Some wheel bearing installation questions...

[RCinNC]

As I rapidly close in on 100,000 miles, I've been considering a pre-emptive front wheel bearing replacement (the rear bearings were done a while back when one of them started to go bad).

There's a bearing spacer the goes inside the hub, positioned between the two bearings. Now, I always assumed that there were recesses in the hub that only allowed the bearings to be inserted to a finite depth, but maybe I'm wrong on that. If the hub does have a bearing recess that limits the depth that the bearing can be inserted, what's the purpose of the bearing spacer? Is it supposed to make contact with the inner bearing races, so the two wheel bearings spin as one unit?

Also, has anyone here ever changed a hub clutch bearing? Has anyone ever had one go bad?

 

[~TABASCO~]

The wheel bearing spacer. This is so all the lateral load is not introduced to the bearing race’s. I’ve run into an issue before where that internal spacer was slightly damaged because of a wheel bearing breaking. I checked the spacer length and it was just a hair under spec and replaced the bearing. Several thousand miles later the new bearing failed. Because the spacer was “short” and added lateral load into that new bearing and ruined it. So the length is critical. As far as the bearing(s) being seated. When someone installs them and you tighten the axle it will pull in a few thousands if it need to (obviously if someone left it not 100% seated)

Im not sure what the clutch hub bearing might be?

 

[RCinNC]

Sorry, I had my terminology reversed. It's a clutch hub, not a hub clutch. That's what Yamaha calls it, anyway. This is what I'm referring to:

So, when you're installing the bearings, you simply drive them in until they seat into the recess, in the same way a race for a headset bearing is installed? And the spacer is designed to make contact with the inner race of each bearing, with the proper amount of contact being dependent on both the bearings being totally seated, and the spacer being the exact right length? When everything is properly seated, you still should be able to move the spacer, right?

I'm probably going the long way around to ask my question, so in a nutshell: If I drive in one bearing until it totally stops, drop in the spacer, and then drive in the other bearing all the way til it stops, is that all there is to the operation?

 

[~TABASCO~]

Ive had no experience of those going bad..... I have changed them out a few times just for precautionary reasons on high mileage bikes...... They are much larger and back to back double bearings on that side... They should have installed that same size on the non drive... no one would probably ever have an issue.......

I always suggest that rear non drive as often as 40K miles.. It's about $20 bucks and worth just flipping in a new one....

 

[TenereGUY]

Sorry, I had my terminology reversed. It's a clutch hub, not a hub clutch. That's what Yamaha calls it, anyway. This is what I'm referring to:

So, when you're installing the bearings, you simply drive them in until they seat into the recess, in the same way a race for a headset bearing is installed? And the spacer is designed to make contact with the inner race of each bearing, with the proper amount of contact being dependent on both the bearings being totally seated, and the spacer being the exact right length? When everything is properly seated, you still should be able to move the spacer, right?

I'm probably going the long way around to ask my question, so in a nutshell: If I drive in one bearing until it totally stops, drop in the spacer, and then drive in the other bearing all the way til it stops, is that all there is to the operation?

That should only need replacing if the gear teeth are damaged/worn somehow (i.e. you drop it or pound on it for some reason) If it is cleaned every tire change and lubed I wouldn't think it would need changing out.

 

[Jlq1969]

And remember that you are tightening a steel screw, steel bearings, in an aluminum housing…..without the spacer between the bearings….you will probably need more torque (on the right bearings), until reaching the recommended torque….. with the spacer everything is attached (screw, washer, bearing, spacer, bearing, nut)…..so the tightening torque is only to keep everything in place…..and as Tabasco said, a worn spacer…caused the deterioration of the new bearing early