| Author | Message | ||
     Michael1 |
So Memorial Day weekend was supposed to be a nice ride. Close to 2000 miles planned, some camping and some beer drinking at night... Well, off on Friday, bike is loaded up with camping gear, meeting the wife at the camp ground. I ride out with a buddy on a 1200 GS. About 300 miles in to the ride... we both start hearing some clunking and squealing. I thought my brake pads were sticking... Nope... the pulley side bearing was trashed. Still had some grease, but the seal was ripped off. Made some calls, talked to some weird people...decided to drive 5 miles at slow speed to a HD dealer in Zanesville, OH. After getting there, trying to decide what to do... the owner of Fink's HD came by. Told us he'd fix me up in the morning. The closest Buell dealer was 50+ miles away. We asked to camp on his deck, he said yup... So a case of Natty Light, $12.00 an hour at the Fox Hole (classy place...), $25.00 then camping at a HD dealer... PRICELESS The best part, dealer takes the bike in at 8:30, then don't open until 9am. Can't lift the bike, so they strap the luggage racks and use a fork lift... SWEET set-up! They don't have a bearing that fits. I call about 50 different places that sell bearings and I find two. In a two 1.5 hours away. So I send my buddy to get them...the dealer gets them on...and bam.. I'm ready to ride again...this time with Chinese wheel bearings and spending over 24 hours in a HD dealer. IT WAS FUN. The sad part... I am leaving on Friday for a week at Deal's Gap. So I will be at my local dealer this morning, having them replace with some OEM bearings, a new spacers and possibly a new wheel. It was a great weekend... my brake pads took a shit as well...I finally wore out my D616... and this all happened in 5000 miles of riding dirt roads and street. I hope this was just a fluke! | ||
| Bake |
Great dealership! | ||
| Honu |
Not accusing, just curious, did you use high pressure to wash you bike, just trying to figure out why the OEM bearings are failing. I wonder if the Uly has different wheel bearings than the other XB'S??? | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
When you heading to Deal's? I will be down in that area next weekend. Love to hook up with you! Great dealer. I don't know why the bearings are failing. I think it may be a combination of things including pressure washing, wet riding, dirt, and spacer crush due to overtightening. It seems sporadic and without direct causal link. Glad your trip worked out and didn't end with a spun wheel, rotor, brake caliper, swing arm, etc. | ||
| Michael1 |
Never used a pressure washer... Only a hose (with no nozzle), soap and water... Sometimes I'll use S100, but that won't eat seals. I mean, I've ridden the bike the way it's supposed to be ridden. Street, dirt, water crossing, etc... My SV has seen more dirt roads and water crossings than my Uly and it's on the original wheel bearings with 45,000 miles on it. I think this was just a case of over tightening the axle from the factory. Or...maybe a rock ate the seal..but I doubt it. There is no other scratches around the area. The spacers is toast, the wheel, needs some work, but the brake is fine, the bearing never spun in the wheel. I caught it just right. I'll be in Deal's Gap from the 2nd to 10th. I'd love to hook up as well. After this fiasco, I think I need to treat myself to a Drummer (and Race ECM and K&N). | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Sweet! I was at Deal's Sunday and yesterday. I hope to be there again this weekend, probably Friday or Saturday. I'm trying to hook up with a ChadHargis for a trip to do Deals and Suches but work may pone him. We'll see. Sunday was rough. More apehangers than you could shake a stick at. Yesterday was more back to normal. The bearing thing is weird. They are hit or miss. | ||
| Roadrailer |
Curious, what spacer are you guys talking about? I took my rear off this weekend, and don't remember seeing a spacer. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The spacer is in the center of the wheel between the bearings. It's a steel tube. When the wheels are over tightened, the bearings crush this steel tube causing quick wear of the bearings, mushrooming of this steel tube, and spinning out of the wheel opening. Bad juju! | ||
| Roadrailer |
Gotcha. I did see that when I was inspecting the bearings. | ||
| Chadhargis |
The rear axle only requires about 50ft/lbs of torque, and it's a two stage torque spec. I think a lot of dealers are using an impact wrench on it. I went to take Fatty's rear wheel off, I had to pound the ratchet handle with a rubber mallet to break the axle free. Not a good thing. Someone overtightened it badly. | ||
| Roadrailer |
Mine required a cheater bar and a lot of force. It was WAY overtightened, and totally free of antiseize. I highly doubt the dealer will ever remove my wheels again. | ||
| Orangeulius |
Chad & Jeremy,I'm planning a ride for Saturday. If you end up at the gap then I'm sure we could talk Vern and George into going too. | ||
| Gearloose |
Ft Bastard if you have down to Suches then you have been to WolfGap and TWO. When I get back down there I'll PM ya and we could ride sometime.It's been 2 years and need to try the Uly out on Deals and Wolfpen,besides having some good food at TWO or Dahlonega.Do you know if Frank from TWO is still alive? G | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
C'mon Chad! Don't you feel a stomach bug coming on?  | ||
| Mike_dinger |
Guys, is there any preventative maintenance for avoiding fouled bearings and corroded axles? All this corrosion and wear is startin' to scare me a little. | ||
| Etennuly |
The axle is easy, whenever it is out, remove any of the oxidized gunge that has accumulated. Then liberally paint it with NeverSeze compound. That problem will be ended. The wheel bearings, closely inspect the bit of ooze that naturally comes out of it from running. It should be just a small amount of black grease that is noticeable at the edge of the bearing. If you don't wash your bike for a few hundred miles you should see some. If you can't see it wipe it with a white paper towel. You are looking for a little bit of black grease film. If there is ANY rust present, it will show up as brown or orange in your grease sample, replace the bearing. If the seal is cut, gouged, dented, or damaged replace the bearing. If you can feel looseness when turning the bearing with your fingers when the axle is out, replace the bearing. That is what I look for whenever I service mine. And as long as I'm bent over I just look it over when I check the air in the tires. I hope that helps. Gap Saturday......BIG MEBBY, I'll know more soon.gotta remember, don't flip off camera guys. Oh, and I will consider the bearing life used up when I ride 500 miles or so with no grease residue at all. I have 15,000 on it now and still have grease residue that shows after long rides. (Message edited by etennuly on May 30, 2007) | ||
| Chadhargis |
Fatty B and I will be staying in Helen, GA this weekend and riding to points unknown on Saturday and Sunday. All I know is we need to make our way to Maggie Valley to eat at the Salty Dog. I don't know why I like that place, but I do. Always seem to have some hotties working there.  | ||
| Hughlysses |
Chad, if you can tear yourself away from the babes for a while, be sure and check out the "Wheels Through Time" museum in Maggie Valley. They have some amazingly cool old iron. |
