Rear Wheel Bearings

[Reborn Rider]

I have a 2004 with 18,900 miles on the clock. If I put it on the center stand and grab the rear wheel on top and push/pull back and forth side to side, I can definitely feel some play - not really visible, but I can feel it move and hear it clunk - maybe 1/32". I think I may have a rear wheel bearing going out. A friend of mine that used to be a service manager at a cycle shop told me that the old FJ's used to routinely have rear wheel bearings go out at about 15K miles. Anyone else out there experiencing this issue?

 

[SkooterG]

From what I have seen, there have been only isolated instances of bearings going out. 48,000 on my 04 with no bearing issues.

Still, Warchild feels the OEM bearings are of questionable quality, and hopefully he will be along shortly to provide is recommended replacements.

 

[Warchild]

The stock wheel bearings have not had an overly good history with the FJR. Obviously, you'll hear some who have gone many tens of thousands on factory bearings. But there has also been a number of reported early failures over the years, some bikes with a lot less mileage than yours.

The CBR Bearing Company is the place to score new bearings, if you can't find anything locally. Their web site is ass-cheese, but their customer service is awesome. Call 'em.

https://www.cbrbearing.com/

 

[jestal]

del

 

[yamahlr]

Ass-cheese: consumed by those who are otherwise lactose intolerant.

 

[SkooterG]

Yo Jestal, you need to hang around here more often, son......

Warchild's little sayings have expanded all our vocabularies. For better or worse, I am not sure.

While "ass-cheese" is surely a classic, for some reason he didn't pull out his big guns, and use one of my all-time favorites:

"sucks moist ass-cheese" :haha:

 

[bigdolma]

ass cheese **** tard

still my favourite!!

 

[Woodstock]

Has anyone ever seen dry ass cheese?

 

[GunMD]

Has anyone ever seen dry ass cheese?

If so, it surely had bits of dried blood on it.

:lol:

Ahhh, yes, wheel bearings...

What does Yamaha say? Is there a time to replace them / check them? Or just wait until you notice some movement?

 

[Warchild]

What does Yamaha say? Is there a time to replace them / check them? Or just wait until you notice some movement?

Pretty sure they don't have a specific service interval... at least, not that I recall reading, anyway.

 

[yamaholic]

CBR sells a kit for the FJR. Talk to Glenn at CBR.

FWIW, I replaced my stock front bearings with CBR last winter. They appear to be of excellent quality. Stock rears are still holding up fine (although I prolly should check them soon!). No more headshake or wandering when braking hard.

Be warned, the rear bearings are very difficult to remove! Be very careful!!

 

[TheRepairMan]

I just got to chime in here. I don't know squat about ass-cheese but if I may let me ask this...

...If one does feel movement in and out at the top and bottom of the wheel is it safe to assume that it is only wheel bearing wear and not possibly some wear in the swing arm bearings or bushings also?

...Just curious and leaning on your experience with the FJR because I have seen so many cautions about problems in the swing arm bushings on other Yamahas such as the XS650SE I own.

Thanks,

RogerB

Saw and sat on my first FJR this past weekend! I was sooooo excited!

 

[Reborn Rider]

I'd like to thank everyone for their comments and the information on CBR. Yamaholic (or others), Can you provide more information on removing the rear wheel bearings. I've been told that they are just driven out, like with a long punch or shaft. I guess what I'm asking is what should be done to remove them without damage to the wheel? Thanks.

 

[torch]

Can you provide more information on removing the rear wheel bearings.  I've been told that they are just driven out, like with a long punch or shaft. 

I have not personally had to do this on Pandora yet but I've had some practice on various other Yamaha shaft drive models with similar design. So I could be a bit off base here:

The lone bearing on the brake side isn't too hard to drive out. Of course, it's always safer to use an internal bearing puller in an aluminium casting. The pair on the drive side are a PITA. Some have had success with a soft drift (eg: brass) that can be mashed into the tiny radiused space but those two are really really good candidates for a puller.

 

[radman]

I just got to chime in here. I don't know squat about ass-cheese but if I may let me ask this...
...If one does feel movement  in and out at the top and bottom of the wheel is it safe to assume that it is only wheel bearing wear and not possibly some wear in the swing arm bearings or bushings also?

...Just curious and leaning on your experience with the FJR because I have seen so many cautions about problems in the swing arm bushings on other Yamahas such as the XS650SE I own.

Thanks,

RogerB

Saw and sat on my first FJR this past weekend!  I was sooooo excited!

Remove the wheel then check for swing arm play. The swing arm set-up on the feej is fairly robust, so other than occasional service, I've heard of 0 failures on it. Oh, and while "ass-cheese" is bad, you don't ever wanna be involved with the fresher, "moist" version.

 

[tyronewildman]

Seem to remember a hint on removing wheel bearings was to use a large(one that just goes in) bolt with a slit cut in the end w/wedge inserted in slit. After inserting bolt from one end use drift to hammer wedge into slit which makes bolt too large for bearing hole & then bolt can be used to hammer bearing out. A search will probably find pixs of this. Later,,, De :bye:

 

[Reborn Rider]

Thanks everyone. I'll probably have to take the wheel off and look at it to decide whether to go the split bolt or puller route. Now it this tire would just wear out. Front tire is shot and I want to change both tires and wheel bearings at same time.