| Author | Message | ||
     Skyguy |
Well giving my bike the usual once over and what do I notice? A blown out rear wheel bearing! Dust cover off and bearings missing. Bearing keeper is broken. Thank the stars I actually happen to already have the new bearings. I really like riding my Buell but I have to say I am getting real tired of the constant issues. | ||
| Sgthigg |
man...i feel for you.. I will catch crap for saying this but... I dont know if i could own one and have peace of mind if it didnt have a warranty.. I LOVE my buell, it almost sickening. I dont want and wouldnt have any another bike over mine. | ||
| Kdan |
It was probably the "heat" that did 'em in. At least you had a set! Do you know if you had the recall replacement bearings(Orange dust cover) or the originals? | ||
| Skyguy |
They are not orange seals. They are Dark. Does HD owe me some bearings (and installation) on the recall even if I bought the bike used and it is out of warranty? | ||
| Metalstorm |
I think they have to upgrade the bearings regardless. Certain 03 models had a recall on the kick stand as well. The upgraded stand had a R stamped on it I think but am not certain. You might have to dig through the knowledge vault for the answer unless some one in the know happens to read this. | ||
| Skyguy |
BTW there is not a single shop anywhere near me that i would trust to do the work. Nor can I drop off the bike for three weeks............ If it is a recall item do I have to have the install done at a shop to get the bearings? | ||
| Kdan |
Yep. You're S.O.L. there. All warranty & recall work has to be done by a dealer. | ||
| Skyguy |
Figures. Glad I already bought the bearings when I bought the new wheels. I can see it now. I ask the service manager when they can do my bearings. He asks if I need the bike for Christmas............. That and I am scared to have any of the hacks near me touch my bike in any way shape or form. | ||
| Davo |
Skyguy, I am with you on that one. I will go to the Honda sales room before I bring my Buell to a HD dealership for service. | ||
| Diablobrian |
If you don't have the tools, any motorcycle shop, or even machine shop can do it for you in a few minutes. BTW good job catching it! I'm amazed by the number of people that don't give their bike a "pre-flight" before rolling. | ||
| Altima02 |
I got some new bearings from my dad. He works at toyota and the buell bearings are just a standard bearing. Toyota uses them and my dad can just grab a bunch. 6006LU is the part # i believe. | ||
| M1combat |
"They are not orange seals. They are Dark. " I've read that issue here (dark bearings being bad) probably 25 times at least... Why didn't you already have them replaced? That's a pretty serious safety issue. | ||
| Skyguy |
Diablo, With all of the issues I have had with this bike I do a pretty though once over before, in the middle of and after every ride. I can not afford to get hurt. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Who can? | ||
| Kdan |
Not me, that's for sure! I have Kaiser Permanently insurance. I'm afraid if I break an ankle I may end up with a vagina or something! | ||
| Humboldtblast |
so the dealer will replace the bearings without charging labor? | ||
| Diablobrian |
Kdan, I had Kaiser for a while when I lived in CA. You're right, you can't afford to even visit a Kaiser hospital!  Humbolt, they should since I think it was a recall of all of the bearings with black dust shields. In fact Skyguy I can't believe your bike has been to the shop this much without them noticing. That shouldn't happen. | ||
| Xb9ser |
I bought a set of bearings off Ebay for $6 plus $6.8o shipping, Just thought they would be handy to have around. By the way it was a set of 4 bearings for both wheels. I checked and they are correct for my 03 XB9S!!And they where orange seals Must have been a replacement set as they where in one box with a part NO. | ||
| Cmm213 |
What Brian said- anyone with a press should be able to do it, if you want to get riding soon that is. | ||
| Dooley |
Had mine replaced in my 03 over a year ago when I first heard about the "recall" I bought my bike from a private dealer used with no warranty...HD replaced the bearings no charge parts or labor and no ?s. | ||
| Skyguy |
Diablo, I do all of my own work. At least so far. My bike has got a damage estimate from a "dealer" once for being tipped in a parking lot by a cager. Other than that I just try to do what the service manual says. I am by no means a good mechanic. I can rebuild a Pinzgauer though! Actually there is nothing on the bike I have not been able to handle yet. Especially with the help of some of you folks on this board.  Press? Press? Dont no no stinking press! I got me a long bolt, nut and a couple of them thar warsher thingys  | ||
| Diablobrian |
I have a 10 ton "C" press in my garage to deal with such things. It's far faster and easier than the bolt method. Be sure that the pieces you use to pull the bearing in do not just pull on the inner races, and also be sure that they are square with the bore so the bearings go in without damaging them. | ||
| Skyguy |
I once had a 15 ton harbor freight press grenade right next to me. Scary, I had to duck and roll. I used to be an expert bicycle tech. These bearings are a little bigger but I ain't scared! Thanks for the advice. Always good to have any help I can get. | ||
| Sgthigg |
I would put the bearings in a freezer for a while to before I put them in..It might help out a little. | ||
| Lorazepam |
put them in dry ice,and they will probably fall in. | ||
| Jackbequick |
Good advice on the freezer and dry ice. And lubricate the bores too. The service life on aluminum or magnesium wheels can be limited by the number of times bearings are replaced. Pressing or pulling the bearing out changes the size of the of the bearing bore (where the bearing rests) every time it is done. Eventually it can get to the point where the outer bearing race is not retained tightly enough to keep it turning with the wheel. Warming the wheels before pressing out or pulling the bearings should make them easier to remove too. A handy device that can be made at home for warming wheel hubs (or bearings that have to be pressed onto a axle or shaft) is the heating element from a Mr. Coffee type coffee pot. Put a small puddle of oil in an old one and it becomes Mr. Bearing Warmer. Remove the heating element (fabricate some safe! well insulted! electrical connections) and it can be laid on a wheel hub to become Mr. Wheel Hub Warmer. Jack | ||
| Pwnzor |
If you use dry ice, wrap it in a couple layers of newspaper first. | ||
| Light_keeper |
I find that an old hair drier or a heat gun works well to.  | ||
| Trojan |
There have been a number of XB rear wheel bearing failures in the UK, which have apparently been attributed to overtightening the rear axle when changing wheels/belts etc. The rear wheel spacer insde the hub is a very soft alloy and if overtightened this crushes up, leading to the collapse of the wheel bearing. Make sure you torque the rear axle properly  | ||
| Skyguy |
Thanks for all the advice guys! I am going to freeze the bearings and use a heat gun on the wheel hub. I should have had the recall already done but until recently my other Air cooled wench was down and I only had the one vehicle. Taking the bike off the road was not an option. I did not realize that the bearings were a safety issue. I just thought they went bad early. I have my wheels off every two months or so and always give the bearing a "feel". I have gotten so many miles out of my Road Attack rear tire that the wheel has not been off in four and a half months now. Not replacing them is my bad especially since I have had new bearings sitting in my garage for a year now. Having the inner race blow out would indeed be very bad. Sometimes I am an idiot.  I am going to try to get it done tomorrow. (Message edited by skyguy on July 26, 2006) |
