Anybody else experience this?

[JC85]

Had a new rear tire put on, today, and found that one of my bearings was going bad. The numbers were long gone on the bearing, so I took it down to IBT, here in town, to have them match it. As always happens when I go looking for parts and pieces, the guy said to me "wow...this is a real oddball. What the hell is this from?" I've lost count of the number of times that I've heard that same line, and it always makes me chuckle. Anybody else get this?

[Kiwi_Roy]

What model Guzzi, mine all have common or garden variety bearings.

[JC85]

What model Guzzi, mine all have common or garden variety bearings.

'74 Eldo Police.

[Kitze]

Pull one and take it to a bearing supply house. But look closely for a part number. Guzzi doesn’t make bearings. It’ll be either an SKF or FAG bearing.
Years ago needed to replace the wheel bearing on a ducati. Dealer wanted $90 each. Pulled one and found an SKF number. Local bearing supply had em in stock for...wait for it...$5.75 each.

[John Ulrich]

A real odd-ball is the 2000ish+ V11 sports that used different size bearings on the front wheel!

[RinkRat II]

    If you have a copy of Guzziology, there is a list of bearings by part number, generic number and dimensional data. Chapter 22 in my copy.

     Paul B

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The wheel bearings used in all Loop drum brake wheels is definitely an "oddball" and not something that you'll find at most bearing retailers. The originals were made by RIV, there is not SKF, FAG, etc. equivalent.
http://thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_wheel_bearing_cross-references.html

MG Cycle has them:
http://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=218&products_id=1433

I have a small stock of NOS OVR brand bearings of the correct size.

What model Guzzi, mine all have common or garden variety bearings.

Not that '72 Eldorado...

These bearings are "million mile" bearings if they're kept packed with fresh grease and aren't shimmed too tight or too loose.

[Guzzistajohn]

There's only so many sizes of bearings. Never had an issue finding replacements.
 

[Tom H]

I'm with Charlie on this one. If it's a drum brake, no normal bearing house has them.

But...... If it's disc, I do not have an answer. Benders web site, MG Cycle, Hapers or Guzziology would be the answer.

Tom

[Kiwi_Roy]

'74 Eldo Police.

That explains it, aren't they a tapered roller, at least my 72 is, Im pretty sure the original bearings. All the other Guzzis i've had anything to do with are standard ball race's
I had a California II once it had bearings from 4 different manufacturers.
After my EV spat the balls out of one front bearing and I had to ride 100 miles on one bearing I decided to change them more often.
The new Chinese "all Balls" bearing on the Griso seized and spun on the shaft chewing it half through.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

There's only so many sizes of bearings. Never had an issue finding replacements.

I'm guessing you've never tried finding wheel bearings for a 2LS drum-brake Loopframe Guzzi then.

A couple of sources:
http://www.peters-bearing.de/index.php
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Moto-Guzzi-Tapered-Wheel-Bearing-Ambo-Eldo-V7-Sport-92246922/323088856136
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-Wheel-Bearing-Moto-Guzzi-V7-700-Orig-Made-in-Italy-New-from-Old-Stock/153455513150

[moto-uno]

  How about the bearing on the clutch side of the middle 5 speed shaft on Tonti 5 speeds ?  , Peter

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

  How about the bearing on the clutch side of the middle 5 speed shaft on Tonti 5 speeds ?  , Peter

This one? http://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=55&products_id=1436

[JC85]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this thread. Long night. Anyways, I got it sorted. IBT is my local bearing shop. They were able to match it and have a couple coming from their KC warehouse on Thursday. I originally hoped that it would just be a clean and repack deal, but several of the rollers had fretting on them, so it was shot. Luckily, IBT has a decent price on them, so I'm going to go ahead and replace both, even the one that's still good, and have the peace of mind of knowing that they're both new and good to go.

[JC85]

Welp, new update; I spoke too soon. Just got a call from IBT. They jumped the gun on thinking that they had it. Apparently, they can match the bearing, itself, perfectly, but cannot find a single supplier who makes a race for that bearing that is the same OD as mine. So I suppose I'll be paying more than double what I had hoped from mgcycle. 

[JC85]

These bearings are "million mile" bearings if they're kept packed with fresh grease and aren't shimmed too tight or too loose.

My bearings had one shim on the inside of one of the bearings. Is that "correct?"

[Don G]

Likely under close inspection there will be a thick spacer and a number of thin spacers, look close they are likely stuck together. DonG

[JC85]

Likely under close inspection there will be a thick spacer and a number of thin spacers, look close they are likely stuck together. DonG

Nope. just one thick spacer on one bearing, and then the center tube.

[Tom H]

I believe that is how all 4 of my wheels were, just one thick shim. But, just in case there are more, look real close at the area where the shim sits. Thin ones can be hard to see. I re-shimmed my wheels and removed the thick one, then used a few thin shims to make the right thickness.

Tom

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

My bearings had one shim on the inside of one of the bearings. Is that "correct?"

Probably correct with your original bearings, but also possibly not. With the new bearings, you'll need to go through the whole set-up procedure. Clean the bearings, spray them down with a little WD40, assemble them into the wheel with the spacer and shim in place (leave out the seals) insert the axle, add some spacers, tighten down the nut and check to see if the bearings are too tight, too loose or just right. Too tight - add shims or use a thicker shim, too loose - use a thinner shim.