| Author | Message | ||
     Hpjeep |
I'm curious about the percentage of Ulys with rear bearing failure. Has anybody ever compiled an approximate percentage of bikes with that type of failure? 5%, 20%, 40% or ??? I have a 2009 if that matters. Curious if I really need to order a 2010 rear wheel if we're looking at 3% of all Ulys being affected. | ||
| Lloydxt |
2009 XT Failure at 11,000 miles. Black seal type. | ||
| Motorbike |
2008 XT Failure at 7,300 miles. Red seal type. | ||
| Fordhotline |
I ran my 06 bearings up to 17,500 with no failure. I replaced with new bearings when changing out tire. Being proactive i guess. I am thinking about changing to the up dated wheel. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I bought my 2007 Uly with 10k miles, and they look like the original bearings. I am up to about 20k miles now, they are still fine. This is probably due to two factors... 1) I follow the manual to the letter when installing or removing the rear axle. 2) I have a new set of bearings and spacers on the shelf in the garage (and with me on long trips) just waiting to go in. If I didn't have a set ready, Murphy would have made me pay by now.  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
2008 Uly rears failed at around 14,000. ORANGE seal type. Water got in both sides. Sorry just realized that my 2008 bike came with orange seals.} (Message edited by natexlh1000 on February 29, 2012) | ||
| Motorbike |
I should mention that when mine failed, the wheel had never been off the bike at all. If it was over-torqued, the elves did it. I too follow the shop manual to the letter when working on my bike. I will never claim to know more than the engineers that designed it in the first place. Thanks. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
My 2006 made it 16,500 miles on the stock bearings with no issues but because of all the folks on here with issues I proactively replaced the bearings and spacer then. Been 1000 miles since and there has been no issues. That said, it seems a large % of badweb uly owners who have had their rigs for a while have had the issue. Buell actively changing the design would imply they had a bunch of warranty issues as bike's racked up miles and got older. There is definitely a problem with the design, as acknowledged by Buell's redesign. Enough of a percentage for a recall? Well apparently that didn't make financial sense so no. But enough for people to raise a stink and for the wheel to be redesigned. Yes. All in all be conscious of it but don't know if the 2010 wheel is a must (I would say it isn't but you might). (Message edited by terrible1one3 on February 28, 2012) | ||
| Ratbuell |
I put black seal bearings in my 06 at 5k miles as preventative maintenance. Right around 24k now, no issues. Ride in rain, ride in mud, ride in heat, ride in cold, never wash it, running great. I wouldn't (and haven't) hesitated to hop on it and ride it from MD to FL and back. Because of my propensity for doing dumb stuff like that, I do have a '10 wheel standing by. Its tire-time here soon, I'll check the bearings and determine if I swap now...or wait a while. | ||
| Etennuly |
My factory red seal rear bearings went at 23,000 on my '06. Hub had about 4 oz of water in it. Put in replacement red seal bearings just before black seals were available. I filled the entire rear hub with marine bearing grease. The bike is now at 57,000+ with no signs of rear bearings giving up. | ||
| Motorbike |
I filled the entire rear hub with marine bearing grease. With that much grease in there, you probably don't even need bearings? | ||
| Prowler |
I did the TREADMARKS "drill a couple 1/8" holes in the rear hub" to eliminate the condensing/accumulating water in the rear hub. Also when changing out the rear tire, torqued the rear axle to reasonable (by feel) tightness. In other words, snug enough to provide clamp load on rear hub assy (all the spacers/bearings) so they won't turn... and that's it. (Message edited by prowler on February 28, 2012) | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Isn't that the function of the spacers Prowler? I would be afraid that "reasonable tightness" would equate to at speed and under load too loose and damage the bearings/wheels even worse. | ||
| Debueller |
My '06 had a catastrophic failure 600 miles from home that took out the wheel, swingarm, and axle. I keep a close eye on those bearings. Water is a bearing's closest enemy. It was right after this photo was taken:  | ||
| Xbimmer |
2006,50K on original red NTN's. Replaced because the seals were getting hard, with KBC blacks. 30K on those now. No power washing on the wheels, ridden in all weather conditions, regreased at tire changes, and Treadmarks' weep holes:  | ||
| Mnrider |
I changed my bearings at 10k and did Treadmarks drain holes. I had no problems or water in my hub. 14k now and will check them again when I put a new tire on this spring. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
2009 XT with Black seal bearings. 1 blew at 22k miles. | ||
| Pdento |
2008 xt with 12,000 miles on the original bearings . Any one know what the replacement bearings are . So that I can get some as spares . | ||
| Barocky |
2008 xt 13,000 originals failed warped wheel hub. | ||
| Vwone |
2008 XB12XT, Just replaced at 15,000 miles the red seals for black seals. No sign of failure but they were no where near as smooth as the new ones. | ||
| Motorfish |
`06, red seals, failed around 13,000 miles. The hub was loaded with water. I smeared never-sieze on the outside of them, to try to keep water out. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
americansportbike.com | ||
| 7873jake |
Xbimmer, what size is that weep port? (didn't want to ask how big your hole was...seemed inappropriate) | ||
| Xbimmer |
Yeah thanks for that, does sound creepy... The pic is Treadmarks's original posted pic way back. I drilled one back then on the pulley side, when I switched out the first set of bearings IIRC. Couldn't get to the same position on the rotor side at the time w/o removing the rotor. The original right side bearing was fine at 50K, but the left side had rust on the race surfaces inside the hub, and there was moisture if not outright water in the hub. Good quality grease in there at tire changes kept them alive IMO. I drilled the left hub side recently when I changed out the wasted rotor, 1/8" as on the right. The position is important as shown in Treadmarks' pic, with the bearings removed you can see that within the hub that would be the lowest point in there, which is where centrifugal force would force any water to migrate . At least that's how I think it works. When I get to 100K and change out the black KBC's I'll check in with what I find. Probably no water, I'm expecting. | ||
| Etennuly |
If only one bearing was bad would that count as a 50% failure? My left side failed as it was rusted from the water in the hub resting on that side when ever the bike was parked on it's side stand. I guarantee there will be no water intrusion into my rear hub this time. I was going to drill two weap/breather/drain holes as done in the pictures above. I decided to set it up the way I did my former Honda ATC three wheeler's rear axle bearing supports. After I drilled, and tapped it for a grease gun fitting, I pumped it full of grease and never had a bearing failure again where it was not unusual to have to replace the bearings once a month or so due to water/mud/extreme abuse. | ||
| Uly_man |
My 06 bikes rears were changed on the 5k service and was 18 months old. The fronts were ok to 13k. My 2010 bikes fronts were changed on the 5k service. Both orange seal OEMs. It depends on whats meant by "failed". It should be as soon as they start to wear but the bearing could go on for a long time and you may not notice it. Unlike the front hub the rear is solid. The only way water can get into the hub is through the outer bearing seals. It might be condensation but that would be more likely from the seals as well as everything else is pretty tight as far as air ingress goes. The seal will not "seal" if its not in perfect alinement. It could be the case that the orange seals are not able to deal with this as well as some other brands. The bearing spec is for "load" and are not waterproof in the true sense. Thats why using a power washer around them is not a good idea. Same as any bike. Its more of a "dust" seal and to keep the grease in than anything else. If you ever find a oil/grease damp spot in that area then the seal is failing and needs looking at. One thing is for sure. You can not tell if you have water in the hub. If you do the bearing could fail VERY quickly and maybe on as little as a 10 mile ride. This seems to support the "big fails" some have had because bearings do not do this as a rule. The wheel bearing alinement on these bikes relies 100% on that alloy spacer and that IMO is the problem. Seems to me a steel item as an upgrade part would be worth looking at. Cheap as well. I understand the reasoning behind adding a drain hole in the hub but you should be aware of some things. These wheels are cast alloy and more likely to form cracks from such things as drill holes than a wheel machined from a billet block. I doubt you will be able to gather any solid data on this issue as there are to many variables involved. Just be prepared. | ||
| Etennuly |
If you look closely at the condensation that occurs on and in the engine, primary case/cover and even on the outside fuel tank, you will see how the condensation can travel into the hub. The inside condensation mostly forms when the inside is cool and the outside warms up. With the rear hub, condensation can get in but not out, it just builds up. In my shop we work with aluminum a lot. Frequently we will drive moisture out with heat before welding it if it has been out of doors or in a non heated environment. The moisture will contaminate a weld. Truck trailers and boxes with aluminum roof skins will form dripping water condensation nearly every morning if not properly ventilated. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I wouldn't worry about a couple of teensy .125" holes. The factory bores out the centers for somewhere to put the bearings anyways, right? It's true that if they were to crack, the cracks would propagate from a point of force-concentration. But I really don't think the factory has the weight of the castings down to the bare minimum. I really think there is a good margin in place. | ||
| Uly_man |
Thats good to know. Thank you for the info Guys. | ||
| Motorbike |
When my drive side bearing failed at 7300 miles, I suspected that there would be a lot of moisture in the hub. I wash my bike a lot (and get ridiculed for it) but when I took the old wheel apart, the inside of the hub was bone dry. The rotor side bearing, where all water would run to if it was in the hub while parked, was perfectly good yet. Smooth as silk. I really don't think I wrecked my bearing by washing the bike. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Thanks. |
