Importance of rear bearing spacer?

[Guest]

I got blinded by the light at the end of the tunnel...

I just put in the second new bearing into the hub of my rear wheel and realized as it seated against the inside lip that the spacer that is supposed to be between the bearings....isn't.

Looking at the wheel and how everything goes together I'm tempted to run without it rather than bash out a new bearing and buy a new kit or source one bearing locally. Both bearings seat up against a substantial flange in the bottom of their bores so I'm not worried about them moving IN and of course the normal spacers/swinger will keep them from moving OUT once everything is in place. Not like they are likely to move anyway, even with freezing them they didn't exactly drop in.

So here are my options as of now:

A. Mount the new tire, finish other jobs and mark the spacer to reinstall next time. Ride as normal for the season. (Although this is the last set of tires for these rims in this bike)

B. Mount the new tire, finish other jobs and ride about 1,000mi to CT --> VT --> CT --> NY over the next week and then replace the bearings and reinstall the spacer.

C. See if I can get bearings locally and probably cancel out on the upcoming ride due to other time constraints.

I know they put it there for a reason but I'm wondering if I can do without. Is it there to protect the bearings if the axle gets over torqued? I guess in the meantime while I'm waiting to see what people say here I'll see if I can find just the right tool to tap on the one outer race I might be able to hit without also getting the inner race or seal.

/\/\ac

[GregT]

Don't run the bike without that spacer !!!!

Single row ballraces are not made to take side load - without the spacer to take the axle tightening torque you will load the bearings sufficient to collapse them in a very short time.

Take the bearing on the brake side out - it carries less load than the drive side so removal and replacement is not so much of an issue.

Greg T

[Macmatic]

Don't run the bike without that spacer !!!!

Single row ballraces are not made to take side load - without the spacer to take the axle tightening torque you will load the bearings sufficient to collapse them in a very short time.

Take the bearing on the brake side out - it carries less load than the drive side so removal and replacement is not so much of an issue.

Greg T

Thanks, it took a little while but this is just what I ended up doing. It helped a lot to try the brake side bearing because I could use a small LED flashlight in the mount holes for the cush rubbers to make sure I was lined up where I wanted to be. I was able to drive the bearing back out with no mark on the inner seal OR the outer race and it still feels just like the other new bearing so I should be good to go.

Thanks for being the voice of reason though!

/\/\ac

[bwringer]

Replace the bearing you drove out ASAP PDQ. It is damaged and not long for this world.

[Macmatic]

Replace the bearing you drove out ASAP PDQ. It is damaged and not long for this world.

Even if I very carefully only drove the outer race? I mean ONLY on the outer race, using just the right tool and using a light inside the hub to make sure of placement between each strike? It also came out pretty easy since I'd cleaned all the crud out of the bore the first time around.

I used a brass rod to drive it out and the inner race and dust shield never even got touched on the way out.

?

/\/\ac

[bwringer]

Even if I very carefully only drove the outer race? I mean ONLY on the outer race, using just the right tool and using a light inside the hub to make sure of placement between each strike? It also came out pretty easy since I'd cleaned all the crud out of the bore the first time around.

I used a brass rod to drive it out and the inner race and dust shield never even got touched on the way out.

?

/\/\ac

Hmmm.... good point there. If you didn't drive against the inner race, then you should be OK.

Still, wheel bearings are dirt cheap. I'd keep an extra set around the garage and just keep an eye on it.

[Macmatic]

Hmmm.... good point there. If you didn't drive against the inner race, then you should be OK.

Still, wheel bearings are dirt cheap. I'd keep an extra set around the garage and just keep an eye on it.

Thanks, I'll keep an eye on it for sure and probably just be down for a week if I need to replace it. I'm planning to swap swingarm and rims for Katana or GSXR parts this winter when I make some other changes so these bearings probably aren't going to see 5,000mi. On this bike at least.

/\/\ac

Edit: Just noticed that this was Post 1000! Since 2004? I thought I ran my jibs more than that.

[TheCafeKid]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye on it for sure and probably just be down for a week if I need to replace it. I'm planning to swap swingarm and rims for Katana or GSXR parts this winter when I make some other changes so these bearings probably aren't going to see 5,000mi. On this bike at least.

/\/\ac

Mac is there no bearing houses near you?? Even a cycle dealership?? MOST of these wheel bearings are used on many different models. You should be able to find something locally and not have to wait on AllBalls or the like to send you your bearings. I called around here in Dayton and found multiple bearing houses, that not only carry the correct wheel bearings, but just about every other bearing on every one of my GSs, including the needle bearings for the swinger!

Couple summers ago, down at the Red River Rally in Kentucky, we thought I had a rear wheel bearing going on on my GS1100G. After a bunch of searching (it was a Saturday afternoon in the middle of nowhere Kentucky) and thanks to BWringers wife for driving me all over hell's creation, we managed to find said bearing at a cycle shop. It wasnt a Suzuki bearing..it was actually packaged as a Honda cycle bearing. The parts counter kid let me go digging through the bearings in the back looking for a 6304 i think it was.. Found two.. Honda parts. But they're still the same..

Ended up NOT being a bearing..but suffice to say, I would bet someone local has the bearings you need, so long as you're not in the middle of Kentucky on a Saturday afternoon They are pretty common, used on cycles, farm equipment, etc etc.

[Dogma]

6302 on the front, and 6303 on the rear. Follow the size number with a -2RS to get dust seals on both sides and pre-lubed (6303-2RS).

These numbers specify standard ABEC sizes and options. The system is almost universal for rolling element bearings, whatever the application (cars, motorcycles, skates, machinery, etc.). See a catalog from someone like SKF or NSK for more information on bearings than you could possibly want to know.

You can probably get them AM delivery from McMaster if you're really pinched. However, Z1 Enterprises has them (All Balls brand) for about $5 each, if it's not too late to call them. McMaster wants $10, and a Honda dealer once tried to charge me $80 after finally grasping what I needed. I gladly paid about $30 at a KTM dealer down the road. They opened the doors for me about 5 minutes after closing on a saturday. And they knew exactly what I needed and where to find it on the shelf. Too bad they're gone for good now. The Zuk dealer had been closed for hours.

[TheCafeKid]

The shafties use a different rear bearing than the chain drive bikes. In my case at the time I think you're right Dale it was a 6303. But I think he will need a 6304 if memory serves. For the rear wheel. I'm not sure of the Cush drive bearing number however. It may be the same but I think it's not as iirc the OD is larger.

[mike_of_bbg]

Yeah, and my drum-equipped, chain-drive bike uses even different bearings. A little trick is that Suzuki has embedded the standard bearing part # in their part #. So, for example, my RH bearing is Suzuki part # 08143-63037, and the bearing # is 6303, see? The LH bearing is 6203. Oh, and a 6205 on the drive drum for good measure.

Still 6302s up front though