Front wheel bearing removal procedure

[brider]

I found a good discussion on removing the front wheel bearings using a specialized tool by Pit Posse, but the only discussion I found about removing the bearings WITHOUT such a tool was in that same article, along the lines of tapping each bearing out from the opposite side by moving the center spacer out of the way radially enough to get a long screwdriver tip on the edge of the inner race and tapping.

I assume this screwdriver method relies on moving around the circumference of the inner race in quadrants so you don't "cock" the outer race too far in the aluminum hub?

I think I actually have used this method in the distant past, just want to make sure of the concept before I try it again.

Looked in my T3/Convert shop manual, and it says NOTHING about the procedure for bearing removal. Out of curiosity, IS there Guzzi documentation on how to do this?

[guzzisteve]

I don't use a screw driver, I use a punch. There are many procedures not covered in manuals OR w/you go to the Guzzi classes in CA, they expect you to already be a competent mechanic. The manuals and such are to familiarize you w/their product only not procedures.
I would heat up the hub w/heat gun and tap 180* across going around the race.

[sign216]

Brider,

I did just that a few months ago, changing the wheel bearings on my V7.  A very large screwdriver and a big punch did the job easily.  No fuss.

Joe

[Roebling3]

Please tell me no one is re-using the knocked out bearings. Just sayin'   R3~

[brider]

Alrighty then, I'll give it a shot, I think the punch-around-the-inner-race is how I did it last time.

The manual I have is the Haynes V-Twin workshop manual for the early Tontis, not the Cal 2 showroom brochure. It has everything from how to dis-assemble every last jet from the carbs or circlip from the tranny, but NOTHING about front wheel bearings, except to replace if they feel rough.

I'm replacing my rotors, brake lines, and adding a fork brace, but noticed (1) bearing feels kinda dry and notchy.

[Perazzimx14]

How you get the old bearing out is nowhere near as important as installing the new bearing.

I will agree that the beast and easiest way is using a blind bearing puller.

[sign216]

The hammer + screwdriver/punch is really easy.  Well...the first bearing hard.  After that it's no problem.  You've got the hang of it.
Although it feels violent, the races tolerate the abuse fine. 
Kind of like that old Ozark song;

"Women, watch dogs, and walnut trees,
the more you beat them,
the better they be."


I'll go back to my corner now.

[jbell]

I've had good success with the Motion Pro bearing remover set.  It looks like a series of solid sockets with a slit in one end and a driver that is tapered on one end.  Heating the hub can help. 

[Huzo]

the more you beat them,
the better they be."


I'll go back to my corner now.

Now THERE'S a good idea..!

[Zoom Zoom]

brider, since you are aware of the Pit Posse puller I might suggest you consider it for the future. You sig line indicates you have multiple bikes. I bought one of those years ago now and although I do not use it every day, it has proven invaluable. Bot sides will be out in less than 5 minutes without any concern of elongating the hub. The time and aggravation it saves more than makes up for the initial cost. Various sizes of plugs means it fits just about any bearing. You only need to be able to get it from both sides, which you usually can on a bike.

Just buy it. You will wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

John Henry

[Wayne Orwig]

In 2006 on a cross country trip, I felt the front wheel was a bit loose. I stopped at a NAPA and picked up replacement bearings. Changed them that evening at the campground with nothing but the bikes toolkit and a rock as a hammer.
In 2016 on the way home from Maine, a rear bearing failed. I picked up a couple of replacements at an O'Reilly's, and replaced the rear bearings in a hotel parking lot.

Not sure what I'll do now that I know it is so special. 

[twowings]

A genuine Italian rock makes the job go much better...

[brider]

I stopped at a NAPA and picked up replacement bearings.

Although I have a bunch of pullers and I KNOW I've changed out Tonti front wheel bearings in the past, I'll probably opt for the Posse puller this time.

Might be good to know what the part # of those NAPA bearings are....did you have the parts guy look it up, or did you happen to have the bearing # handy?

Never had a bearing fail on the road, but I've thought about it. Once it gets to the point that you "feel" it, isn't catastrophic failure imminent? How long can a bearing spin at high speed with that much wear without overheating and seizing?

[Wayne Orwig]

Might be good to know what the part # of those NAPA bearings are....did you have the parts guy look it up, or did you happen to have the bearing # handy?

Never had a bearing fail on the road, but I've thought about it. Once it gets to the point that you "feel" it, isn't catastrophic failure imminent? How long can a bearing spin at high speed with that much wear without overheating and seizing?

Parts guy look it up? Ha, no. In 2006, I gave him the number, he handed me the bearing, and he knew it had to be from a tractor so he gave me the 'farm' discount.   

The number is printed on the side of the bearing, plus this forum is often pretty quick with that type of info.

The one that failed in the rear wheel in 2016 was a sudden failure. I had to get towed to a hotel, walked to the O'Rielly's, told them I wanted a 6204 bearing. They said that would need to order it. I did some online research with my phone and found they had a 204 bearing in stock. Which is identical. On the walk back to the hotel I noticed the 204 bearing had 6204 printed on it. 

[Dharma Bum]

I finally got around to changing my wheel bearings out, front and rear.  With close to 100k I figured it was about time.  One of the rear wheel bearings was pretty notchy,  if it had another 500 miles of life, I would be very surprised.

[sign216]

What year and model is your bike?  If it's a smallblock, then the yahoo group has the sizes listed on their Database page.  Best viewed on a PC or in desktop mode.  Click on the "More" button to access it.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MG_750/info

[Chuck in Indiana]

What year and model is your bike?  If it's a smallblock, then the yahoo group has the sizes listed on their Database page.  Best viewed on a PC or in desktop mode.  Click on the "More" button to access it.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MG_750/info

Nope, I'm not going on yay hoo. It's full of scams..I thought, "Oh, I'll do it just this one time," and before I even got to the "More" button there was the red screen telling me that Microsoft.. oh you know the drill.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Lots of bearing and cross-reference information on ThisOldTractor.com.

[jbell]

A genuine Italian rock makes the job go much better...

Or a can of Spaghetti-o's

[screamday]

On the walk back to the hotel I noticed the 204 bearing had 6204 printed on it. 

Ya.....but what did it say on the box?  That's all the guy behind the counter knows.......or, all his computer knows. 

[sign216]

Nope, I'm not going on yay hoo. It's full of scams..I thought, "Oh, I'll do it just this one time," and before I even got to the "More" button there was the red screen telling me that Microsoft.. oh you know the drill.

Chuck,

I don't know what you're talking about.  I'm running Windows 7 and Linux, and neither give me problems with Yahoo.  Are you using some security programs pirated from NASA?  Or from Putin?

Joe

[Chuck in Indiana]

Chuck,

I don't know what you're talking about.  I'm running Windows 7 and Linux, and neither give me problems with Yahoo.  Are you using some security programs pirated from NASA?  Or from Putin?

Joe

That Putin guy seemed like such a nice fellow, and of course I let him put some security files on my computer..

[sign216]

That Putin guy seemed like such a nice fellow, and of course I let him put some security files on my computer..

Of course, of course.  The Russians are our best friends now.

Ya know, we have similar profiles.  I used to have a Skorpion.  We are both into Guzzi.  But somehow you drifted to the Dark Side.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Of course, of course.  The Russians are our best friends now.

Ya know, we have similar profiles.  I used to have a Skorpion.  We are both into Guzzi.  But somehow you drifted to the Dark Side.

They'll pry Scura from my cold dead fingers.. but you are right. We are no doubt brothers from another mother. 

[Wayne Orwig]

Ya.....but what did it say on the box?  That's all the guy behind the counter knows.......or, all his computer knows. 

Yep, 204 on the box. A very common bearing. 6204 inside. He would have ordered me a 6204 and I would have it in two days. And he had a shelf full of 204 bearings.
Luckily McMaster Carr online had good dimensional info.