jayhawk:
'But the bearings are completely sealed'
After you take the grease seal off/out? Guess I'm missing something again.
After you snick out/off the seal (I prefer to use a mechanics scribe, inserted at the INside diameter, move the scribe in a rotation around the inner race and the seal pops right out) what you should see are the rollers and their retainer. Kind of hard to clean them real well, they being pressed into the wheel, but brakeclean would work fairly well.
Either work grease in by hand or use the syringe method to ensure you get grease through to the side you can't see.
I think you're referring to the external seal, NOT the bearing cover? It's the latter that's removed with the scribe method above. There's your ball bearings!
Andrew:
'If you co with the ones you can repack, you'd find yourself doing them after every ride ! '
Nope. I check mine with tire changes (couple/three times a year). The kawi OEM units have been replaced, but that wasn't a grease failure issue. Just wore out. (One side sealed as OEM. They aren't completely 'open'. That would be kinda useless for their intended purpose)
Jasonwho:
'I would prefer two side sealed.'
I don't think so. OK...you can prefer as you wish..but you should prefer ONE side sealed.
They are put in that way for a reason. While seals keep out a lot of grit and grime, they WON'T keep out water....and you need an exit for moisture. Kawi bearings are sealed on the outside face and unsealed on the inside for a reason.
Buy any aftermarket bearing ('all balls' for ex), and both sides of the bearing will be sealed.
Do yourself a favor. REMOVE one of them before you install them, removed seal side toward the inside of the hub.