Front wheel had been a little sloppy late last summer so I thought I'd swap in some new bearings. This is for an "07", I don't know if the "09's" are exactly the same.

Carefully pop seal out.




Rotor side has a snap ring that needs to come out.




You may not need to, but I carefully heated the outside of the hub a little. (bearing is already out in this pic)


Lay wheel rotor side down, but block wheel up so rotor doesn't touch the floor. Use a piece of bar stock and tap the back of the bearing from the opposite side. Alternate sides as you tap. Carefully work the bearing out of the hub this way.



Once bearing and spacer come out, flip the wheel over and (heat the outside of the hub if needed) and tap out the other bearing. There is no snap ring on the spedo side of the hub .( "09's" may be different)

Uh............. definitely time to change the bearings Pretty bad.



Going to stop by the local Motions Industries supply house Monday, and see what bearings will cost there. I will update this after that.
Dan

 

Good pics, Dan. Looks like it was time.

 

Pulled my back Tyre off today to realize I need new bearings and sprockets. What size sprockets you running and whats your top speed/RPM Just a quick question before I go ordering sprockets?

Good write up too mate

 

I was very surprised how bad they looked. I've always had the wheels off two or three times a season, and I always cleaned and greased the outsides of the bearings. They always looked pretty good. As I took the bearings out I debated whether or not I was wasting my time. The reason that I continued was that I could feel tight spots as I turned them, and over the summer I had been concerned about some side to side play in the front wheel I could feel if I grabbed the tire.
Four years of riding, guessing 7000+ miles. It's never been pressure washed, and it's ridden very hard at times, in some really muddy conditions.
Dan

 

Lockie, I'll be checking my rear bearings too, after seeing what the fronts look like!!

My sprockets are 14T and 42T (stock set up) I did run a 13T up front until I added the 351 kit when I went back to the 14.
Right now I don't know top speed/rpm of my set up. Works well for me. Plenty fast up top, and good snap down low.
Dan

 

It looks like a sealed bearing, I'm suprised it's so crapped up inside.

 

Nice work Dan! The bearings on my '06 were sealed on both sides. I wonder why yours were only sealed on one side. Regardless, it was time for yours to come out, lol.

 

With the way the front bearings looked, I decided to pull the rear bearings too. Similar procedure. first pop the seal on the rotor side and remove the snap ring.


Flip the wheel over and support it so it doesn't rest on the rotor. Use a piece of bar stock and tap on bearing, move around the bearing while tapping so bearing doesnt get cocked in the hub. Remove the seal on the sprocket side and flip the wheel. Tap the second bearing out the same way. The rear bearings look fine, but once you bang them out like that, you don't want to use them again, see link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brinelling New bearings all around

These bearings had seals on both sides, seems like the fronts should have been that way too. ??

 

Ya, why were your front bearings not sealed. Have you had the bike since new? Anyone else do work on it?

 

Bought it new, 6 tenths on the odometer. Never been to a dealer, or shop.
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Dan