need link for lifetime wheel bearings

Braahp

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Jan 20, 2001
641
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I have been going through the oem and Pivot Works bearings.  Its time to try some of these lifetime bearings.  I couldn't even remember the manufacturer name to do a search for them.    Has anyone actually used the warranty on these things and do they honor them?
 

louis

Member
Sep 2, 2002
136
0
With many years of bearing experience I have yet to see a lifetime bearing,especially the way we treat them. For wheel bearings use shielded units from a bearing supplier. As far as the suspension,without grease fittings , we are at the mercy of water and grit.
 

CIER

Member
Sep 13, 1999
34
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CBR does honor their warranty. I replaced a rear wheel set after only 1 1/2 years. I called CBR, they sent me new bearings that afternoon. The credited my credit card as soon as I sent the old ones back. I am pretty happy with them.

Jim
 

cadjocky

Member
Apr 4, 2003
61
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I think CBR is probably just selling std bearings at a little higher price and giving the warranty. I bought wheel bearings from where I work and paid $1.50 each (we buy by the truckload). There is a huge markup on these things, so CBR could afford to send you a dozen and still make money.

Next time you might just take the bearing to a industrial supply house ... you'll pay more than $1.50, but you won't pay $10.00 either
 

70 marlin

Mi. Trail Riders
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Aug 15, 2000
2,963
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They’re pricey. And even harder to get a hold of BUT. I use SKF W64 series wheel bearings. Double sealed and shielded. There the best bearing money can buy! I've had yet to wear them out. The W64 wheel bearings are designed for the coal mining industries. To order them you only need to tell your power transmission dealer that you want SKF W64 bearing's Then give him the IBI number off the side of the bearing's on your kdx's I think the numbers are 6202 rear and 6004 front. Also buy new outer seals at the same time!
 

BRush

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 5, 2000
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Originally posted by cadjocky
I think CBR is probably just selling std bearings at a little higher price and giving the warranty. I bought wheel bearings from where I work and paid $1.50 each (we buy by the truckload). There is a huge markup on these things, so CBR could afford to send you a dozen and still make money.

Next time you might just take the bearing to a industrial supply house ... you'll pay more than $1.50, but you won't pay $10.00 either

The CBR’s are good quality double sealed Japanese bearings. NTN or equivalent. CBR packs them with a quality waterproof grease. You can buy bearings cheaper at the local bearing supply house, but you cannot get the seals (I mean the outer seals, not the bearing dust seals) there. Those have to come from Kawasaki or a Pivot works kit. Factor in those seals and the CBR price is pretty reasonable. Say you pay $5 per bearing at the ACME bearing supply house. You’ll still get nicked for $8-10 per seal from the Kawi dealer, and you’ll have to pack them with decent grease yourself. That’s roughly $26- $30, not counting the grease, for one wheel. By comparison, the CBR kit will run $35 - $40, and that’s with a lifetime guarantee and the grease already in place.
 

cadjocky

Member
Apr 4, 2003
61
0
Brush, you're right about the totals for the complete change. I did change my bearings with some ACME bearings ($3.28 for 2) and kept my old seals which were still good. I didn't pack new grease in the bearing either, so it was quite inexpensive (with 6 months of motocrossing and still fine). When it was time to replace the bearings in my KTM, I went ahead and bought the moose kit for $20'ish due to the seals.
 

canyncarvr

~SPONSOR~
Oct 14, 1999
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The fact of the matter is that the bearings from CBR are far superior pieces. Considering what a hub would cost (not to mention re-lacing the thing) I prefer to change bearings as seldom as possible.
 

BRush

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 5, 2000
1,100
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My normal riding evironment is eastern slop, and it was a wet summer! It is not unusual for my bike’s rear wheel to spend extended periods submerged in muddy water (this is a polite way of saying I get stuck in mud holes a lot). I was changing bearings twice a season before I discovered CBR. They still wore out, but I got more than twice the life out of them, and a free replacement set when they finally went (which made the cost-per-wheel look even better).
 

jdbrusch

~SPONSOR~
Nov 11, 2001
185
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You can increase the life of the bearings by replacing the single lipped outer seal with a double lipped shaft seal from a local seal or bearing house,they are slightly wider than the oem seals but there is enough room for them under the plastic cover on the collar,the oem seals fit flush or slightly in on the hub but the double lipped seal will extend just past the surface of the hub, again there is enough clearance and they are not a problem.Fill the space between the seal and the bearing with waterproof grease and run a layer on the inside lip of the seal,when ever you have the wheel off run a flat screwdriver parallel(same way the axle sits) to the seal surface around the id of the seal to remove the old grease and install some new stuff and your bearings will last alot longer,make sure the wheel collars are not grooved at the seal surfaces or even the new seals will not help.
Front seal size 20x35x7 double lipped, only replace the left side,speedo side is already double lipped
Rear size 25x42x7 double lipped X 2 pieces
*Install with the spring sides facing in* and they are general purpose seals..
 

kelseybrent

Member
Sep 25, 2002
266
0
Friday afternoon and I'm looking for things to keep me occupied until the bell rings. A combination of info from this thread and sizes checked with Parts Fish for 1996-current KDX200/220:

Rear wheel :
2 each 6004 (double sealed) bearings
2 each 25x42x5(stock) or 7(double lip see post above)

Front wheel :
2 each 6202 (double sealed) bearings
1 each 20x35x4.5(stock) or 7(double lip see post above)
1 each 50x72x7(stock and double lip)

I'm still running the origingal bearings on my 2003, and I have a spare set of bearings that I picked up from MSC for when my buddy walks up to my bike the morning before an enduro, wiggles the wheels and says, "You're bearings are shot, don't you ever check them?" I try to give them a yank at every washing, but ...

Considering pricing, seals and warranty, the lifetime bearings sound like a good deal, but for a cheap spare set for the tool box, here are the MSC numbers (bearing supply houses and other industrial warehouses will have the same stuff, but I like MSC or McMaster-Carr because it comes in UPS ground on the day after I order it):

2ea 35379494 6004-2RS rear bearing $6.02
2ea 36680114 25x42x7 rear seal $3.68
2ea 35379627 6202-2RS front bearing $4.33
1ea 36679439 20x35x7 front seal $2.95
1ea 50x62x7 front seal (I don't see that size in the catalog)

$15.72 total for rear
$11.61 total for front if you can live without the speedo side seal

<disclaimer>
Not responisible for typos, bad catalog numbers or just plain wrong information. May cause liver damage, kidney dammage, oily stools, blah, blah, blah ...
 

jdbrusch

~SPONSOR~
Nov 11, 2001
185
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Unfortunately the seal on the speedo(odometer) drive seems to be a kawi only item.Have not been able to cross it over at any of the local seal shops.But the others are common and available.
 
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