Short days riding

[Dr Green]

I left early this morning to go to the car boot sale in Exeter, then was going for a ride around dartmoor. Lovely and sunny today too!
As soon as I left the dual carriageway and braked for the first time... clonk clonk clonk noise from somewhere!
Pulled in, put on centrestand, checked rear brake - no probs. Checked rear wheel bearings - definately the cause.
The play was not too major, so made it to the car boot sale, then limped the 12 miles home at 25/30mph. Good job they didn't go last weekend as I was at lands end!
No real sign of them going apart from the noises this morning.
Back safely but no riding the AT for me today now
Just about to go and drive out the knackered bearings ready for some new ones.
Then out with the DR350!

[Lumiya]

When you take them out have a look and see what's caused the failure....

If it's just standard wear and tear then yes it is hard to read the signs as it just gets a bit looser every time you ride and without putting the bike on the centre stand every week and wiggling the back tire it's hard to judge.

You might find though that one or two of the bearings themselves (the balls and not the housings) have shattered, this would have given you no warning.

Kymmy

PS...Moved to bike Tech

[doglegdon]

When were yours last changed? I did all mine except the swing arm set last year, after 35k kms, they were all in pretty reasonable shape. Decided to change them anyway, and repack with high temp, bearing grease.

[Dr Green]

Thanks for your input Kymmy and Doglegdon.
I am unsure if they have ever been changed (I'm not the first owner) and the mileage is 16,600 - probably the originals?!
When inspected, three of the ball bearings were mis-shaped and had flat areas on them, the inner race was cracked too.
I heated the wheel hub and then tried to remove the bearings as a whole unit, but no luck - all came out leaving the outer race in the hub!
Only one way to remove that - the welder!
All I need now is some new bearings!
I'll replace the two wheel bearings and the sprocket carrier one too.
I have also removed the shock absorber for a clean and the swingarm to re-grease the linkage bearings.

[Darkenbad]

I've got a set of rear wheel bearings for a 2001 @, yours for the postage.


PK

[Darkenbad]

I've got a set of rear wheel bearings for a 2001 @, yours for the postage.


PK

Forget postage, bung the site a couple of quid, PM your address, not sure I have retained it from our last transaction.

PK

[Dr Green]

I've got a set of rear wheel bearings for a 2001 @, yours for the postage.


PK

Top man Darkenbad,

If you can PM me the details, that would be a proper job!

[Dr Green]

Forget postage, bung the site a couple of quid, PM your address, not sure I have retained it from our last transaction.

PK

£10 donated to site.

I'll PM you my address.

[Darkenbad]

Top man Darkenbad,

If you can PM me the details, that would be a proper job!

The bearings are SKF 6303-2RSH and 6203-2RSH (ones bigger than the other), they were recommended as better than stock items, I fitted SKF to my front wheel with no probs. I'll put them in the post tomorrow.


PK

[Dr Green]

Bearings received - cheers Darkenbad