removing axle bearings

[ae13291]

hey guys, i sometimes hear a type of clicking sound when i push my quad and turn the handle bar to the left or right, the sound seems to be coming form the axle bearings i think since if i wd40 it the sound would go away. i have never removed the axle bearings b4 so how would i go about doing it? and should i replace the bearings or just re grease them, and where would be the best place to buy new bearings? thanks guys

[ae13291]

can somebody help me out?

[billyboy93]

you need to replace the bearings get pivit works bearings

[jcs003]

get OEM bearings.

[xcracer416]

Originally posted by jcs003
get OEM bearings.

im with jcs on this, i would also recomend taking a small pick and take the seals of each bearing and packing them with grease and put the seals back on. Ive noticed the life of the bearing is alot better doing this trick.

[billyboy93]

or get a rad dual row carrier with the grease zerk on the side so u can grase it super easy

[Stoke88]

Go with Billyboy's idea. It will be much easier to grease your bearings in the future that way.

[ngates788]

ive had no problem with my pivot works bearings.. and they have taken much abuse with all the mud i ride in.. and if you go thru the trouble of removing the axle you might as well replace all your bearings.

[zeno]

Yep, spend a bit more coin, and replace with a billet carrier with grease zerks and dual row bearings.Lube the guts out of it and throw it in.After the hell mission i had removing my axle and bearings, i was prepared to go to NASA for a custom job. And i feel the component is cheap for the price, and i'm in Australia! Why the f*$# Honda didn't put anti corrosion gel,i have no idea......
oh hang on spare part sales....

[jcs003]

a big reason people bolts sieze is they OVER grease their bearings and dont take it apart enoughand regrease. do not neglect your bearings.

[Dathon Lawler]

i can't believe no one mentioned this. but your popping is most likely not your bearings. well sort of. your bearings are already wore out yes. but what's happening is when you turn left or right, your rearend has slop in it that allows it to come forward on one side and back on the other and then your chain is no longer in align with the sprocket on the motor. your hearing your chain trying to pop off of your sprocket. just look at it while someone pushes it in a circle. it will jump if i'm right.

on a small note. when i bought my 400, my swing arm bolt was broke. and of course i didn't know it. so i kept adjusting my chain tighter to only find out it wouldn't stay. the whole rearend was moving forward on one side. this is EXTREMELY RARE and now that i think about, i have never heard of this happening to anyone but i thought i would just throw that out there.

one other thing. don't keep riding it. no bs. bad bearings could mean abuse to...your clutch, carrier, and your axle.$$$$ and if it goes un attended and your riding and your chain jumps off, you could slam that chain into your side cover. so....new side cover to.

ok i fibbed. check your sprockets to make sure they are healthy.

[ae13291]

^^^ thanks for the reply but the axle seems to not be moving side to side, maybe just a very tiny bit, but not enough for it to cause the chain any problem, note also i do not hear any noise of the problem while riding, i only notice it when i push it and turn to either side. thanks for the responses guys, so i remove the 4 allen bolts that hold the swingarm chain adjuster? and then i remove the inner nut and then loosen the outer nut? is one of them left hand thread?

[zeno]

Yep, both nuts are left hand thread.Remember to screw the nuts TOWARDS the brake disk to expose the CIRCLIP on the axle that you remove and then the nuts and collete thread will slide out.

[ae13291]

thanks man. so in order for the axle to come out i have the remove the wheels,hubs,brake rotor,caliper,skidplate, sproket, chain, and loosen the 4 allen bolts? is that correct?

[rob_990]

you only need to remove the right hub and you dont need to remove the sprocket.

[quad2xtreme]

put your wrench on the larger axle nut from the back and push down towards the ground to loosen. You will need to do this 20-30 times. Then loosen the bell nut the same way. This will reveal the c-clip that you must remove.

Get these loose before you loosen anything else in case you need someone to press on the rear brake. You might have to waste the bell nut by cutting it off with a dremel or cutoff wheel. I've had 2 of them lock tight on me. You just cut a straight slot across the bell nut and then you can loosen it. Of course, you will need to buy a replacement.

[billyboy93]

the stock nut is junk once u loosin it it will never stay tight agine so u might want 2 get a RAD nut for like 40$ or get a anti fade hub like line neer comes loose.

[joe03400ex]

I just rebuilt my carrier 2 weeks ago- I never want to do that again- just buy a new carrier trust me I'm sure others may agree- I had to cut my bearings out with oxygen/mapp gas - it was torture- pick up a clymer guide it really helps A LOT- also while your at it- nows a good time to do your hubs, chain and sprockets if you need to- I just did it not to go through it again

[ae13291]

as it really that bad? so ur sayig the bearings were liteally stuck in there?

[joe03400ex]

Bro- fire is the LAST resort lmao. What's so messed up is for like the 6 parts (o rings dust shields middle sleeve and bearings) for one costs about 100-150 at honda dealer, when a new carrier on ebay is 200- but its the "easiest looking but hardest" project its a royal pain in the sack. Replace everything so u don't need to go through it again- and if your bearings come right out god bless you! I have an 03- they didn't budge

[quad2xtreme]

easiest way to get the bearings out without heat...

put a wood block on the ground. Put a glove on your hand. Strike the carrier down on the wood block. The weight of the steel tube between the bearings will drive out the bearing. I've been doing this since 2000 on my 4 quads and it has never failed me. The reason for the glove is to keep from busting a vein in your finger. This happened to me twice...I thought it was a fluke the 1st time it happened.

If your bearing is completely destroyed and the outer race stays in the carrier, then you will need to cut it out with a dremel. Just cut a groove at an angle across the outer race being careful not to cut into the carrier (a nick or two isn't going to hurt the carrier).

Use Japanese bearings (use Honda bearings...or you can order them from Boss Bearings). I don't recommend Pivot Works or All Balls. They are both crappy Chinese bearings. There is a reason why the original bearings always last longer. Aftermarket often isn't better than original.

[billyboy93]

all u have 2 do 2 get the stuck race way out is weld it in 3 to 4 differnt spots on the race then it will fall out

[ae13291]

so the hardest part of the project is to get the bearing race out?

[quad2xtreme]

Originally posted by ae13291
so the hardest part of the project is to get the bearing race out?

only if the outer race separates from the bearings and the inner race. Almost always, the whole bearing will come out in one piece.

[eprovenzano]

Originally posted by ae13291
as it really that bad?

Its not really that hard to change the bearings. Yes sometimes they can be a pain. The 1st time I replaced ours, one side came out without too much of a fuss. The other would not budge. I ended up taking the carrier to a machine shop. They too had problems, and ending up cutting the race to get it out. They cleaned up the area where the bearing and seals reside. It cost me all of $25.00. I've replaced the bearing twice since then. It's an easy job to do, just take your time, you can handle it.

The reason the bearings kept going bad on mine was the axle locking nuts kept coming loose, allowing the axle to move, and then tearing the bearings up. I recently purchased off flea-bay a locking nut that covers over the stock nuts, The locking nut claims it will not allow the OEM axle nuts to come loose. I only have one ride on it, but so far so good.

[Ex907rider]

I'm about to take on that project too, of replacing my bearings.. I'm really worried that i'll mess something up.. what are some good Do's and don'ts? Ha, sorry for such an odd question...

[joe03400ex]

Spend the $ and buy a new carrier makes ife easier - unless the bearings come right out

[ae13291]

the nut that always comes loose is the big nut on the axle or the inner one thats a little smaller? and also are those ebay bearings ok? as long as there made in japan? i just looked at the dealer ones and i think there like $30 a bearing

[joe03400ex]

Buy oem stuff- look how long it lasts I wouldn't venture off and buy some no name stuff. when I did mine I bought oem bearings, seals, dust shields and the middle sleve. Its worth to do It all just not to have to do it again- I also did the sprockets and chain (I didn't need them I just replaced them because it was apart already)

[joe03400ex]

Also most important- buy the clymer guide it will be your new best friend- if it could do the job for you it would.