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Rear wheel bearings - 09 XB9SX

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lancruza

lancruza

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 19, 2009
Messages
528
Location
King, NC
So I took off my rear wheel in order to put on a new tire. I used my No Mar changer that I just picked up and it worked great. After mounting the tire I needed to balance the wheel. I begin to look and feel of the bearings and they seem extremely tight and stiff. I can barely turn them with my fingers. I'm guessing it's time to put in a couple of bearings also. Any recommendations on brand...OEM or aftermarket? Any tips on removing these? With only 7700 miles, should these bearings be bad? Is this normal wear pattern for XB's?

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It's my understanding these don't last long. Don't forget to use a torque wrench when snugging the axle. Use american made bearings if you can.
 
Hey 'Cruza, Buell wheel bearings can go 50k or 5k and there's a million rumors to why that is.
If they are hard to turn by hand, but still smooth you should be OK. Personally I replace mine whenever I put on new tires. It seems extreme, but I've never had a bad bearing ruin a trip since!

outthere is right that proper axle torque and procedure are critical for bearing life.
Read the manual, but the cliffs are:
Front: 20ft/lbs, jounce the suspension, rotate the wheel, then 40/ft lbs.
Rear 25ft/lbs, rotate the wheel, back off 2 turns, then 50ft/lbs.

I have found that most axles are WAAAY over-torqued and could possibly even crush the bearing spacer. If the inner spacer is even slightly squished, the outer race could bottom in the wheel hub and make the roller bearings side loaded even at proper torque and will fail in a short time:upset: Continually:upset: until you replace the spacer. You can measure it with calipers, but the spacer is cheap.

I'm so jealous of the your No-Mar.:black_eyed:
 
All you need is here:

36896027965_8ca8aa172c_z.jpg
 
Memories! Desperate times called for desperate measures:)

Montana ain't much for service stations, but wow those guys at that shop were nice! They let me rummage around their 'toolbox' and get what I needed to build that all-thread-socket-washers bearing race press, because riding 100 miles on bearing races with no balls in them tends to weld crap together (and be very, very, frightening:eek:). Please don't ask about that hammer thing:black_eyed:
 
Some time the bearings can feel rough only cuz they are making contact with the inner tube spacer and not actually be the bearing , But when in doubt pound them out with a Hammer? they are cheap.
 
I guess it was. Right before the total eclipse. I thought it was after, BUT I would trust that you remember better than I do:black_eyed: 2 bearings/ 100 miles.... each.

Did I tell you the guy who did the XB suspension conversion to that M/2 had shaved down the inner bearing spacer slightly on purpose?? It sure explains the problem of killing new bearings. He bought that bike brand new, and still has it today!:eagerness:
Lots of good mods, 1250 kit, 6-speed, upgraded carb, I really like that bike:)
 
Hi Cooter,

I will never forget that eclipse experience--spooky--plus the great location with the ultimate frisbee girls and the guy from NM with all the booze and goodies.

I remember that Mountain girl that hung out with us--I would like to get back out there next summer and run that road out up into WY.

I get most of the work on the Uly here in my town. The owner is cool but frank--he says hey, I make money by changing out parts and your wheel bearings (3 bearing rear) are fine--that is after two tire change outs.

So keeping my fingers crossed--I guess it all depends on who sets up the wheel after a tire change.

Opto
 
What a great ride:cool:
It's nice to have an honest mechanic you can trust like that. Sadly they are getting more rare. Keep him happy!

The bearing thing with Buells is completely and weirdly unpredictable. Some last 5K... others 50k, so of course theres 1000 theories as to why... brands, torque, grease, whatever.
I stick to a well known brand with factory torque settings and dismiss the wives tales.

To replace them every tire change may be over-kill, but I consider it trip-insurance. I don't always have a willing compatriot (like you:angel:) to ride 100 miles to a Napa for me:angel: The minor cost is worth every penny if you ride like we do:applause:

I found I was missing a tooth on the belt while camping at the Grand Canyon! Meh, rode it home to LA. I broke a clutch cable in Laughlin, and rode that home too. But a bad bearing will stop you in your tracks:(
 
Next time give me a call--I have a spare belt and a clutch cable, could have over nighted it to you. I have had that broken clutch cable experience --OK once you get rolling but stop lights really suck. For advanced riders only :) .

When I got my new 3 bearing wheel couldn't help but notice the "made in China" on the casting. The wiring harness says Hecho in MX--My made in America ULY!

Just some recall but the oddest ever was encountering another ULY rider in FT Bragg, CA. He had to show me a special jack he carried around just in case he ever tipped the bike over. I thought that was what adrenaline was for!

We will cross paths this year--it is time.

Opto
 
Opto: For sure man, I'm ready for another long trip this spring:)

34:19, Ya... thats what I said to him, when the second new set failed. Maybe he mixed up that they are ball bearings that get very angry with side loads, and not tapered roller bearings? Dunno, he's a very smart guy, maybe just out-thunk this one. Happens to us all:black_eyed:

That said, I do have a pet project to add tapered wheel bearings to a Buell wheel, the bearing part would be easy, but the differences in pre-load/ rigidity in the suspension are hard to calculate (for me). I have to make sure the swing arm, and especially the front forks, don't lose any of the rigidity that the 40-50 ft/lbs of axle torque on roller ball bearings provide.
 
You would probably need to devise some sort of crush sleeve. Or use an angular contact bearing??

It’s probably best to just move to 3 bearing rear wheels.
 
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