Brake caliper issue
Club Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 11,175
Likes: 2,483
From: Nor Cal
It's certainly possible to mess just about anything up on a motorcycle. The part that gets me is when people open the package, throw the instructions away, beat the thing into place with the heavy end of an adjustable wrench, then go nuts about how the product is 'useless junk' when it fails.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 289
Likes: 508
From: USA
Started to do this myself and buy the tools but for what cheap tools and parts would cost, I said screw it and let the dealer do it. I normally do all my own work on my bike. If it happens again I'll buy some good tools and do it myself.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,894
Likes: 8,002
From: poway
Sounds like some here need to go to therapy.. I've installed bearing wrong to the point where they died in a 1000 miles and figured out that most installers suck. I've got 60K on a 17RK with the original bearings. I've over 50K on a 07 EGC front without changing.. The 07 has a later front wheel with 6205s. The concern, I have about replacing bearing so often is that the press fit will eventually be lost..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 11,217
Likes: 3,045
From: St.Louis Mo.
The dealer installed my 2nd set of bearings that were under warranty incorrectly. Left slop between the inner space and bearing.
I found this when i bought the tool and replaced them myself again.
When i found this i took the wheel back to the dealer and the service writer said that's how the new bikes are. Buy the tool and install yourself and you will know they are done correctly.
Don't trust the dealer to do it right !
I found this when i bought the tool and replaced them myself again.
When i found this i took the wheel back to the dealer and the service writer said that's how the new bikes are. Buy the tool and install yourself and you will know they are done correctly.
Don't trust the dealer to do it right !
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,894
Likes: 8,002
From: poway
The dealer installed my 2nd set of bearings that were under warranty incorrectly. Left slop between the inner space and bearing.
I found this when i bought the tool and replaced them myself again.
When i found this i took the wheel back to the dealer and the service writer said that's how the new bikes are. Buy the tool and install yourself and you will know they are done correctly.
Don't trust the dealer to do it right !
I found this when i bought the tool and replaced them myself again.
When i found this i took the wheel back to the dealer and the service writer said that's how the new bikes are. Buy the tool and install yourself and you will know they are done correctly.
Don't trust the dealer to do it right !
Now if there was say 0.020" of clearance there would be an issue.. How much was there? Which install tools did you use?
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Shouldn't matter how cheap an installer tool is, it's the tool holding the tool that controls the depth.
As Max said above, you want a 'little' slack in the spacer tube, just enough to be able to move it around, but not enough to have any gaps. Too loose or too tight and you'll overheat the bearing, the grease turns to magic smoke.
As Max said above, you want a 'little' slack in the spacer tube, just enough to be able to move it around, but not enough to have any gaps. Too loose or too tight and you'll overheat the bearing, the grease turns to magic smoke.
Last edited by Ultra103; Aug 20, 2025 at 02:34 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,894
Likes: 8,002
From: poway
Shouldn't matter how cheap an installer tool is, it's the tool holding the tool that controls the depth.
As Max said above, you want a 'little' slack in the spacer tube, just enough to be able to move it around, but not enough to have any gaps. Too loose or too tight and you'll overheat the bearing, the grease turns to magic smoke.
As Max said above, you want a 'little' slack in the spacer tube, just enough to be able to move it around, but not enough to have any gaps. Too loose or too tight and you'll overheat the bearing, the grease turns to magic smoke.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...l#post21852139
Further up the page, the Jim's are machined flat.. Some of his early ones weren't You can cut clearance between the inner and outer race but both the inner and outer have to be at the same level.