New Wheel Bearings!

[pco27]

While on the subject of bearings....I am about to replace my Scura front and back, any Scura owners know if the sizes are different for the Ohlins front end? And the official size of the rear? Ok with SKB?? Which is what i can source....

 

cheers

[Lucky Phil]

An admission here, somewhat embarrassing but there you go. I recently replaced both rear wheel bearings on my V11. The disk side one was totally shagged to the point that it would not have survived another 100klm ride I don't think.

I had been having an unusual clattering feel through the l/h foot peg for about 2000klms only on a floating throttle, on the gas and off the gas was ok.

First thing I suspected was a wheel bearing so grabbed the wheel and gave it a good push pull laterally and no issues. To cut a long story short it can take more than this to get the movement in the bearing that shows its worn. Try a lever between the top of the wheel and swing arm and look for movement at the rim.

The other interesting symptoms I had for worn front wheel bearings on my ST2 was variable front brake lever travel. Pull up to a stop in a straight line and the lever travel was back to normal ride around a few corners and it was long lever travel again. Reason being that cornering with worn bearings allows the wheel to move around and the disks push the pads back into the calipers, next stop a long lever. After the stop the pistons push back out again and the lever feels fine for a few klms and the repeat happens. The front bearings were shagged.

Ciao   

[czakky]

After ordering my third set of bearings for my front wheel I'm thinking I've got a short spacer.

I've been looking for shims for the bearings, no luck...

Where does a guy get bearing shims? Particularly the 20/25mm I.d. Type

[gstallons]

Not all berings are created equal.  What brand / part #s are you getting ?

[Kiwi_Roy]

I bought an EV in Denver and rode it back to BC, next trip the front bearing made a squark.

Dry as a bone inside.

 

I had to ride another 60 miles like that, so I dribbled a bit of oil into the bearing with a straw.

[Lucky Phil]

After ordering my third set of bearings for my front wheel I'm thinking I've got a short spacer.

I've been looking for shims for the bearings, no luck...

Where does a guy get bearing shims? Particularly the 20/25mm I.d. Type

I agree with your feeling on the short spacer. I have a box of Ducati crank and gearbox shims and I used one of them so I cant tell you which one it was exactly. All you need to do is figure how much too short you are by measuring the distance between bottom faces of the the bearing cavities with a machining  block or striaght edge and a 6'' caliper and add 0.005 to 0.010" depending on how confident you are on your measurement and you can make one out of sheet metal. It will probably be around 0.020"  too short from my experience. A little bit longer is better than shorter hence the extra 0.005" to 0.010" . Make it out of steel not aluminium. Aluminium that thin will crush and deform. Loctite the shim to the spacer and Bobs you mothers brother.

 

Ciao

[Lucky Phil]

Not all berings are created equal.  What brand / part #s are you getting ?

All major bearing brands no matter where they are made should be very very close dimensionally, within a couple of tenths of a thou. You wont find the kind of variation that will cause the spacer to be too short.

 

Ciao 

[Chuck]

From my Scura records..

For future reference on brake howl, rear brake side bearing problems, the rear spacer is 113.2mm. Some were short by 1mm.

[czakky]

The rear wasn't even that bad when I replaced it but I did it anyway.

The front has been my issue over the 20k+ miles I've owned the bike. I've always used the best bearings I can get (within reason) made in Japan.

I suppose I could make my own shims but I guess I'd rather just buy them....

[czakky]

I think I found some on amazon I'm going to try. Bought a 10pk so if anyone needs a shim I'll have a few.

[Scud]

 

The other interesting symptoms I had for worn front wheel bearings on my ST2 was variable front brake lever travel. Pull up to a stop in a straight line and the lever travel was back to normal ride around a few corners and it was long lever travel again. Reason being that cornering with worn bearings allows the wheel to move around and the disks push the pads back into the calipers, next stop a long lever. 

 

I've been noticing variable lever travel on my LeMans' front brake - and it's time for tires anyway.

 

Has anybody used All-Balls bearings for any length of time? I installed some of their bearings recently in other places and they seem good quality - and super affordable. For example, a pair of front bearings for 2003 (both same size) is $12.31. All Balls part number 25-1571. They actually list 2003 and 2004 Moto Guzzi V11 as an option on their website - but they don't list the earlier years (with 2 different front bearings).

[gstallons]

You might want to call a bearing vendor and speak to a knowledgeable salesman . Ask him if there are different quality bearings in the same base part # ? The base #s we are working with are ( I think ) are 205 and 304 .  Let me know what you find .

[Lucky Phil]

From my Scura records..

For future reference on brake howl, rear brake side bearing problems, the rear spacer is 113.2mm. Some were short by 1mm.

Yes Chuck, my rear spacer was around 1/2 mm too short but I had a kind of off beat clattering feeling in the left footpeg on floating throttle.

 

 

Ciao

[Tom M]

I've bought bearing shims from McMaster-Carr.  They should have what you're looking for Czakky.

[Baldini]

Further to Guzzimeister's post - Scura ate a couple of rear wheel bearings &  I found bearing spacer measured short.

I think stock spacer can distort if axle nut is overtightened. Guzzi give a tightening torque for spindle of 120Nm - to be measured "at the housing side".

Why would torque measure different at either side - friction through the assembly?

I made a stronger spacer.

Phil - if bearings are driven home in the housing by pressing on outer race only, then if spacer is too long, inner races would be misaligned, same as if spacer were too short?