When To Change Wheel Bearings?

Propstrike · Sep 17, 2013

I have an '08 STT with 25K on it. How do you know when to replace the rear wheel bearings? I check to see if they turn smoothly and don't feel loose when I change the tire every 3000mi or so. Is thst good enough or do they reach a certian point and fail suddenly?
Thanks.

user_deleted · Sep 17, 2013

propstrike: your 08 should have the updated rear bearing design if it is built after about august of 08. the lightnings like yours tend to be gentler on rear wheel bearings than the Ulysses. i think you did well to make it to the 25K mark on your originals if in fact they are the originals. and yes....when they fail it is sudden and NEVER in your garage or driveway. i'd replace with a quality set such as All Balls or SKF. do it for peace of mind if nothing else.

go cytocis · Sep 17, 2013

Lunatic is right. The rear bearing on my 919 went from running fine to catastrophic destruction within about 50 Km:

It happened 500 Km from home but luckily within limping distance of a snowmobile shop where the mechanic also knew something about bikes:

Gloomshadow · Sep 17, 2013

919... How do you like the 919 compared to the XB12S?

go cytocis · Sep 17, 2013

How do you like the 919 compared to the XB12S?

Interesting question to which the answer is the proverbial “apples & oranges”!

The 919 & XB12 are both naked sport bikes but that’s about the only thing the two have in common.

Although they share almost identical horsepower & weight specs, each is suited to a different end of the speed spectrum. The XB12 puts out ~20 ft/lb more than the 919 making it more satisfying at sub-130 km/h (~80mph) speeds, but that’s exactly where the 919 really starts pouring on the power. By the time you’re at the ¼ mile, the 919 has the XB12 beat by a full second, and it just keeps on pulling hard away from the XB12.

I traded my 919 for the XB12 precisely because I was looking for something slower after my 919 landed me in court and I realized that even in my early-40s, I was still not mature enough to ride it responsibly!

StarWolve · Sep 17, 2013

How do you tell if they have been replaced? I'm pulling the rear wheel on my '06 Uly this weekend, and would like to replace them if they're the older style.

go cytocis · Sep 17, 2013

How do you tell if they have been replaced?

I'd say it's a combination of knowing the bike's history, visual inspection, checking for noise & play when rotating the wheel by hand, and checking if the hubs feel warm after a ride.
Mileage alone isn't a great predictor. The 919 above had about 35,000 Km on it (~20,000 mi) when the bearing went, but I also owned a bike with ~90,000 Km (~55,000 mi) still running the original bearings.

When To Change Wheel Bearings?

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