Wheel bearings
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,132
Likes: 12,692
From: South Carolina
I doubt the little 1/4 inch ball bearings on the back of a bicycle, or the 3/16 ball bearings on the front have a similar load rating.
When the sealed wheel bearings first came out it seems that the forums were full of posts about wheel bearing failures, but in the last 3 or 4 years not many. I think a lot of these bearings were failing due to improper installation.
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Apr 20, 2021 at 08:09 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
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From: Upstate New York
A 6205 ball bearing (25mm ID, 52mm OD, 15MM Width) has a 1750 lb static load rating, and a 3600 lb dynamic load rating.
I doubt the little 1/4 inch ball bearings on the back of a bicycle, or the 3/16 ball bearings on the front have a similar load rating.
When the sealed wheel bearings first came out it seems that the forums were full of posts about wheel bearing failures, but in the last 3 or 4 years not many. I think a lot of these bearings were failing due to improper installation.
I doubt the little 1/4 inch ball bearings on the back of a bicycle, or the 3/16 ball bearings on the front have a similar load rating.
When the sealed wheel bearings first came out it seems that the forums were full of posts about wheel bearing failures, but in the last 3 or 4 years not many. I think a lot of these bearings were failing due to improper installation.
I used to grease the old Timken roller bearings at every tire change and they lasted well over 100,000 miles.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,132
Likes: 12,692
From: South Carolina
There have been many posts on the forum by people who were installing wheel bearings and encountered issues, and they clearly were not doing the bearing installation correctly.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,371
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From: Wisconsin
The H-D wheel bearings usually fail from contamination and/or corrosion. I believe pressure washing kills most of them.
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Road Master
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From: West TN
I would rather have to replace them every 30-50k miles then grease and adjust every tire change. having an 80s K body 4 x 4 and a 60's Vw I am more then familiar with the PITA of timken bearings...
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,132
Likes: 12,692
From: South Carolina
It only takes a few minutes to repack the Timkens, and they do not need to be adjusted once the end play is set.
My `89 Softail still has the original wheel bearings, over 140,000 miles so far.
My `89 Softail still has the original wheel bearings, over 140,000 miles so far.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
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From: Upstate New York