kdx front wheel bearing removal

[durtybob]

im having trouble removing my front wheel bearings on my 95 kdx 200
i remove the circlip but pounding them out isn't working am I missing something help

 

[jdbrusch]

You have to pound the bearings from the inside out.Get a long punch and install it into the hub about 1/2" above the bearing on the opposite side and give it a wack sideways,this will move the spacer to the side and you will be able to get a better hit on the bearing.Once the bearing has moved you can move the punch from side to side on the bearing and slowly drive it out.The spacer will fall out once the bearing is all the way out.Flip the wheel over and you should have a straight shot at the other bearing,do the same thing from one side to another.Make sure you support the tire on the Disc side as not to damage it,sometimes you have to heat the hub up to get the bearings out . To install them get a driver(pipe,old socket etc) with a OD just smaller then the OD of the bearing and drive the first one in,flip the wheel and install the spacer then install the other bearing.If you can get bearings with seals(rubber) on both sides they seem to last longer,Part# is 6202-2RS front and 6004-2RS rear I think.You can heat the hub and cool the bearings in the freezer if you want to before you install them if they are fairly tight but usually this is not necessary.Make sure you install new seals on both sides or the new bearings won't last long.

 

[dirt bike dave]

If the bearing is really stuck bad, pay a pro (dealer or repair shop) to drive it out. After pounding on my KDX250 bearings for a few hours with absolutely no progress, I gave up and brought it to a dealer. My only regret was not taking it to the dealer sooner.

 

[David Trustrum]

A bit of heat is a good idea. The only real trick is getting it started. When they are squashed in real tight it is hard to knock the spacer sideways. Just work at it from the near side or sometimes both sides till you can produce an edge.

Then you need a punch with a nice sharp edge to grab the corner. I have a sacrificial thin engine mount bolt that I sharpen the edge on the grinder. Once you move it a bit the spacer will move more & then follow procedure JD wrote.

 

[canyncarvr]

Opinions, just like @$$____, everybody has one.

Me too!!!

Putting your new bearings in the freezer for a few hours...overnight maybe, before install is a great way to do it. That will help a bunch. They'll practically fall in!! The less stress on your aluminium wheel, the better.

DON'T FORGET THE SPACER!!! (not that I ever have..;) ..I just heard about it! )

re: both sides sealed. You'll notice the oem bearings are not sealed on both sides. Well, mine weren't. General knowledge has it to remove the INside seal from your new bearing. That will give water/moisture an exit. I'm quite sure mr. trustrum has posted to that point before. I was looking for him to reiterate that point on this thread. Maybe I misremmer..THAT would be a first!!

Point is, those seals will NOT keep water out..but they WILL keep water in.

Oh..you need to remove those seals anyway to grease the bearings before you put them in. Use the best waterproof grease you can get. Do NOT use general purpose one each moly chassis grease. Use the same grease you use on your suspension linkage..the good stuff.

To easily remove those seals, use a mechanics scribe. Insert on the INSIDE diameter and a circular 'snick' will take it right out. Pops right back in.

 

[David Trustrum]

I’m flattered you remembered. I’m getting lazy in my old age. (but the guilt is still there, there’s at least 2 bikes in the trustrum stable that really are due for a rear suspension linkage regrease, that kdx powervalve must be due for a clean. . oh it goes on. . .)

Generally Moly Disulphate is great grease but not so flash on dirtbikes where is gets washed by water. Lithium is probably a better choice.

Better still is replace the hub seals & clean up the surface of the wheel spacer which only a true optimist will believe will stop the water -but might strain out the bigger bits of crud going in & damaging the bearings.

 

[canyncarvr]

The grease I use was determined to be suitable due to the fact that my lower shock mount bearing lives...but also cuz the junk is about imPOSSible to get off the digits. It sure don't wipe off!!

So...you DO concur on the 'remove the inside seal' plan?

Better git them bikes done! Spring's just 'round the corner!!

 

[David Trustrum]

Spring's just 'round the corner!!

:D

Winter hasn’t stopped me (we don’t get snow in most places) but the ride on Sunday was mud city. Hope the farmer wasn’t too upset, most of his farm left on the bikes!

Took me a complete hour to hose off the mud from my bike & gear to a merely filthy condition.

Sadly the cold weather is dissuading me from venturing into the garage weeknights.

 

[durtybob]

thanks everryone for the help i got them out this afternoon and the new ones are in i guess I wasn't holding my tongue the right way thanks again

 

[jdbrusch]

Sorry my friends,but I do not agree with you on this one(double seals),the outer seal on the speedo hud and the axle spacer should in fact keep most if not all the moisture from getting to the bearings, this is what it is designed for.You do use double lipped seals on these don't you.I grease the seals whenever I have the wheels off and have never found any water in the hub.The bike is only on its 2nd set of bearings,the 1st set went south in the 3rd year.I remove the outer seal of the bearing once a year and regrease them and they are as good as the day I installed them.This is the system that works for me and I will have to stick with it, sorry.

 

[David Trustrum]

I’m happy for you, but they are dust seals, not water seals


That’s it! handbags at 10 paces! ;)

 

[canyncarvr]

Hey! The kawi engineers must know SOMEthing!

Ha! I can say that in the case of their bearing seal removal...but when it comes to them having a 470mm fork spring with a 90mm steel tube setup as 35mm of preload I say, 'Those kawi engineers gotta be nutz!!'

I'm very selective in what suits me, it would seem. Sometimes it just comes to darts on a board! ;)

re: handbags How long can the straps be? :)

 

[jdbrusch]

I apologize David and Canyncarvr,I think there has been a unfortunate misunderstanding on my part.I was for some reason thinking that you were dealing with the OEM bearings and actually removing the outer seal completely,thus having a exposed bearing,similair to what Yamaha does.(should have read your posts better).The small rubber seals on these bearings are indeed just a dust seal,if these bearings were continuously exposed to water or another form of contaminant it would penetrate between the inner race and the dust seal and destroy the bearing.You are correct when going to a aftermarket bearing and removing the innermost seal and leaving the outer seal in place ,only removing it for bearing repacking,where you would be forcing the contaminated grease out and fresh grease in.If you are having a problem with water entering the bearing might I suggest a small trick,apply a layer of grease @1/8 thick on top of the bearing,once the spacers are in place the grease will provide a extra barrier to help prevent water from entering the bearings,just scrape the old grease out when you take the wheel off and reapply fresh grease when you replace the wheel.you should find that the bearings stay cleaner for alot longer.
Again sorry guys,James.

 

[David Trustrum]

Sorry for what? You can’t have a good argument if you don’t take the contrary position & then where would we be? All agreeing with each other & where would the fun be in that huh?

Sorry was this the 5 min argument or the full ½ hour?

;)

 

[canyncarvr]

Well now!! Having NEVER misunderstood or misread a thing in my life, I cannot possibly know what you are talking about!! ;)

(excuse me while I pick myself off the floor after laughing at myself silly on THAT one!)

As sage says, this is SUPPOST to be fun! (I'm not sure that's a (sic) or not. But it's funny! ;) )

 

[BRush]

Yet another opinion: Riding primarily in wet, muddy conditions with lots of water crossing I’ve had a fair number of opportunities to change with bearings and my experience is that double sealed bearings (dust seals on both sides), packed with quality waterproof grease resist water contamination damage longer than the stock one-side-seal bearings.

With the single-seal bearings I was changing them because of damage from water contamination (bearings feel like they have sand in them). The double sealed bearings are lasting longer, and when I change them it’s because of too much play in the wheel (from the trail pounding they take).