Lost my bearings!!

[Guest]

Not my bearings, but as I was doing an oil change I found some play in the front wheel bearings of my '79 GS850GN. The part #is 08123-63027, and the alphasports.com site (thanks to basscliff's site) also says "B1 15x42x13 bearing".
Does this mean I can find this baby at a local industrial bearing outlet, if not a Suzuki dealer? Or even at a Kawasaki or Yamaha dealer?
Anyone have success at non-dealer bearing sources...just fishing for ideas tonight because Friday morning at 7:30am I need to be on my GS headed to Galena for the Fennimore rally - now you know my stress level?

[tkent02]

Any good bearing supply should have it... for around $6.

[kcolton]

That type of availability & price sounds great, but is there any special tools or pullers needed to remove the bearings? The Haynes manual says "the wheel bearings can be drifted out of position..." Sounds very British to me..

[tkent02]

That type of availability & price sounds great, but is there any special tools or pullers needed to remove the bearings? The Haynes manual says "the wheel bearings can be drifted out of position..." Sounds very British to me..

The American term would be "Hammer the sh:t out of it". A drift is something like a pipe or rod going through the wheel to the other side to catch the bearing, then hit the drift with the hammer. You have to knock it out from the inside. It shouldn't take much, a few solid taps....

[kcolton]

Sounds so easy, even a caveman could do it... thanks for the help!

[SqDancerLynn1]

A big drift punch from the opposite side will do it. Use the 5 lb hammer Not the nailing one and they should come out Put the new brg in a baggie, and in the freezer for an hour, Put the wheel out in the sun for an hour too.. If there is no sun use a heat lamp, heater or a hair dryer. While that is happening grind the old brg so it slipps into the wheel. Then Use it to drive the new brg in

[Nessism]

When you go to remove the old bearing you should work slowly tapping around the bearing in various places, working around the bearing to keep it from cocking in the wheel bore. If the bearing tilts it will gouge out the metal in the wheel which is bad. A proper wheel bearing remover tool is a beautiful thing and eliminates this concern.

Oh, and regarding bearings, a name branded bearing will cost you a fair bit of money. To get a bearing for $6 it will be from China most likely unless it's surplus stock. And speaking of surplus, I recently bought some Japan made wheel bearings from partsnmore.com for cheap. Quality seems better than the China bearings I've seen.

[DanTheMan]

The last set of bearings I bought I specified no Chinese stuff, ended up getting them from Napa after shopping around (wanted them that day) and they cost me $32 each. They've worked fine ever since and that's been several years.

[kcolton]

I found 2 SKF brand bearings at Precision Bearings, PN# 6302-2RS for $11.82 each. They supplied me the name of a machine shop who will handle it today for me (no time to do it myself).

Meanwhile, the GS850 slipped off the jack and fell on left side...fortunately only bending the rear turn signal bracket and scratching fairing...but nothing serious. Another example of M.I.F. (maitenance induced failure). Already have the bracket straightened out and scratches touched up.

Now. getting the front tire on a bke that is sitting on its rear tire and 2x4's under the footpegs...i'm thinking lay it over gently, enough to get the wheel back on, then stand it up. And no, I don't have a proper motorcycle jack..but I'll be getting one now!

[sschering]

You want a 6302-2RS bearing (double seal)

Timken part commonly sold for alternators in this size is 302SS for $15-20 each..

Timken, NSK, SKF, should be good brands

I used all Balls when I did my wheels

All-Balls front kit 25-1147.. includes 2 bearings and the right side dust seal

[bonanzadave]

Now. getting the front tire on a bke that is sitting on its rear tire and 2x4's under the footpegs...i'm thinking lay it over gently, enough to get the wheel back on, then stand it up. And no, I don't have a proper motorcycle jack..but I'll be getting one now!

Wow ! You are a cave man . Do you have a center stand ? That should be high enough to get the front wheel on. If not raise the front end up a bit with a regular floor or car jack with a piece of wood under the oil pan or even the exhaust pipes. Dont see a lot of people laying the bike over to R&R the wheels .

[Baatfam]

Well...looks like we at least one good story for this weekend's idle chit-chat....

[tkent02]

Dont see a lot of people laying the bike over to R&R the wheels .

I've seen two people lay their bikes over this week for lesser reasons.

[kcolton]

Wow ! You are a cave man . Do you have a center stand ? That should be high enough to get the front wheel on. If not raise the front end up a bit with a regular floor or car jack with a piece of wood under the oil pan or even the exhaust pipes. Dont see a lot of people laying the bike over to R&R the wheels .

Of course, the bike was on the center stand and rear tire when when I went to bed; when I saw it this morning it was sleeping peacefully on it's left side.The trick is how to get it on the stand when the bike is on the ground and the stand is retracted. Without a front wheel the bike actually sits on the exhaust pipes and rear tire, with the fork tubes only slightly (~1") compressed. Clearance under the engine block is 2" or less...not so easy as it may seem...

[kcolton]

Final chapter...brother-in-law of the year dhoffman took my wheel and bearings to a local machine shop and we got the GS850 back together again this evening. And...we laid it over sideways but not really on the ground, just enough to get the axle clamped in place and then stand it up and get it on the center stand. Next stop..Galena and then Fennimore! Happy trails!