that you have them in right and they dont move ez. be sure to pack the bearinds with grease and don't be afraid to use to much. also make sure that your carrier is not bad because the bearins went out. the last thing you want to do is have to buy a hole nex carrier.

[400exrider707]

They are a HUGE pain in the arse to get out.

itsmejoshy, how are you going to get them out with a socket?? You cant hammer them out like that!

Last set I did, I broke them into a million pieces with a screwdriver and hammer (unintentionally trying to get them out), then had to use a dremel to cut the races out of them. NEVER AGAIN!!! Mine went on my 450 and I bought a double wide burgard!

[guinness77]

Carrier bearing change out.

Elevate the rear off the ground.
Remove chain. Just be certain to loosen the 4 pinch bolts on the rear of the swing arm. Gently and carefully pry the pinched area open. A millimeter will do.
Remove the right rear wheel hub. Do this by removing the cotter pin from the hub bolt and removing the hub bolt. (The wheel & hub should slide off). Remove skid plate. Unscrew the rear brake caliper and rest it on the swing arm. There are 2 big nuts on the axle to the right of the break rotor. They look like just 1 nut. But they are 2.
Spray WD40 into the nuts. Take a rubber mallet and strike the nuts with about 5 lbs of force. Not much, just enough to force a little movement of the nuts.

Now you can unscrew the inside nut. Try wiggling it both ways to help get it loose. You'll probably find it needs lots more WD40 and it's reverse threaded (I think). Loosen it up by about 1/4 inch. If it won't turn, use a butane torch to heat the nuts. (Remember, WD40 is flammable.) You will probably need a cheater bar. As they loosen, they will move towards the brake rotor. Eventually, you'll expose a round clip that wraps around the axle. Open that clip up and off the axle. You can now return the nuts back out. That will release the break rotor and mount off the axle.
On the inside of the break rotor/mount is a flat piece. I think it's called the carrier/break stay. Remove it.

The axle should now slide leftward and out. It will probably take a pounding with the rubber mallet to get it out.
Once out, get the grime off of it completely (wire brush). Back to the swing arm now. The carrier should slide out towards the left. You may have to turn it. On the carrier are 2 rubber gaskets. If they are broken or damaged, replace them. Do not damage the carrier in any way.
Now that the carrier is out you can look into the center and see there are 2 rubber dust covers on the outside, then the 2 bearings, and in the very middle is a cylindrical spacer. The dust covers are easy to pry out. One on either side. Remove them and toss them. Then you have to remove the bearings. Once again, there is one on either side. Inserting a screwdriver into the one end of the carrier and tapping out the bearing on the other end of the carrier is the most common way to get them out. They are a very tight fit. If you have to ruin them, no prob. But do not damage the carrier. Once you get one bearing out, the spacer will fall out and the last bearing will be a breeze to tap out.

Thoroughly clean the carrier, the spacer, and all other parts.

The bearing kit will tell you which side of the new bearings to face out. Place the bearing onto the carrier and make sure the carrier is flatly supported onto a solid surface. Find a socket that matches the bearing size to tap in the bearing WITHOUT hitting the surrounding carrier. I think it's 13/16ths. Place the socket on the bearing and then begin tapping on the socket making sure the bearing goes in flat and completely. Turn over the carrier and drop in the spacer. Then insert the next bearing and tap it in the same way you did the other side.
Now go back to the original bearing and use the socket/mallet to gently tap it back flush into the base of its housing. You'll notice the bearings are inset into the housing. The recess is to conform to the dust covers/seals. Spring side in, insert the seals in the same manner as the bearings. They are the hard part of all this.

Once all that is done, liberally grease the inside of the spacer with the proper grease. (I forgot what kind). Also grease the middle of the axle on the contact surfaces. DO NOT GREASE the inside if the swing arm.

Put the 2 outside carrier gaskets onto the outside of the carrier.

Insert the carrier back into the swing arm. Should be no problem here.

Put everything back together in reverse order except for the chain and wheel hub.

Lift the axle at one end. There should be no up-and-down free play. If there is free play, then either the wrong bearings were purchased, or the axle is trashed.

If everything is ok, then put everything back together. Remember, there is lots of grease in there. So the axle will have some very slight resistance to spinning. But that'll go away.

This next point is by far the most important. You know those 2 big nuts on the axle? Well... they're going to come loose. So check them (and re-tighten them if need be) after the 1st 30 minutes of riding, the 1st hour of riding, and then after every 6 hrs for next several rides. Be sure to bring the right tools to get those nuts tightened.