Axle Bearings

[dirtbike&quad]

i dont have a manual and i need to replace my axle bearings (300ex)

can anyone explain how to do it?

[dirtbike&quad]

someone..? i got the locknut loose but the other nut wont budge at all, i tried turning either way, i put some lube stuff on and still no luck. any ideas/tips?

[sandspanker]

get a propane torch and put some heat on it. it should come loose then

[f4istunna]

if your caliper is still on have someone hold the brake lever while you turn the nut w/ a pipe wrech or whatver you have w/ some leverage. If the caliper is off already put it in gear if the chains on.

Once you get the locknut off, Slide the rotor and hub off, take the snap ring out of brake stay and slide the stay off the axle. Next slide the axle out of the carrier (to the left). Remove carrier from swingarm (sometimes a rubber mallet helps to get it started if it wont go) Make sure all the pinch bolts are good and loose.

to get the bearings out i usually heat the carrier w/ propane torch for a bit. Then tap the carrier on the bench and they fall right out. if not i have a big socket same size as outside diameter of bearing i use w/ hammer to tap out.

Before you take the old bearings out put the new ones in the freezer for about 30 - an hour or so. Heat the carrier again and the frozen bearings should slide right in.

[dirtbike&quad]

i dont know what snap rings are, and ill have to try the torch

[dirtbike&quad]

alright figured out what they are, and then i have the rear axle hubs on the quad, dont i have to take them off in order to get the carrier off? how do i get them off?

[f4istunna]

the wheel hubs. Just take the cotter key out and the nut off should slide right off.

If you mean the rotor hub you have to remove the axle locknut and it slides off

Heres what needs to be removed

Right side wheel hub
axle locknut
axle c clip (that locknut tightens on)
Rear caliper
rear rotor and hub
Snap ring on the brake stay then the brake stay
chain off the sprocket
slide the axle out to the left then remove carrier

you can leave the sprocket and hub on and left wheel hub if you want

[dirtbike&quad]

here is what i have done so far, i dont know what to do next though..please help

[dirtbike&quad]

heres like the over view shot, you can open up my pic on Paint or something and do a little diagram. you've been great help so far

[dirtbike&quad]

another shot

[f4istunna]

i dont know how to work photoshop or any of those lol but...

You need to take your axle nut the rest of the way off, (slide off axle to the right). Make sure the c clip is out of the groove in axle.

Then your rotor hub will slide off to the right. Then your left w/ the rear caliper stay/bracket. There will be a big snap ring you have to remove and the bracket will come off. Axle should slide out (left) might need to tap / a deadblow to get it going if the bearings are bad.

then make sure carrier pinch bolts (2 bolts on rear of swingarm) and take the carrier out to the left.

then your ready for bearing swap!!

[dirtbike&quad]

thanks youve been great help so far

[dirtbike&quad]

the axle nut wont budge, i turned the lock nut towards myself and then i tried turning the axle nut towards myself and it wont budge even a little, very frustrating! the thing is that the brake wont tighten all the way down (i have no one to push down on the brake) so it slides a little and therefore making it harder to turn the axle nut. :mad:

[dirtbike&quad]

just to make sure im talking about the correct things, you want me to turn what i have pointed to in blue yes?

[f4istunna]

i bet the c clip is still in the axle. turn the nut the other way (tighten) you should see a clip under it. remove that c clip then it should turn all the way out

[dirtbike&quad]

turn which nut?

[f4istunna]

that big one your arrows are pointing too

[dirtbike&quad]

it wont turn, either way

[f4istunna]

spray some pb blaster in it and leave it sit awhile or put some heat to it

[dirtbike&quad]

the thing is that my brake doesnt hold the axle still all the way, so when i turn the nut real hard the axle ends up moving :mad:

[f4istunna]

put the bike in gear w/ the chain on if your brakes arent on

[dirtbike&quad]

the brakes are on, but not fully on because i already took them off but threw them back on real quick, also, the sprocket and chain are off because i am replacing them also :ermm:

[dirtbike&quad]

i got a new chain and its not adjusted yet for the new sprocket, but ill throw on the old stuff i guess :ermm:

[John451]

to get it to budge you can put the wheels on then set it on the grounnd and put the wrench on then step on the wrench while trying to keep the quad from rolling back. If you're feeling darring, snand with both feet on the wrench and pull up on the grab bar. Idk it's hard to explain but if you have your foot on the wrench you can put the front of your leg on the back of the grab bar and push it forward while going down. if that doesnt work, put something behind the wheels and use a cheater bar ( tube over the wrench handle) Good luck!

[dirtbike&quad]

sadly ive done all those tricks already :o i think i have to tighten it first to get some clip out from underneath it from reading stuff, but it wont budge, oh well tomorrow is another day

[TheNewn]

Originally posted by dirtbike&quad
it wont turn, either way

Get a monkey wrench, a cheater bar, and use both testicles.

You need to turn the nut you have the arrows pointed to so the 'sleeve' that its on goes INTO it, making the whole piece NARROW so you can push it to the LEFT to get a look at the C clip. Take the C clip off and slide it/and the brake rotor to the right and off the axle.

Don't try to turn the nut both ways, look at which way the THREADS are slanting, this will tell you which way the nut needs to turn to pull the sleeve INSIDE of it.

[John451]

I have a manual for a 300ex, i'll look up axle removal and type whaat it says. I have to do it saturday on my friends so il be studyin!

[dirtbike&quad]

thanks a lot john and thenewn ill try that

[John451]

ok, i have the possible solution, don't jump on the wrenches anymore lol. i'll tell u why... This is exactly what the manual says...
loosen the inner lock nut while holding the outer lock nut (with wrench) [THE INNER LOCK NUT HAS LEFT HAND THREADS]... Lock nut wrench 56mm, lock nnut wrench 45mm
loosen outer lock nut by turning it counterclockwise until the stopper ring comes out enough to be removed... [outer lock nut has left hand threads] ... remove the stop ring, outer nut and inner lock nut from the axle.
that's it for the book writings, if you need the axle out, a good way to do so is if you put the hub nut on the threads and hammer on that instead of the actual axle. I have instructions for putting it back in too if you need it. sorry it took so long to get back, sorry for the flase info before, hopefully it won't give you too much trouble.

[John451]

hey, i gave an idea of what to do in the pictured. You turn the one furthtest away in the pic then hold the closer one then loosen that one. Turn it to the RIGHT, haha, yeah, gotta love left hand threads....

[dirtbike&quad]

do i want to turn the inner lock nut all the way in before turning the outer lockbut?

[TheNewn]

No, keep it in the middle. I'm very surprised you have not had this done by now.

[dirtbike&quad]

so i want to leave that inner locknut half way turned in and then try to turn the outter (wider) locknut towards the front of the quad, correct?

[John451]

Basically hold the smaller one, (if you're looking at it from the back the right one) and turn the bigger one on the left towards the front of the quad. then turn the smaller one (the right one) towards the front of the quad. Just enough to get the ring out.

[dirtbike&quad]

well i did that, it just doesnt work

[John451]

Hmmmm...... Id say since you're replacing the bearings you could torch it. If that doesnt work then use pb spray. That stuff works well. Instead of holding the other nut park the front against a wall with the rear tires on and put a big wrench on the left one, get a cheater bar, and go to town. It might start to lift up, get the biggest person u know to sit on it, or a couple people and try it again. Try not to slip and hit them... they tend to not like that too much.