Like me, you may have had some “moments” trying to extract and reinstall motorcycle wheel bearings.
Once you slide to the side the tubular spacer that sits between the left and right side ball bearings, a punch or a drift catches the inner race, and a ball peen hammer forces the bearing out. Simply, there’s a lot wrong with this approach, and you can permanently damage your hub and the precisely fit inter-bearing spacer with this ham-fisted approach.
Turns out the design engineers at Motion Pro have a great special tool solution. I tried it out on my YZ250A and Harley Sportster wheel bearings, and it brought a smile to my face as the Wheel Bearing Remover Set slid the bearings right out! It’s really a brilliant design. The catalog number for the metric set is 08-0269. MotionPro.com offers hundreds of innovative tools plus a range of motorcycle parts. Check it out.
Bearing remover instructions right on the box are:
- Remove any seals and/or clips that are used to retain the bearing in the hub.
- Select the proper size collet remover (one of the six barrel-shaped items pictured) for the bearing you wish to remove. Removers are labeled by size.
- Place the collet into the bearing as shown, slotted side facing into the hub.
- Place the hub on a smooth, hard surface with the collet in the bearing, butt of collet on bench.
- Lightly tap the chisel shaped rod into the slot in the collet to expand it until it is just tight on the inside of the bearing.
- Holding hub up off the bench, horizontal, drive the bearing out of the hub. Stubborn bearings may need cautiously applied heat from a heat gun. Repeat for the other side.
Special notes:
- Wheel bearings are important, yet pretty inexpensive, so it’s never a good idea to reuse a wheel bearing.
- When installing your new bearings, use an appropriately sized driving tool pressing on the outer bearing race, never the inner race. Motion Pro offers a nice set of drivers.
- Seat fully the first bearing in hub, install the spacer tube. Carefully press in the second bearing but it should not be fully seated. Stop when the spacer tube is still floating, can be slid side to side between the bearings, a .010″ to .015″ clearance tube to second bearing.
- After installing a bearing, the spacer tube and the second bearing, insert the axle and make sure bearings rotate freely before installing the wheel on the bike.
- All eight high-grade steel Motion Pro tool components can be stored in the original box, with the instructions printed on the side, ready for next time.
- Good tools designed for the task are a worthwhile investment and can be passed down through generations!
