how to lube the rear axle baring???

[400exBro]

My friend just blew $700 on getting a new baring, carrier, and his axle machined, because, it failed on him while he was riding. He has 99 or 00 400ex and the cahin adjuster broke as well.
I was wondering is there a way to lube it so it doesn't fail on me as well. I ride mx and some trails and a lot of sand so it will wear a lot faster than noraml??
thanks a lot for your help
400exBro




Also should i lube the cam shaft chain so it doesn't reck prematuraly and make my engine worth crap?? And how should i do so? I am running Kendall full synthetic oil right now, 5w-40
thanks

[400exdad]

The bearings are going to fail, its just a matter of time. They are sealed and cannot be greased either. You can remove the outer seals and the bearing race seal as well to shove in some grease, but you can't replace the race seal once you have done this. Basically the bearing is very susceptable to moisture and trash then. When you replace the bearings there are ways to drill the carrrier, install a zerx fitting and get some grease to the bearings, but you have to remove the inner race seal and take a chance of blowing the outer race seals everytime you pump in the grease. I did this to my 300.

The best thing to do is check your bearings everytime you clean it good. Jack it up and check for play. You should be able to catch it before the bearings have a chance to seize, however, freak things do happen. It just happened to a friend of mine with new bearings!

[400exBro]

thanks 400exdad,
I read that, you should buy a aftermarket carrier and go to a over sized baring(i think 4) and they will last longer, is this true?
Also what company makes good aftermarket axle baring carriers, i know lonestar makes some, but who else makes them as well.
thanks
400exBro

Also what type of baring is it, ball baring, typered, ect.

[400exdad]

So far, I haven't bought an aftermarket bearing carrier. I really don't ride that hard, however, I am pretty heavy and I do RIDE. I like to go pretty fast in the woods and take some jumps. :macho
There are double row bearings which have 4 bearings in the rear and there are the, oh heck, can't think of it.. the bearings are like a car, conical in shape and you tighten everything up and leave some clearance. (Tapered! Just went back and reread your post) A bunch of my friends have replaced their carriers and some haven't. Too be honest, I don't see the reliablilty improve with the aftermarket stuff. Maybe some mx'rs here will report differently. Personally, if I ever change, it won't be to a tapered. I would rather tighten everything up against each other with races.

[Leo]

routine inspection of the bearings will save a considerable amount of $$ down the road.. the number 1 reason folks switch to aftermarket carriers is they let there bearings go to long and wiped out the stock carrier :D

when changing rear bearings always make sure to change the spacer tube at the same time.

Leo

[400exBro]

thanks a lot guys
later
400exBro

[Live2Ride300]

How do you install the grease zerk on the carrier?

hey dude me and my brother had the same problem but we caught it just in time. we drilled a hole somewhere on the rear axle carrier (trying to git it centered to look good ) and tapped the hole to put an "allimite"(something like that) in the hole so right before we go riding just pump it full of grease. we ride in a creek a lot during the summer so we have to fight sand and water and mud this helped a lot .
BECAREFUL NOT TO STRIP THE "ALLIMITE"!!!!!!!!!! IF U DO U JUST SCREWED UP AND NOW U HAVE TO FIND A LARGER ONE !!!
hope this helped out some

[Live2Ride300]

nonnie45acp-

do you have any pictures? do you have to drill a hole through the swingarm for the allimite or grease zerk?

[moto93]

Originally posted by 400exdad
They are sealed and cannot be greased either. You can remove the outer seals and the bearing race seal as well to shove in some grease, but you can't replace the race seal once you have done this.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. You can remove the race seals, re-grease the bearings, and replace the seals as long as you're careful not to bend them up too much. I just did it to mine and my dad has been doing it on his smowmobile suspension bearings for years. It's a good idea to get new outer seals though as you usually ruin them taking them out.

[Live2Ride300]

Where can you buy the parts needed to install a grease zerk ??

[Scott]

If you take the rear axle apart one time, you'll see that the method described above for putting a zerk in the center won't work. Not bashing, just let me explain.

Problem #1 The carrier is a tube that rides inside the swingarm. If you put a zerk on the swingarm, you'll only get grease between the carrier and swingarm.

Problem #2 the bearings are INSIDE the carrier, so the grease you pumped in isn't anywhere near them.

Problem #3 Like the guys have already said, the bearings are SEALED BEARINGS, so just pumping grease inside the carrier doesn't grease the bearings. You would have to take the inner bearing seal off the bearing race.

Problem #4 If you did drill through both the swingarm and carrier, install a zerk, and remove the inner race seal so you could grease the bearings, congratulations. Now you can no longer adjust your chain.

As for replacing the bearings and carrier, I think the tapered bearings are the way to go. The standard bearings can't handle any side loading, like when you slide the back end of the quad. Tapered bearings can. They've worked fine as wheel bearings on cars/trucks for decades. They will still fail without proper maintenance, but I think it's a better design for the axle bearing.

[Live2Ride300]

I know all about axles and everything, Ive replaced axle bearings twice on quads, I was just confused about the grease zerk, thing, thanks for the explanation:D

[Scott]

The aftermarket carriers I've seen with zerks had them mounted (tapped) on the chain adjuster with the hole drilled down and then in so that the grease could get inside the carrier. The drilled hole made like an L shape inside the adjuster/carrier. Guess they must cast them that way because I don't see how a guy could drill it like that.

[Live2Ride300]

Oh ok, ya ive seen that too, thats cool , thanx

[JB's 400ex]

Definately preventative maintenance is the way to go. About a year ago I cracked and broke the bearing carrier on my 250. I put in a lonestar. No problems so far but you should check for play on a regular basis. If there is play it is time to replace or atleast get in their and grease.