[FJReally]

how do you know when your wheel bearings are gone or going
its something i just don't know

do the wheels squeak alot or does the wheel feel
like its dragging all the time or what ?

[Magnets]

Put the bike on the mainstand and have someone weight the rear to lift the front. Try with the bars held steady check for side to side play in the wheel. also spin it, does it spin freely? If the wheel doesnt spin freely? If not it could also be binding brakes, has the bike been laying up?


Do same for rear wheel. Assuming by your user name you have an FJR, their rear brake pedal can get covered in road crud and need freeing up again, a simple degreasing spray will sort this.

[650Ginge]

As above you we feel some movement when the bars are held and u tug the wheel. Remove the caliper from the disc the rule out the brakes but the rear brake pedal does bind to its pivot.

I put new bearings on my FJR at 40k. Front was gone just did the rear too.

[CBR 46]

FJReally, on 11 January 2012 - 06:15 AM, said:

how do you know when your wheel bearings are gone or going
its something i just don't know

do the wheels squeak alot or does the wheel feel
like its dragging all the time or what ?

That's what it's like alright.

I'd follow Magnets' advice and for peace of mind whip the wheel off and have a look.

You'll find bearings cheaper to buy from a bearing place (there's one in Finglas in the industrial estate across from Joe Duffy's) than from Mr. YamHonSuzWasaki.

[cb1]

Can't tell if they're going, depends on quality, use, type, grime amungst other things.
You'll feel irregular movement if you hold the wheel at each side (say 3 and 9o'clock). Try twist the wheel left to right and up to down directions.
There might be play of say 3-6mm about the hub, unless bearings are smashed and you will see a definite buckle.
If you think bearings are done for, change immediatley and do not drive as you may cause more damage. Change bearings in pairs too!

[Borderlord]

Using a power washer up close and personal on yer wheel bearings will shorten their lives....................

[The Mex]

One of the earliest signs of bearings going into fail mode is (I've found) that the handling will become "noticably less sharp" than before...

Lift the wheel from the ground (easier with a centre stand) and rotate (direction not really important)
What you're looking for is "runout"
(In simple terms, "Runout" will give a visual impression that the wheel isn't exactly round, watch for a rise and fall)

The video here is of a car wheel runout but it's a good example.





A front wheel will have 2 bearings and always change as a set.
A rear wheel also has 2 bearings to be changed as a set but as the sprocket carrier also has a bearing in it, there are 3 to change at the back.
(Note: I am not sure of single side swingarm bearings having done none.)

Lesson 1 concludes....

This post has been edited by The Mex: 12 January 2012 - 12:08 PM

[FJReally]

CBR 46, on 11 January 2012 - 12:27 PM, said:

That's what it's like alright.

I'd follow Magnets' advice and for peace of mind whip the wheel off and have a look.

You'll find bearings cheaper to buy from a bearing place (there's one in Finglas in the industrial estate across from Joe Duffy's) than from Mr. YamHonSuzWasaki.

oh to be in ireland to eat real food and drink real beer
and listen to people speak emglish or say n all n anyways

would be even better to get wheel bearings
however, eh, no, i wish the recessions would end
and i could go home and drink barry's gold label

the list is endless

[fatso]

FJReally, on 11 January 2012 - 11:19 PM, said:

oh to be in ireland to eat real food and drink real beer
and listen to people speak emglish or say n all n anyways

would be even better to get wheel bearings
however, eh, no, i wish the recessions would end
and i could go home and drink barry's gold label

the list is endless

I can help with the "in allnanyways" bit, but not the rest Im sorry to say !

[FJReally]

thanks very much for the reply's lads
i didn't know what run out was
that youtube video, actually very good in fairness

and the lad who replaced his set at 40k on an fjr, that
makes me worry, i'm a tad over that

cheers anyway boyos

[The Mex]

FJReally, on 13 January 2012 - 05:02 PM, said:

thanks very much for the reply's lads
i didn't know what run out was
that youtube video, actually very good in fairness

and the lad who replaced his set at 40k on an fjr, that
makes me worry, i'm a tad over that

cheers anyway boyos

Well you can now check your own wheel bearings as professionally as anyone else.

I searched for the vid as a visual aid, not being sure my description would be easy to follow. When doing this myself, I would usually check the rim of the wheel from a sideview, any relevant runout is easy enough spot.

[jamesobrady]

FJReally, on 13 January 2012 - 05:02 PM, said:

thanks very much for the reply's lads
i didn't know what run out was
that youtube video, actually very good in fairness

and the lad who replaced his set at 40k on an fjr, that
makes me worry, i'm a tad over that

cheers anyway boyos

A set of wheel bearings will cost you about 20 bob per wheel from a bearing supplier. There is a very good online dublin-based bearing supplier, and can't for the life of me find the site. Will check my emails as I had correspondance with him...iirc he was almost 5eur per bearing cheaper than the place in Sligo that I use(d) all the time. And that was on a ten euro bearing !!!

You know your bearing has just gone when you get sudden pulsing through the brakes/bars on braking. You know it's severely fcuked when you get pulsing all the time through the bars. Then you sit and wait for the AA.

[IBF_Topcat]

jamesobrady, on 15 January 2012 - 03:50 PM, said:

A set of wheel bearings will cost you about 20 bob per wheel from a bearing supplier. There is a very good online dublin-based bearing supplier, and can't for the life of me find the site. Will check my emails as I had correspondance with him...iirc he was almost 5eur per bearing cheaper than the place in Sligo that I use(d) all the time. And that was on a ten euro bearing !!!

You know your bearing has just gone when you get sudden pulsing through the brakes/bars on braking. You know it's severely fcuked when you get pulsing all the time through the bars. Then you sit and wait for the AA.

call the guys or use online contact page at www.TS34.co.uk they'll post out all the bearings you'll need ;-) usually next day

This post has been edited by IBF_Topcat: 15 January 2012 - 07:29 PM

[The Mex]

This has become a good thread....

I now deem it a sticky as I don't think we've got a decent one on bearings...

.... Any info on best places to get bearings (especially online as per IBF Topcat's post) would be most welcome here.

Well done FJReally, I can't remember a poster with less than 50 posts creating a "Sticky" thread!

This post has been edited by The Mex: 15 January 2012 - 07:56 PM

[IBF_Topcat]

www.TS34.co.uk
www.TS34.co.uk yep,can do them for wheels,steering heads,crank etc, any bother give us a buzz or let me know here,..

There is also a v.good oil deal running at present See Here LINKLINK

[FJReally]

here, if there is a pulsing thru your bars when braking
does that not mean your ABS is working properly

would the bike not moving so fast on take off not be
a good sign that they have collapsed or totally fcuked

i've had a wiggle of the wheels and have nothing, had to
brief the girlfriend several times on "hold the handle bars steady will ya"

she found the horn, which gave her a shock
i had to get her out of the garage quick after that

[The Mex]

FJReally, on 16 January 2012 - 09:43 PM, said:

here, if there is a pulsing thru your bars when braking
does that not mean your ABS is working properly

... That would suggest a warped disc was the problem usually, unless you're grabbing a lot of brake and it's at the point of locking up a wheel.
(it shouldn't happen under light braking.)

FJReally, on 16 January 2012 - 09:43 PM, said:

would the bike not moving so fast on take off not be
a good sign that they have collapsed or totally fcuked

You'll generally hear noise from them if they've collapsed.
Also going around corners wouldn't be much fun.
Not sure what you mean about "the bike not moving so fast on take off" though, that could be caused by a few different issues and would need other questions to tackle finding the root cause.

FJReally, on 16 January 2012 - 09:43 PM, said:

i've had a wiggle of the wheels and have nothing, had to brief the girlfriend several times on "hold the handle bars steady will ya"

The method in the video is so much better and far more accurate than this....

The "Wriggle the wheels method" is geared towards "tapered roller bearings" and these days, should only be used to determine bearing wear on car trailers. It isn't safe to wait till bearings on a bike get bad enough to "feel" movement in them.

FJReally, on 16 January 2012 - 09:43 PM, said:

she found the horn, which gave her a shock i had to get her out of the garage quick after that

Electrical problem?

This post has been edited by The Mex: 17 January 2012 - 01:25 AM