Play in front wheel bearing

How difficult is it to replace front wheel bearings? I'm not a good mechanic.

 

It's not that hard, but made a lot easier if you have a press of some description. You can tap them in using a large socket placed over the bearing, but make sure it covers the hard outer edge of the bearing and not the softer inner edge otherwise you'll damage it. There's loads of youtube videos showing how to do it. Don't buy crap Chinese bearings - you're better off with a named brand or better still the OEM ones - they're not that expensive.

 

With the right tools very easy. To remove the old bearings you can use a blind bearing puller and to seat the new ones a bearing seat tool. The latter you can improvise if you really need to but the puller tool is going to save you tons of time. One trick to seating new bearings is to put the bearing in the freezer for a bit just before seating it. The cold will "shrink" the metal just enough to give more room in the bearing recess making seating it go a little easier. Although I have not done this, I understand most auto parts stores rent these types of tools.

 

Now I've found the right thread. Maybe I'll give it a shot.

 

To go along with what Yellow, Motorcyclist Magazine has a little video that shows how to decode the codes on bearings and seals, even give a website of where you can get bearings that are equivalent to OEM. As said here too, they say stay away from the Chinese bearings.

Check out the mag video here...
www.motorcyclistonline.com

 

If you're not a good mechanic, find someone who is. The last thing you want is screwed up bearings in a front wheel. If you decide to DIY, do some reading and watch a video or two on how to install bearings. It's not hard to do, but it's also not hard to screw it up.

Always drive on the race that is the press fit, fr'instance your wheel bearing need to be pressed/driven in using the outer race. Using the inner race will basically ruin it. It may not feel like it but it cannot be trusted not to fail sooner.

Be very careful when starting to insert the bearing so you don't get it slightly cocked. The wheel is aluminum, and the bearing is steel so it's very easy to shave off a bit of aluminum if you get the bearing too far out of perpendicular. Start the bearing by tapping gently around the outer race until you're sure it is started squarely. Shaving off a bit of aluminum wheel may result in a loose fit for the bearing, or it may sit directly under the bearing race and not allow the bearing to seat properly.

Don't use a brass drift, brass hammer, or brass anything. Brass will flake off and can end up in the bearing and once again you have a bad bearing that may fail sooner. Don't use a hammer face to drive on a bearing even though it seems like a good way to do it. Two very hard surfaces banged together can result in failure of one of them.

And MOST IMPORTANTLY: Don't forget to put the center spacer in before you insert the other bearing. This will lead to much cursing and flinging of poo. DAMHIKIJK.

 

I place the wheel on two parallel planks of say 3x3...N.B. DON'T rest on the disc...drive out the bearings from the opposite side with a drift. Gentle tap then again 180 from the first. Do this repeatedly and the old bearing will drop out.
By all means use the socket idea but I use a block of hard wood and check the bearing is going in square. Take your time, obey the rules and buy good quality bearings. The numbers and letters of the bearing are on the dust shield of the bearings.
If in doubt..ask. We've all been there

 

Any bearing shop will have the bearings and any decent shop will not stock Chinese or Indian bearings, that shit you only get off ebay