New Wheel Bearings!

[moto fugazzi]

Had a new Angel GT front tire put on my 2001 V11 Sport today, and figured it was a good time to change the wheel bearings as well. I found some Nachi bearings locally (made in Japan) for $13 each, and realized my bike is actually much easier to push around the garage now. The old ones were fairly "notchy", so I'm glad I replaced them. Stupidly enough, the front wheel takes 2 different sizes. I did the rear wheel last winter with SKF bearings which ended up being about $30 each and made in Bulgaria.

Ken

[czakky]

Ive learned the hard way about the two different sizes up front....

[guzzimeister]

Hi

 

just a word of warning based on my own experiences. My V11 has around 75K miles on it and up to 60K miles, it was eating wheel bearings quite regularly, 3 times at the front and 4 at the rear. Being a suspicious sort, I then checked the bearing spacer length and compared it to the distance between the bearing mounting faces, and found the front was 0.2mm undersize and the rear 0.5mm(!). I then reassembled new bearings with bearing shims to correct the problem and have had no problems since.

 

The bearings incidentally are very common sizes, and are available anywhere. Two frustrations for me are the lack of any weather protection, just the rubber seals on the bearings, and those bloody different sizes at the front.......

 

Cheers

 

Guzz

[chamberlin]

The front wheel bearing sizes will depend on which fork set/axle you have on your bike. I've just converted from '03+ Marzocchis (hollow axle) to Ohlins (solid axle). The hollow axle requires two 25x52x15 bearings (SKF were on my bike from the factory). The solid axle from the Ohlins requires one 25x52x15 and one 20x52x15. I just got that bearing ($43!) and the appropriate spacers for my conversion. I have some pics posted here: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18247&page=12

I'll look up the bearing specs for the older Marzocchi bikes later and post here for completeness.

Even though these are extremely common bearing sizes, I wouldn't recommend using a $10 Chinese spinner for this application. Granted, I probably paid a little too much for mine, but I feel better that it's a quality part.

[moto fugazzi]

Ive learned the hard way about the two different sizes up front....

The mechanic changing my tire and bearings was so befuddled as to what was happening. With the larger inner diameter on the right side bearing (should have been the smaller size), the axle shoulder kept going into the bearing, and the wheel was loose. He took it all apart a few times, knowing that he had put it together properly the first time, but was so confused. Glad I told the mechanic to match the bearings up before he started, just be sure, but he only checked the one side, figuring all was good. 

I finally walked in the shop and figured out what was wrong, so he sent me to the local bearing shop on a loaner BMW 800GT, for the proper bearing. Those bearings were totally rusted into place, and I'm glad I took it there for them to get them out, but from what I can tell, a person could use the wheel spacer to take out the bearings instead of using a puller. The mechanic used anti seize on the new bearings for when we have to change them in another 10 years or so. 

Ken

[moto fugazzi]

The front wheel bearing sizes will depend on which fork set/axle you have on your bike. I've just converted from '03+ Marzocchis (hollow axle) to Ohlins (solid axle). The hollow axle requires two 25x52x15 bearings (SKF were on my bike from the factory). The solid axle from the Ohlins requires one of the above and one 20x52x15. I just got that bearing ($43!) and the appropriate spacers for my conversion. I have some pics posted here: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18247&page=12

 

I'll look up the bearing specs for the older Marzocchi bikes later and post here for completeness.

 

Even though these are extremely common bearing sizes, I wouldn't recommend using a $10 Chinese spinner for this application. Granted, I probably paid a little too much for mine, but I feel better that it's a quality part.

The first question I asked the bearing guy was "where is it made?" When he said Japan, and has been selling these for years without issue, I was sold on them. That shop has been around forever and has a great reputation.

Ken

[chamberlin]

Yea Ken, it looks like the new bearing I received from Harpers was Japanese (Koyo).

 

I looked up the '99-'01 manual as well as the '01 - '02 manual, and those solid axle models also use two different bearings, the same 20x52x15 and 25x52x15 bearings as I am now using on my Ohlins setup.

 

So it seems that only the newer '03+ hollow axle bikes have a matching pair of front wheel bearings (25x52x15).

[sculler2x]

Hi

 

just a word of warning based on my own experiences. My V11 has around 75K miles on it and up to 60K miles, it was eating wheel bearings quite regularly, 3 times at the front and 4 at the rear. Being a suspicious sort, I then checked the bearing spacer length and compared it to the distance between the bearing mounting faces, and found the front was 0.2mm undersize and the rear 0.5mm(!). I then reassembled new bearings with bearing shims to correct the problem and have had no problems since.

 

The bearings incidentally are very common sizes, and are available anywhere. Two frustrations for me are the lack of any weather protection, just the rubber seals on the bearings, and those bloody different sizes at the front.......

 

Cheers

 

Guzz

Based on this report I decided to measure the spacer on my 02.  I found the the spacer was 0.5 mm too long for the distance between the wheel flanges. This was easy to fix because a machine shop reports to me.  Now I know why the bearings were shot at 30K miles.

[Lucky Phil]

 

Hi

 

just a word of warning based on my own experiences. My V11 has around 75K miles on it and up to 60K miles, it was eating wheel bearings quite regularly, 3 times at the front and 4 at the rear. Being a suspicious sort, I then checked the bearing spacer length and compared it to the distance between the bearing mounting faces, and found the front was 0.2mm undersize and the rear 0.5mm(!). I then reassembled new bearings with bearing shims to correct the problem and have had no problems since.

 

The bearings incidentally are very common sizes, and are available anywhere. Two frustrations for me are the lack of any weather protection, just the rubber seals on the bearings, and those bloody different sizes at the front.......

 

Cheers

 

Guzz

Based on this report I decided to measure the spacer on my 02.  I found the the spacer was 0.5 mm too long for the distance between the wheel flanges. This was easy to fix because a machine shop reports to me.  Now I know why the bearings were shot at 30K miles.

 

.5mm or .020" over length bearing spacer will not cause premature bearing failure. Under length certainly will but that degree of over length wont be an issue.

 

Ciao

[Kiwi_Roy]

If you look at the bearings in an old loop, they are tapered rollers with a proper separate seal, it's little wonder the later Guzzis chew up bearings so fast. An ox cart in comparison.

[Lucky Phil]

If you look at the bearings in an old loop, they are tapered rollers with a proper separate seal, it's little wonder the later Guzzis chew up bearings so fast. An ox cart in comparison.

Cant agree, most modern bikes use single row ball wheel bearings without issues. Most have proper length spacers though. 

 

Ciao

[Kiwi_Roy]

My California II at 100,000 miles had 4 different brands of bearing, after 2 sets of tires the front needed replacing again. It's not the bearings so much as the lack of a good seal to keep the elements out.

The Eldorado has 130,000 miles and I'm fairly certain the tapered rollers are original. Tapered rollers are a much stronger bearing I'm sure you will agree but I think the main contributing factor is the separate dedicated seal.

 

 

Sent from my shoe phone!

[Lucky Phil]

My California II at 100,000 miles had 4 different brands of bearing, after 2 sets of tires the front needed replacing again. It's not the bearings so much as the lack of a good seal to keep the elements out.

The Eldorado has 130,000 miles and I'm fairly certain the tapered rollers are original. Tapered rollers are a much stronger bearing I'm sure you will agree but I think the main contributing factor is the separate dedicated seal.

 

 

Sent from my shoe phone!

Why aren't you using a good double shielded bearings in the Cali?

The wheel bearing should last a lot longer than 2 front tyres.So its either incorrect length spacers or the bearing bores are too tight and reducing bearing clearance when installed. 

Tapered rollers have their applications but I wouldn't use them for motorcycle wheel bearings due to adjustment issues and the outcomes if not done correctly. Cars dont matter that much but bikes certainly do.

All high performance wheels I have ever used in 40 years of bikes have been ball. 

Used tapered rollers on cars and aeroplanes but then again they need to take lateral loads where bikes dont by and large.

Ciao 

[Kiwi_Roy]

Like what double shielded bearings? The ones in there were 6204 2RS or something generic.

I must confess I use the car wash.

I still say the tapered roller arrangement on the Eldorado is far superior, it has proper indipendant seals.

Both my VII Sport and the EV have the same 2RS bearings.

 

 

Sent from my shoe phone!

[danl]

BMWs, like my /5 use tapered rollers, but they also have an adjustable shim setup for preload. I've been told they use them because of the lateral loads that occur with a sidecar setup (which seems logical). Most ball bearings are only rated for radial loads, and can't tolerate much axial misalignment. The spacers in my Guzzi wheels are pretty cheap looking. I'm not surprised to read reports of other peoples spacers being under/oversized compared to their bearing seats.