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Front wheel bearings confusion


Luke678

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Hi

I'm replacing front wheel bearings on my 5th gen.
I installed one side first (using bearing driver). Then turned the wheel over, inserted the long spacers that sits between the two bearings inside the wheel hub and started driving the second bearing in. At some point it became impossible to move the spacer by hand when the second bearing was sitted in. Also both bearings are very stiff to move by hand. 

Am I doing something wrong ? Does the second need to go all in or do I have to make judgment as to how far it's suppose to go? I believe the spacer needs to be lose and moving about freely in the hub as this is how it was before I started the job

Many thanks for any responses

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Yep, you’re correct. There should be a tiny amount of movement in the center spacer. If not it is putting a side load on the balls. Too much space and it will do the same once the axle bolt is tightened. 

I think there is a side that goes in first and fully seated allowing you to judge the second. But I don’t remember for sure if or which. 

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Is there any space between the bearings and the spacer? It would be easier if you would post some pictures on how the bearings look like on both sides of the wheel.

Cheers,
Kochan


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Looking at the FSM, no mention is made of how far to drive in the bearings,  but it does say to install the left 1st, then the distance spacer,  then the right bearing.   It also says nothing about installing the spacer one way or the other.   I installed mine like other press fit bearings,  driving them in to resistance as they seated in the wheel.  I had no binding of the spacer and the bearings rotated freely.   If the spacer isn't square inside it could possibly  bind.  If you have a slide caliper you could measure around each bearing edge to the wheel lip to be sure they're square to the opening in the wheel.  Before doing anything drastic you might take a drift and see if you can move the spacer around and free it up.  

 

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Have you got the right bearings? When I replaced mine on my 6th gen you had to drive the bearings in until they bottomed out. Even when bottomed out there was still movement on the spacer. 

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8 hours ago, Cogswell said:

Looking at the FSM, no mention is made of how far to drive in the bearings,  but it does say to install the left 1st, then the distance spacer,  then the right bearing. 

Hi Cogswell.

Sorry to add more confusion, but my 5th 6th and 8gen Service Manuals state install the Right Bearing first then the distance collar followed by the Left bearing!! Does it really matter which goes first?

So now I'm confused:comp13:

 

Bearing Specs are 6204UU - OD=47mm, ID=20mm, Width=14mm, UU= Double Ultra Seal!

 

Just curious - With the Distance Collar in between the two bearings, how the hell do you get the first one out?

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12 hours ago, Grum said:

Hi Cogswell.

Sorry to add more confusion, but my 5th 6th and 8gen Service Manuals state install the Right Bearing first then the distance collar followed by the Left bearing!! Does it really matter which goes first?

So now I'm confused:comp13:

 

Bearing Specs are 6204UU - OD=47mm, ID=20mm, Width=14mm, UU= Double Ultra Seal!

 

Just curious - With the Distance Collar in between the two bearings, how the hell do you get the first one out?

Mr. Grum - you sir, are correct!  I mis-stated that.  Must have been a momentary wave of optical dsykenisia that came over me.  :laugh:   I seriously doubt that it matters which goes in first.  It seems odd that Honda mentions installation order but remains silent on driving the bearings in and how to seat them. 

 

I have a bearing puller that fits in the inner race that has a wedge shape slot cut in it that faces to the inside.  I then use a large long blade screwdriver from the opposite side that fits in the wedge.  Driving it with a hammer forces the 2 sides of the wedge out against the inner race, grabbing it.  Then it's just a matter of driving the bearing out. 

 

 

 

 

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13 hours ago, Grum said:

Hi Cogswell.

Sorry to add more confusion, but my 5th 6th and 8gen Service Manuals state install the Right Bearing first then the distance collar followed by the Left bearing!! Does it really matter which goes first?

So now I'm confused:comp13:

 

Bearing Specs are 6204UU - OD=47mm, ID=20mm, Width=14mm, UU= Double Ultra Seal!

 

Just curious - With the Distance Collar in between the two bearings, how the hell do you get the first one out?

I think it can matter which bearing is driven home first, in most cases (but not all) it will be the right bearing, as that then fixes the wheel position relative to the right fork leg when the axle pulls the bearing into contact with the spacer and the leg. That assumes the left bearing position can be a little variable to accommodate the distance collar having a little movement.

 

To get the old bearings out you can use a drift (or in my case, a long screw driver) and tap against the back side of the opposite bearing; you need to scoot the distance collar off to the side a little to do that. This is pretty tough on the old bearing (as you are pushing hard on the inner race and probably damaging that and the balls) hence you never re-use them. 

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38 minutes ago, Terry said:

I think it can matter which bearing is driven home first, in most cases (but not all) it will be the right bearing, as that then fixes the wheel position relative to the right fork leg when the axle pulls the bearing into contact with the spacer and the leg. That assumes the left bearing position can be a little variable to accommodate the distance collar having a little movement.

 

Yes, that. 

I’m kinda slow, so the whole bearings thing never clicked until I had my wheel off for powder coat and installed the spacers and bearings on the axle without the wheel. 😄

Also when I decided to grease the dust seals every time I put the wheel back on. They rotate on the spacers which are stationary. 

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