Wheel Bearing Replacement

I've searched the archives & read my Clymer & Haynes, & I've thought of a few different ways to put this, but it all comes down to this:

How the $%^$ do I get the #$%%#@@#$, ^&**&%$$##@! bearings out of the ^$#@#@$@ wheels?

Sorry, but you get the idea... Front wheel, KZ400 D3 w/ disc. I've removed the oil seals, the speedo gear, & the circlip. The manuals say I should use a long drift to tap the bearings out, but I can't get any purchase on the bearings from the opposite side. Am I missing something here? Can I tap the bearing on one side to drive the other out? Would using a real drift instead of a screwdriver help?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
-Kit

you will probably have to put the rod through there at an angle to catch the inside edge of the oppisite bearing.ive got the rear hub that goes with the parts i sent you .ill see if bearings are any good let me know if you need the bearings . goodluck,happy wrenchin!

I don't know if this applies to your specific situation, but some wheels have a spacer between the bearings with a collar on one end of it. That collar makes it easier to 'tilt' the spacer more when going in from the left instead of the right side of the wheel (or vice versa). The more the spacer tilts the more bearing you'll have to get a purchase on. In other words... investigate whether the spacer tilts further on one end than the other, and then go from there. If the service manual suggests removing a specific bearing first, this could be the reason.

Good luck!

You'll need to use a good Punch or solid rod as well, not a screw driver. And a heavy hammer.
Avoid sratching the surface of the hubs, but don't worry about the bearings, they'll be toast once you get them out.

Post edited by: rstnick, at: 2006/03/31 09:43

Kit-

If you're skinny enough to avoid being trapped...

Stick your finger through the bearing center and see how much lip you can feel. There may be a spacer that you can push aside. It may be stuck with dried grease or rust. Your finger will tell you There will usually be enough clearance to get a slight purchase on the outer race. Try both left and right sides.

I use a piece of hard steel rod with the ends ground flat and 2lb hammer. Tap the bearing at 12 O'clock then 6 O'clock then 3, the 9. If you don't feel a little give, tap harder. Eventually it will give a little. Tap again and if no more give, tap the opposite clock position until it gives. Repeat until it comes out. Your taps should not have to be as hard once it's moving and even less as it starts to come out.

Whacking the hell out of it may get it stuck at an angle.

Before you put your new bearings in, clean things up. Also, feel them to make sure they are good.

DO NOT tap the inner race of your new bearings. Not even a little bit. If you do you'll be replacing them again real soon. I use a piece of pipe that's about the same dia as the outer race for installing. I get it starter by tapping around the clock on the outer race with a brass hammer and once it's flush use the pipe. Watch that the bearing axis stays in line with the wheel axis (don't let it tilt).

-Duck

Post edited by: Duck, at: 2006/03/31 10:00

Putting a long drift about half way through and a little force up or down a little should off set the hub bearing collar just enought that you can get at a bearing lip. It doesn't matter if you score or pressure the old bearing, as it's junk anyway. Small taps all around the bearing circumference so that it doesn't bind on the way out. Many have said before to freeze the new bearing and heat the hub for installation. All I did was grease the outer circumference of the bearing a bit, then tap (if that's what you call nailing it with a 4 pound hammer) the new bearing in with a heavy guage piece of copper tubing, which fit perfectly around the outer race of the bearing, so as not to stress the piece. I also took out the grease seals and repacked with good quality high pressure grease (moly).

Post edited by: gas, at: 2006/03/31 12:49

Removed rough "China" sealed bearings. Replaced with SKF. Smooth as can be.

Thanks, everybody! Moving the spacer side-to-side was what I needed! (The Liquid Wrench prolly didn't hurt. )

The old bearings, which were junk when I got this wheel, are out now. Time to replace 'em with some brand-new sealed bearings.

Speaking of which: thanks, Wireman, but bearings are one thing I don't need. I bought a whole new set of bearings for the 440, but didn't get a chance to put 'em in before it died.

Thanks,
-Kit

A couple tips for anyone else trying this:

"Hammer" does not mean "rubber mallet". :whistle:

The 32mm socket I bought to change the countershaft sprocket on the KZ440 fits on the outer race of the 6302 bearings almost perfectly.

Cheers,
-Kit