Wheel bearings

[reconstyle]

Any one ever swaped these without all the special tools the manual says you need?

How do you do it?

Or has anyone ever done a write up?

I think this is something that almost ALL bikers neglect, a buddy of mine with a gix came over last night, and his bearings are shot, sounds like grinding sand when you spin the rear wheel....

[Black_peter]

You can tap an old bearing out using a drift.
A drift is a tool made of soft material that will deform instead of damaging the parts. You send the drift through the opposite side and tap it out moving around the bearing after each tap. You want to be sure it move out evenly, if it gets cocked at an angle is can jam in there but good. Possibly damaging the wheel.

You can drive them in the same way or use a piece of threaded rod with nuts and washers to drive it in. This will drive it in pretty evenly, lubing it and the wheel up is a good plan too. I have driven a lot of bearings in my day. I used arbor presses for years until working for a company that made paper mill equipment. Huge rollers weighing hundreds of pounds that spun at huge RPMs.. We hand drove every bearing. Never had one fail, seldom ever got one jammed.

[jgalar]

Special tools???

I guess I should have looked at the manual before replacing mine, because I didn't use any special tools.

What special tools are supposed to be needed?

A punch/drift to remove and a socket or the old bearing to install.

[md86]

http://www.dansmc.com/wheelbearing.htm