Rear Wheel Bearings Replace or Reuse?

[SpidyJ]

I did  the double row mod about 5K miles ago.

I am putting on new tires but I first want to powder coat the wheels so the bearings have to come out.

Can I remove them carefully and use them again?

Trying to save some money but don't want to risk premature failure due to damage during removal.

 

[Ricky-D]

Then get new ones...

***

[Westsider]

Can I remove them carefully and use them again?


NO

[Tfrank59]

I did  the double row mod about 5K miles ago.

I am putting on new tires but I first want to powder coat the wheels so the bearings have to come out.

Can I remove them carefully and use them again?

Trying to save some money but don't want to risk premature failure due to damage during removal.

 

I went ahead and changed my bearings on both front and rear when I did the tires, just because the bike was 17+ years old, and because the wheel bearing kits were less than $20 apiece.  I used a heat gun to help get them out and the new ones in – Very easy to do, and worth the peace of mind.

[SpidyJ]

What's a good inexpensive source for the rear wheel parts, Bearings. O-rings etc.?

[Tfrank59]

What's a good inexpensive source for the rear wheel parts, Bearings. O-rings etc.?

I went with ebay stuff.  It wasn't NSK, which is what was OEM, but All Balls, which I'm sure is Chinese made.  Anyway, they should do the job for a few years

[Jess from VA]

You want Tier #1 quality bearings.  Any bearing house will know.  

OE Honda wheel bearings are Tier #1.  All-Balls are not

I believe the Honda wheel bearing part numbers are the same numbers for common bearings found many places (less any Honda letter(s) prefix). Four numbers.

I've lost a wheel bearing in the middle of nowhere (left rear of course).  It sucked. This is not a part to go cheap on.  

If you will beat them in with a hammer, disregard the above and get the cheapest ones you can find.

I think '97 valks may have different front bearings than other years.  

[Tfrank59]

You want Tier #1 quality bearings.  Any bearing house will know.  

OE Honda wheel bearings are Tier #1.  All-Balls are not

I believe the Honda wheel bearing part numbers are the same numbers for common bearings found many places (less any Honda letter(s) prefix). Four numbers.

I've lost a wheel bearing in the middle of nowhere (left rear of course).  It sucked. This is not a part to go cheap on.  

If you will beat them in with a hammer, disregard the above and get the cheapest ones you can find.

I think '97 valks may have different front bearings than other years.  

That's the voice of wisdom.  I'd go with the more quality bearings like he said.   I would add that buying a little insurance with towing is also wise, cause breaking down in the middle of nowhere sucks no matter what the cause!

[Bighead]

What's a good inexpensive source for the rear wheel parts, Bearings. O-rings etc.?

Why would one want inexpensive stuff as you call it? I have never understood this why not put the proper parts on and be done with it?
It is like putting lipstick on a pig , looks good to start with but when the lipstick wears off it is still a pig!

[Icelander]

While I agree that you should only use the best quality bearings, I also agree that finding the cheapest source of those bearings is not a bad idea.

To keep this post moving forward, where would you find these Tier 1 bearings? Besides Honda OEM, are there other Tier 1 bearing manufacturers that you would recommend?

I'm unclear as to where I would find a "good bearing shop" nearby. This kind of information would be helpful.

The research I have done so far leaves quite a bit to guesswork. The SKF numbers alone were enough to cause me to throw my hands up in the air and just buy the Honda parts. Probably spent more than I had to because I bought them out of frustration.

Thanks!

[Jess from VA]

I'm sorry.  I have no idea where you should have bought them, other than making local and/or on-line inquiries with the four digit bearing numbers (if I knew, I would have said so).

I think (but am not certain) the Honda OE prices are fairly close to what you would have paid for tier one anywhere, except if you found them locally, you would add sales tax and subtract shipping.

I got all mine from HDL years ago, the ones I needed, and the backups I still have.

My advice was the best I had.

[Icelander]

Thanks Jess.

I didn't intend to sound like I was scolding or upset. I was speaking out of frustration as my experience was not great and generated significant doubt.

If I offended, I apologize.

Icelander

[Jess from VA]

We're good.   

[Tfrank59]

While I agree that you should only use the best quality bearings, I also agree that finding the cheapest source of those bearings is not a bad idea.

To keep this post moving forward, where would you find these Tier 1 bearings? Besides Honda OEM, are there other Tier 1 bearing manufacturers that you would recommend?

I'm unclear as to where I would find a "good bearing shop" nearby. This kind of information would be helpful.

The research I have done so far leaves quite a bit to guesswork. The SKF numbers alone were enough to cause me to throw my hands up in the air and just buy the Honda parts. Probably spent more than I had to because I bought them out of frustration.

Thanks!

Out of curiosity do you mind posting what you paid?  And did you also purchase the seals from Honda? Like I said, the sets that I bought on eBay were complete, and they were correct, and included the seals.  But if I keep the bike for more than a couple of years I might want to redo the bearings again – maybe even my at my next set of tires.

[Tfrank59]

What's a good inexpensive source for the rear wheel parts, Bearings. O-rings etc.?

For the O-rings I went with the Redeye ones which are also on eBay.  They're supposed to be better than OEM, and won't split in two during assembly.

[SpidyJ]

I bought 2 double row sealed  IKS bearings for $43 with shipping and tax.
 
Oink oink!

[72cutlassdude]

Icelander,

I would suggest Motion Industries or Applied Industrial for the name brand bearings and seals i.e. NSK, Timken, SKF, CR, ect. They have locations all around the country including several in the state of Washington. I have been using both of them for more than 20 years. www.motionindustries.com, www.apliedindustrial.com

[Rio Wil]

You want Tier #1 quality bearings.  Any bearing house will know.  

OE Honda wheel bearings are Tier #1.  All-Balls are not

I believe the Honda wheel bearing part numbers are the same numbers for common bearings found many places (less any Honda letter(s) prefix). Four numbers.

I've lost a wheel bearing in the middle of nowhere (left rear of course).  It sucked. This is not a part to go cheap on.  

If you will beat them in with a hammer, disregard the above and get the cheapest ones you can find.

I think '97 valks may have different front bearings than other years.  

I am not quite sure of your use of the tier #1 reference....are you defining the grade/class of the bearing or to the quality of the supplier?  A class/grade/tier 1 bearing has the least level of precision of the "class" of "precision ball bearings".  Bearing grades of 3-5-7 and 9 have increasingly greater levels of precision but are not necessarily suited for wheel bearing use.....just curious..

[Jess from VA]

Will, I am no expert and only reported what I have read multiple times on this and other bike forums.

I was led to believe Tier 1 was the best/top quality bearing, and nothing to do with any seller/mfgr. 

[SpidyJ]

Tier 1 simply means a direct supplier to the end user like Honda , HD......etc.

High quality is therefore implied.

[mello dude]

Could someone post a link to the double row bearing mod for the rear wheel?

thxz

[Tfrank59]

I bought 2 double row sealed  IKS bearings for $43 with shipping and tax.
 
Oink oink!

Okay, thanks for posting this.

[PhredValk]

I bought the 'Five of each' O-ring kit from Carolina bike and tride page.

http://www.carolinabikeandtrike.com/ORings.htm

Double row bearing mod:
http://jmpdirect01.com/ctrd/click/newjump1.do?affiliate=66385&subid=9300_1009_ca&terms=valkyrieriders.com%20shoptalk&ai=55MciYDSRoCL7EnpVM6XmLTUUeaFgOOMoc2-seT_lzbmwiAHbEanel-KUG0J-3WfK1s9lc0VdLJVIX04G4N-GljnPPV6obbE7dp3HALb-b9Ur_SJX4wi21EZre1Fok1fPXKLt1zUciYkkHi_umm5K6eWVj048PiBxgRuXrMHsqI6qqWgDd5Jd-NZ-7HQr9LkeXa7Xgfi4oYk0BvFgm0jZ5d5VajntWccZiTExHcIXDd2eS9SMU9I4N_lCJuvFuKQ_CJPaUgBscS7nSbmzqV2dOsdv8f2HflW84eUmXvkI9qXPH3DguTcjbeeql0XQqqylqBeuJyuNc2lxeKUwgrdqvT5dcScABQMapa5Pp3WQczYqXPfLG6MHHTGCr7N9LpBK9hP3n_WQKBvAWQ34ekhjd_j_XMopbho&version=1.2

[Tfrank59]

"...the country of origin makes no difference in 2015." 

It's interesting you say this, as a person making use of the global supply chain, because I teach manufacturing and that's been my understanding for sometime now.  I have to say though, I still wonder about stuff from India.

[Rio Wil]

Will, I am no expert and only reported what I have read multiple times on this and other bike forums.

I was led to believe Tier 1 was the best/top quality bearing, and nothing to do with any seller/mfgr.  

As Spidy indicated, the tier 1 reference is usually in relationship to a mfg and his supplier. One would assume a mfg would require quality parts from his supplier, ie, made to his specifications for the application at hand. Note....there is no such rating as high quality or low quality....it either meets the specs/expectations defined by the mfg or it doesn't.  Whoever is using the parts (bearing) can choose to use a bearing from a standard set of a class of bearings called "precision ball bearings). PBB's are defined in grades/classes of C1-3-5-7-9, with 1 being the loosest tolerance. The C1 and sometimes C3 bearings are generally used as wheel bearings and the C7-9 bearings used in extremely high rpm devices.
 
If one uses a C3-5-7 bearing as a wheel bearing there are a couple of issues.....the axle spacer that sets the inner bearing race distance needs to be tighter tolerance and the outer bearing race seats must be machined to a closer tolerance.  If not, the tolerances will likely cause the more precise bearing to run with the inner race/balls/outer race not aligned in the same plane and cause premature bearing failure..... and  not to mention increased mfg costs  

Besides the tolerances the races/balls are ground to, the other consideration is reliability determined by  the metal alloys those parts are made from.  It seems that Russian aluminum is very good now, Japanese and Chinese steel is good.....what the heck. we built half of the San Francisco Bay Bridge with Chinese steel as well as the super sized dock cranes in the Port of Oakland..... go figure!!

[Jess from VA]

OK, I am corrected.   

I'm still not buying Chinese, if I can help it.

[Tfrank59]

OK, I am corrected.   

I'm still not buying Chinese, if I can help it.

Well I think the point is you probably can't help it.   At some point a component or process for almost everything we use (especially complex items like vehicles) comes from or happens offshore. (And yes that also goes for Harleys, Indians, Victory, etc.)  And even though my 98 tourer says made in USA all over it, I know that many of its components came not only from Japan but probably further up the supply-chain, possibly even China, even back in 1998 when it was built.   I know for a fact my 2010 KTM, basically the Lamborghini of dirt bikes, had components built all over Europe, Asia, even South America -- the only thing I didn't see anywhere on there was made in USA! 

[Rio Wil]

OK, I am corrected.   

I'm still not buying Chinese, if I can help it.

That was not the intent....my apologies. Its just that things get propagated around on this board and soon becomes a reality..... .  There is one fellow that has replaced rear bearings 4-5 times and can't figure out his problem.....wonder it it is hi quality precision bearings....  

I just hate buying anything Chinese too.....but in maybe another 50 years there wont be any need to define boundaries such as country borders.....the planet will be the United States of the World and all existing countries will enjoy statehood and decent government.....

[Jess from VA]

but in maybe another 50 years there wont be any need to define boundaries such as country borders.....the planet will be the United States of the World and all existing countries will enjoy statehood and decent government... ..

Well, I'll be gone in far less than 50.  And I'm old fashioned and have no faith at all in a benign one-world philosophy.  For now, I think the Chinese people are probably good folks, but their G still hates our guts and holds most of our debt.  And some of our own top leadership won't be happy until we are all as well off the avg Chinese laborer.  So it goes. 

[Ricky-D]

Regarding Rio Wil's post discussing the quality of bearings versus the inner spacer and the race lands

in the wheel, one thing ought to stand out loud and clear.

Do not mess with, or change out the wheel bearings if they are not indicating the need to do so.

They are not a maintenance item, and require nothing. Naturally, if the are bad; change them out.

You gain nothing from the double row modification and risk having to redo the modification over again

because the modification removes one layer of protection for the bearing.

***