bearings

[santa]

I will be changing my rear tire in a couple of months. I have 79,600 miles on the bike should I just change the bearing because of the miles or wait? I already have the bearing on hand. The bike is a 2003 model and I have had it since new.

Santa

[PAVALKER]

You can check it when you pull the wheel and see what it all looks and feels like.   Some will say "Don't muck with the band while it's playing" and others will say "Change it while you have the wheel pulled off -it's time to go out".    You could very well have problems after you install the wheel bearings, or even if you don't.   I might lean towards changing it while you have it off.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

If it was me I'ld change it for peace of mind. You have to follow your own opinion.Others will say if it an't broke don't fix it. I myself would rather change it at home then on the side of the road or in a strange town with no tools or jack.

[Hook#3287]

I’m thinking "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"   My rears have 109k and I changed the fronts at 108k
because I thought they were bad and weren't.   Didn't think I'd tell this story cause it made me feel kinda dumb , but it's funny now.

A couple years ago I purchased a new front tire online.  It didn't show for a week or so, so I contacted the retailer and they couldn't tell me what happened and put another in transit.  Well, one showed up and then two days later, another.  I thought "I'll keep it cause I'll need it soon enough" and put it in my garage. 

It got moved around for a year or so, till I went to put it on this December.  I checked it out a little before I put it on.  Some mice had eaten some of the label and taken a few bites out of sidewall ridge were it meets the tread, no big deal.

I install all my own tires and it's not any easier now, then when I did my first, but I'm to "Frugal" to pay a stealer $50.00 for a 10 min job, even if it takes me an hour (or 2).

I got it all done and was balancing it when I heard this low rumble noise coming from the wheel.  I spun it forward and backward and still could hear the same rumble. 

I had checked the bearings and did again. They seemed fine, but after 100k, I figured it was time to swap em out and I’ve had a set for years, sitting on the shelf.

Off with the rotors so I wouldn’t mess them up, knock out one bearing, (and all the other stuff), knock out the other, install the new ones, put the rotors back on, put the axle back in, start the balancing again.   Spin the wheel and listen to the same low rumble.  WTF??

So I start spinning very slowly and nothing.  I spin fast and nothing.  I only hear it when I spin just fast enough so that something in the tire, will bounce down the tire.   That’s when I remember losing, and looking for, a tire valve cap when I was installing the tire to the rim.  Son Of A B!+@#!!!   I can’t believe I was that dumb.  Not to check in the tire, dummy!

I thought of leaving it there, but knew it would eat on me.

Break the bead down, try to get my fingers around the bead to grab the cap.  Nope!  C-clamp the back side so I could pull the tire up enough to look in side.  Still can’t see.  Grab the tire, shake it up over my head trying to get the cap to sit right so I can get my fingers in there and grab it.  No way!  Pull out the tire tools and pull the bead over the rim. 

Now I’m pissed at myself BIG TIME!  Not only did I replace good bearings but I had to break down the tire also.  Just as I’m thinking “How could I be so stupid to leave a cap in the stupid tire” I feel around inside the tire, grab the cap, pull it out and look at a small oak tree acorn in my hand.

GD MICE!!!!

[Tropic traveler]

Changed all the wheel bearings somewhere in the 75,000 mile range. No reason other than it was at a 2 tire change time & why not?
Most likely will do it again at the 120,000 mile mark {105,000 now} if I can keep the tires on the bike that long!! Damn flats. 

[B]

I would change them ... At the very least I'd change the small one.

[Chrisj CMA]

Checking the "feel" of the bearing with your finger is a very inconclusive test as bearings need to perform under load.  I think the best test other than riding the bike with no ill effects is this.  

Before you start removing the wheel, get it up on the jack and grab the wheel at the bottom, also grab hold of something solid on the bike and try to manually move the wheel laterally.....parallel with the axel.  The "movement" you are looking for is faint, subtile, you wont see it, rather you will feel it, it will be like a slight click each time you try to move the wheel laterally.  I detected that clicking "movement" and wrongly thought it was the swing arm (thats what the book said) so I rode it that way for a long time before it got worse, so this test detects early signs of failure IMHO.  Good luck, if it runs smooth, no lateral movement....wait till the next tire would be my advise, then evaluate again

[Willow]

Listening to when people have bearing failures (and my own experience) I'm convinced it has less to do with mileage than with installation, condition of the particular bearing, etc. 

If you pull a good bearing to replace it with another you have no guarantee that the one you'll put in will outlast what would've been the life of the one you pulled.

I replaced my first rear bearing at 95,000 and my second twenty thousand miles later.

Carry spares.  Check them when you change tires.  Replace them when they're suspect, never when they're good. 

[Mildew]

Listening to when people have bearing failures (and my own experience) I'm convinced it has less to do with mileage than with installation, condition of the particular bearing, etc. 

If you pull a good bearing to replace it with another you have no guarantee that the one you'll put in will outlast what would've been the life of the one you pulled.

I replaced my first rear bearing at 95,000 and my second twenty thousand miles later.

Carry spares.  Check them when you change tires.  Replace them when they're suspect, never when they're good. 

Sounds good to me. I read many post where bearings were replaced because of milage then replaced again because they went bad

[santa]

Thanks guys. I talked to the shop I use to change tires (I'm not that handy) he said it would cost $30. extra during the tire change. I guess I'll check and determin if needed. I just worry. I have 79,600 miles and the only thing I have had to do is change fluids, brakes, tires, lights, am I just that lucky?? I will be taking a long trip this summer starting with Inzane, Sturgis, Utah, Yellow Stone, Titons and if the money holds out I,ll take the long way back home I'm camping most of the way for the first time.
Santa