| Author | Message | ||
     Lgpch |
I took my M2 wheels in to get polished and the guy told me I would have to remove the bearings. So I had a long punch and a hammer handy and proceeded to knock em' out. Then I go to the knowledge vault (maybe should have done that first?) and see that maybe I should have used a bearing press. Is there a possibility that I may have messed up the rim? I don't remember seeing any damage but now I am a little worried. I am picking up the rims today and would be bummed to find out that I might have messed em' up. | ||
| Al_lighton |
There is a very good chance that you have messed up your rims. They need to come out as straight as possible. If they don't, the wheel aluminum material around the bearing outer race deforms and you no longer have an interference fit. At minimum, you've very likely cost one bearing change in the wheel, and you only get about 4 or 5 even if done right. Use a press to put them in, put the bearings in the freezer and the wheels in the sun prior to putting them in. No hammers, no sockets. The inner race should just be kissing the spacer tube on both sides when they are fully seated. Don't over press them. Al | ||
| Kahuna |
Al, I'm curious as to why you say: "The inner race should just be kissing the spacer tube on both sides when they are fully seated." - i just replaced my front bearing and the inner race on both sides is snug against the spacer tube. wouldn't torquing the axle nut cause undo pressure against the inner races if they weren't up againts the inner spacer? | ||
| Al_lighton |
Yes, But what I mean is that when you press the bearings in, they should JUST seat against that inner spacer. In a perfect world, the length of the inner spacer is EXACTLY the same as the distance between the seating faces of the outer races on each side of the wheel. But if tolerances make it not so, Continuing to press on the outer raced to seat the bearing when the inner race has touched the ring then subjects both the near and far inner rings to the press loads. Once it is touching, there is no need to press further. The preload of tightening the axle nut will clamp it firmly, which is exactly what you want. Al | ||
| Lornce |
Hey K, Al's advice is good. Perhaps a bit of a language limit being reached, "kissed" vs. "snug", but what he suggests is essentially sound. Maybe it all depends how you kiss?  "Over pressing" the bearings can put too much thrust preload between the inner and outer bearing races. As the bearing heats to operating temperature that thrust preload will only increase as the spacer and inner race pieces expand against the immovable outer races. *Could* lead to premature bearing wear or failure. We need to ride soon. Tomorrow or Sunday? best, Lawrence | ||
| Lgpch |
Thanks for the replies on this. I picked up the rims yesterday and they look really sweet. As far as the condition of the rims, maybe I got lucky but there does not seem to be any damage from my ape like bearing removal job. The shop that I am getting my tires from is going to reinstall the bearings so I should have the wheels together soon. The rims look NICE!!! |
