Axle bearing help

[HondaRacing83]

My axle bearings are bad so yesterday I tore it all apart and I got the bearing carrier out. I know to get them out you put the carrier in the oven or something then tap them out? What degree do I put the oven on and how long do I put it in for? I know you put the new ones in the freezer.

[chronicsmoke]

I just press them out or pound them out straight off the quad.. no heating.. just freezing for installation as you mentioned..

grab a bfh and go to work lol.

[on the rocks]

this guy has the right idea. ^^^^

heating the carrier can actually cause it to weaken and cast aluminium ( stock carrier) is week enough to begin with.

[HondaRacing83]

Alright thanks

[b0rn c0nfused]

I rented a slide hammer to get mine out. It's like 85 down at auto zone but you get all of it back.

[CJM]

Slide hammers the easiest. If you can get some, get some canned air. Then spray the bearing with the can upside down and it will freeze the metal enough to make it come out easily.

The pounding method does work, but if you have a dual row carrier like mine its a total pain. next time I gotta do it Im spending the money for a new carrier with everything in it, they are only 100 bucks and my time is more valuable than to mess with the old one and the bearings are about 40 bucks all said and done anyways.

[HondaRacing83]

Whats the best kinda bearings? I know All Balls blows

[jgar]

I just pound them out. Usually takes about 10 min to do both. I like to use a block of wood so you dont have to worry about messing up the carrier.

[jkosakowski]

I always just use moose bearings they are cheap and i haven't had one problem.

[Threewits]

Any of the name brand bearings will do the job, but make sure they are sealed bearings and peel one of the seals out and pack it with a good quality grease then replace that seal and go ahead and install it. I generally use a socket just slightly smaller the the bearing outer race. You can also use the old bearing on top of the new one to make sure you start it straight. Just stop before the old bearing starts getting tight.

[Honda4life05]

If you can afford it, do yourself a favor and just go ahead an get a dual row carrier, in the long run it will save you time an money. I learned this the hard way. Same goes for the 450r and 300ex. You can also get dual row bearings at oreilys for cheap with a lifetime warranty

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by HondaRacing83
Whats the best kinda bearings? I know All Balls blows

I run all balls on my axle bearings and they hold up just fine.

I recently changed the bearings out on my 450r and it has dual row on the sprocket side and a single bearing on the brake side. It's pain, but take a punch from the inside of the carrier and start pounding that bearing out. once you get one bearing removed and you can take the collar out, the following bearing is super easy.

The first time i did 400ex bearings I just ended up destroying the bearing to get it out.

As CJM said, I usually put new bearings in the carrier one time after that I replace the entire carrier and bearings. You can very easily heat the carrier in the oven, it does help to expand the aluminum.

[HondaRacing83]

Well since I'm 14 and don't have the money (usually I do but I just had to replace some parts from when I rolled it) Paps said he'd foot the bill for it. One of my local shops that my Dads really good friends with the owner said they have a RADD dual row carrier with external grease fitting and complete all balls bearing kit together for $160. Not to shabby?

[CJM]

100 bucks buys you a carrier on ebay.

[powerbomb400]

If its the same one CJM is talking about they are greaseable too.

[HondaRacing83]

my dads persistent on heating the carrier in the oven. if it breaks its on him. what degree and how long should i have it in.

[powerbomb400]

I put mine in at 350° for 20 minutes. The bearings I put in the freezer overnight. My carrier was billet not cast. Are you talking about a cast factory carrier? I'd go less time if its cast.

[jkosakowski]

Just hit em out with a screwdriver and hammer, that's what I do works like a charm just don't score your carrier

[jgar]

Originally posted by powerbomb400
I put mine in at 350° for 20 minutes. The bearings I put in the freezer overnight. My carrier was billet not cast. Are you talking about a cast factory carrier? I'd go less time if its cast.

What he said...
My stock carrier I put in the oven 300 deg. for 12 min.

[Pittsburgh400ex]

How bad are they? Ive had mine so bad the outer race was gouged and basically welded in the carrier. (Happens with having aluminum and steel together) and i mean the "welding" part, not the gouges. Ive run them that bad twice. Once i cut then out with a dremel and cutoff wheel. Ive used a fly cutter on a mill to do it also. You being 14, probably dont have access to a mill, lol. Do what ya want man but its not hard to pound them with a screwdriver or use a dremel. Oven sounds to be more troubke and risk than whats its worth. Doubke row carriers kick ***. Last.longer but more to rebuild, lsr especially.

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by CJM
100 bucks buys you a carrier on ebay.

$25 buys ya new bearings for you existing carrier..... It's a matter of whether or not a person can do the work themselves....there's money to be saved plus after you do it you gain the experience so when you change them the next time you will be more efficient.

those greaseable ones are a joke, if it has a zerk, you have to drill a hole in the swinger to access it. Mine is greaseable, it's call me pulling the carrier out and greasing it, lol.

[chronicsmoke]

Originally posted by 2001400exrida

those greaseable ones are a joke, if it has a zerk, you have to drill a hole in the swinger to access it. Mine is greaseable, it's call me pulling the carrier out and greasing it, lol.

I agree that buying just the bearings is the best option IMO.. But the greaseable carriers arent a joke.. When adjusting your chain the zerk would move anyway so drilling a hole is pointless.. I have them in my Hondas and I just slip it out of the swinger, grease it, and reinstall.. I still have to replace them every year

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by chronicsmoke
I still have to replace them every year

my point exactly. you can't use the zerk unless you remove the carrier and when i remove my carrier i'm replacing bearings 90% of the time anyway.

[chronicsmoke]

That's fine for you but if I didnt grease mine every few weeks I'd be replacing them 2-3 times a year

[2001400exrida]

you've got something wrong if you have to grease your axle bearings every few weeks, there shouldn't be water or anything going in there so the grease should be effective much longer than a few weeks. Even when you put grease in your grease zerk, you do realize that's not actually greasing the bearings. The bearings on almost all axle carriers are sealed, therefore you are only putting lube into the carrier, not getting them in the bearings. I ride every weekend, woods and all kinds of slop and I usually replace them every season regardless of what they look like, but lubing them every few weeks is overkill in my book, when i pulled my last ones out the sprocket side were still in great shape with lube in there, but the rotor side dust seal failed and my bearing started rusting, those were original axle bearings in an 05 that I've ridden for nearly 2 seasons now.

[chronicsmoke]

I'm not going to argue with you, if you dont ride competatively your equipment will last much longer.. I race and practice agressively, sliding wears out bearings.. If theres slight play they are toast.. I don't have something wrong, I'm anal about maintenance. (no homo)

Even if they are near perfect during the winter, they get changed before the spring..

[2001400exrida]

yeah that's fine if you want to lube them that often. My point is that they shouldn't require lube that much no matter what kind of riding you're doing. They can last much longer than a few weeks if installed properly. XC guys can get a whole season on them and that's about as nasty as it gets for axle bearings.

not arguing just letting the general public know that's a bit overkill, for any rider whether it be MX, XC, TT, FT.

[chronicsmoke]

Originally posted by 2001400exrida
not arguing just letting the general public know that's a bit overkill.

I agree, for a trail rider..

[2001400exrida]

yeah because XC racing is real smooth and easy on axle bearings, lol.

the bearing are sealed and thats the only thing that moves, the grease zerk just fills the middle of the carrier with grease where the spacer tube goes.
i have never put extra grease in the carrier and usually get a year or more out of the bearings. but i do however take the seals off the bearings and pack them with grease then put the seals back on. there is not much grease in the bearings from the factory.

as i mentioned no matter what kind of riding you do, lubing those things every few weeks is absolutely unnecessary. they are sealed bearings, that's what the dust seals are for. If you're claiming that the bearings go bad after a few weeks, again something is not being installed correctly. The grease zerk does not lube the bearings, the bearings have lube from the factory. and they are performance SEALED bearings, they do not require lube.

[Stickman400]

trail rider, not XC racer

[Jt2005trx440ex]

All Ballz Racings Bearing are pretty good. put some on one of the front wheels on the kfx400 and it seems to be holding out pretty good.


:blah: i just like clicking on the face XP

[chronicsmoke]

Originally posted by 2001400exrida
The grease zerk does not lube the bearings, the bearings have lube from the factory. and they are performance SEALED bearings, they do not require lube.

What if I have the inside seal removed? I don't repack with grease every 3 weeks, like every 2-3 months when I break it down to inspect stuf for wear. The grease keeps impurites out.. With all of your racing experience I assumed you'd do the same, Ryan.

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by chronicsmoke
That's fine for you but if I didnt grease mine every few weeks I'd be replacing them 2-3 times a year

i must have read this wrong then? you really gotta lay off the dope brah ;)

my point this entire thread has been that greasing them every 3 weeks is overkill, now you're renigging your original claim.

as for your race experience comment. I don't race MX, i've done 6 races in my entire life, 5 of those are XC, the other is FT, and i got my *** handed to me in the FT.

[chronicsmoke]

if you want to argue, PM someone who cares.. I'm done with this, Sorry OP..

Edit: Sorry i said few weeks, next time I'll calculate the days, hours and seconds between re-greasing, and write a tutorial on how to adjust stock shocks ;)

[2001400exrida]

easy killer, OP i apologize as well it got out of hand.

[powerbomb400]

I've had the carriers with the zerk fitting in the center. Mine now has a zerk fitting on the outside. As for the dust seal the first inner bearing you take both dust seals off. The bearing that goes on the outside of it you take the inner seal off and leave the outer seal. I grease mine ever couple of ride. Keeps the dust and water out. I use Armor Tech bearings or Koyo bearings. I believe they are better bearings than KML's.

[vegasjeep]

GReasing not needed as often when you ride in first gear.....

http://youtu.be/FZJQXZ0OYE4

[powerbomb400]

That was a good video. Liked the woods sections. Now add some mountains and that would be some kickin' riding.

[2001400exrida]

Originally posted by powerbomb400
That was a good video. Liked the woods sections. Now add some mountains and that would be some kickin' riding.


It's actually a vid that i posted, he is just trying to rub me the wrong way apparently. Anyway thanks for the video compliment, we were having fun! that's about the biggest riding area anywhere within 3 or 4 hours of me, i've got lots more helmet cam footage on my channel.

[powerbomb400]

We have friends that live in Indiana. They ride with us at Brimstone Recreation in Northern Tennessee.

[HondaRacing83]

Got them out. Just heated up one side with a torch for like 30 seconds and smacked it on a piece of wood and knocked it loose enough so i could get a punch in there and knocked it the rest of the way out then the middle piece fell out and took a punch and knocked the other one out. Carriers good. Puttin new ones in in a few so excited to ride again! Its been a week

[HondaRacing83]

just went down to my dealership and got a quadboss kit. has axle nearings, seals and o rings for $35 not too bad imho. got em chillin in the freezer now

[Otis.Leo]

make sure you put the spacer in the carrier before you put the bearings in.. once you get the new ones in... good luck getting them back in..

[HondaRacing83]

got them all in great, thanks for the help guys