Got the rim off to put a new tire on and notice the bearing is smoth but had like 2 spots that feel like it sticks. Pulled the small cover off the bearings and it has very little greese. Can I add some? Bearings have 3800 miles on them.

 

Never mind. I can't read.

 

I was thinking of using a greese needle and shooting some good greese in between the openings.

 

If you are able to feel anything at all that is rough as it turns, or "sticks" as you say:
Replace them.

If you want go ahead and grease the bearing:
Pull it out.
Fill the palm of your hand with grease.
Drag the bearing in the grease across your hand then flat against your palm (down by your thumb) to force the grease into the bearing.
Rotate the bearing a bit and do it again, and again, and again, and again until it is full of grease.

When you are done, go give your wife a greasy hug, you are now a mekannik.

 

If you dinged the grease seal, even a little bit, it is best to replace the brg. Better yet, change them both. I picked some up at the bearing house for $9.00 each. I have the removal tool so it only takes a few minutes to do the job. Better safe than sorry.

 

I swap the bearings out every other tire change.
Look for timken (fafnir) bearings, they hold up lots longer.

 

Very little grease is unfortunately common today, and I think is the reason so many forum members have posted about their bearing failures. If there is anything other than completely smooth about that bearing, I'd replace it. Not with Chinese made, either. I've seen many new bearings come with a thin bead of clear stuff on them; I know of no quality synthetic grease that looks like vaseline, and always clean that stuff off, and put grease I trust in there, like Mobil or Shell synthetic, not the cheap stuff. A tube of it will do a lot of Harley wheel bearings, too. If you were careful prying up the plastic seal, there should be no damage to it; I've removed and replaced hundreds.

If you replace the bearings, I really recommend a puller set like the Pit Posse puller, will make the job easy, and will keep the bearing square in the wheel bore; if you use a hammer, even if you manage not to damage the bearing, it'll **** at least a little in the wheel bore and gall the sides a little; enough of that and you get a loose fitting bearing - that's a new wheel.

I've run across plastic bearing cages (the part holding the ***** in place, metal in your photo) and threw those bearings away unused.

If you keep that bearing, wipe out as much old grease as you can and just push little gobs of grease between the *****, rotate it, more gobs, until it just squishes away from your finger and then wipe off enough so there's a little airspace left when you press the seal back on. That will give enough room for the ***** to drill a tunnel through the grease without having to push a mass of it.

For some years now, a lot of engineers have claimed bearings only need enough grease for a thin film on the *****. That's bs for wheel bearings, even airlines fill their jet wheel bearings full. Cars have since the beginning. From what I've been seeing, a lot don't come that way from the manufacturer, so even if you get new ones, pop the seals and make sure they have plenty of grease. If your quality grease is a different color, don't just add it, clean out the original and fill it with the same type grease; not all greases like living together.

Never, ever, use black moly grease on a wheel bearing, that's not what it's for, though I've seen it done. Don't "borrow" some red Mobil grease from an aircraft mechanic buddy that he uses on airliner wheel bearings; that's hydroscopic (absorbs water), and even though there's a reason for that on airplanes, it's bad news on motorcycles.

 

Sealed bearings never need "re-greased" but always REPLACED... when they near the end of their service life.

 

This is a tapered bearing... suitable for service.

 

You already have the rubber seal off. If it's smooth. Simple get you some ball bearing wheel grease. Using a spoon, simple scoop off a dab with your finger and push it in. Hit the same spot till you see it ooze out on both side of were you are pushing it in. Now just move around. That will pack plenty in there. Now turn it a few times and take out the excess in front of the separator. You do not want it full. Now work the seal back in. Just check them for a while. It will be fine.
Normally when you pack a tapered roller bearing or a ball bearing, you put a dab of grease in the palm and push the bearing in till it comes out other side. Do not remove bearing or push out the back seal.