Any warning for wheel bearing failures?
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 24,287
Likes: 4,027
From: Western MN
Any warning for wheel bearing failures?
Leaving soon for 1,000 mile trip.......'09 Ultra with 30K.
Seen scattered posts related to wheel bearing failures on later model touring machines. If you have experienced a failure ........did you notice anything "loosening up", or did they just let go without notice? Thinking I should not yet have problems at 30K (?).
Thanks - Be Safe.
Seen scattered posts related to wheel bearing failures on later model touring machines. If you have experienced a failure ........did you notice anything "loosening up", or did they just let go without notice? Thinking I should not yet have problems at 30K (?).
Thanks - Be Safe.
I had grease marks prior to failure, between the grease marks and failure took a lot of miles. At the time I did not realize what the grease marks meant and just washed them off while it was happening. In the last 4 years I've rode more than 70k miles and I had one bearing go and it happened around 10k miles I hear your concern but if you have no signs I wouldn't worry about it to much.
Here is the post when my wheel bearing failed
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ase-marks.html
Here is the post when my wheel bearing failed
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ase-marks.html
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 6,508
Likes: 169
From: WPB, FL
Absolutely NO Warning
09 Road King - 13,000 miles -
2 weekends ago the wife and I were plowing down the GS Parkway doing between 70 - 85 MPH.
Last Friday I was rounding the corner by my house (about 15 - 20 MPH) when my bike let out a huge groan and started grinding. I babied it the last 50 feet to my garage, got off and looked at the front wheel. TOTAL CATASTROPHIC FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE on the right side! HOLY CRAP!! NO WARNING! I had the bike towed in yesterday to the dealer.
I'm having the dealer do tires, valve stems and ALL the wheel bearings (I'm supplying my own with SKF 6205-2RSJ bearings). This bike has been meticulously maintained be the dealer. It had just had its' 10,000 mile service done last fall.
I'll add in that I am an avid reader here and was well aware of other postings about late model wheel bearing failures. 5 days prior to the failure I had washed and detailed the bike. When cleaning I ALWAYS grab and shake stuff, check for loose parts and had INSPECTED THE BEARINGS! There was no warning!
2 weekends ago the wife and I were plowing down the GS Parkway doing between 70 - 85 MPH.
Last Friday I was rounding the corner by my house (about 15 - 20 MPH) when my bike let out a huge groan and started grinding. I babied it the last 50 feet to my garage, got off and looked at the front wheel. TOTAL CATASTROPHIC FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE on the right side! HOLY CRAP!! NO WARNING! I had the bike towed in yesterday to the dealer.
I'm having the dealer do tires, valve stems and ALL the wheel bearings (I'm supplying my own with SKF 6205-2RSJ bearings). This bike has been meticulously maintained be the dealer. It had just had its' 10,000 mile service done last fall.
I'll add in that I am an avid reader here and was well aware of other postings about late model wheel bearing failures. 5 days prior to the failure I had washed and detailed the bike. When cleaning I ALWAYS grab and shake stuff, check for loose parts and had INSPECTED THE BEARINGS! There was no warning!
Last edited by jeffreydsilver; Jul 4, 2013 at 09:47 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 353
From: Ohio
I have an 09 and have had no problems after 45,000 miles. Nor have I ever heard of a bearing problem on late models. Anyway, bearings don't suddenly "go" like a light bulb that I'm aware of. Bearings get loose, grind, and make noise over time as they go bad. Check your service manual. Or take it to the dealer shop if it worries you. Have them check 'em when you replace tires.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 268
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
My friend has an 2010 Ultra. We were on a road trip a couple of weeks ago. He complained about the bike feeling loose with an occasional wobble. Long story short, front, left wheel bearings failed. Like jeffreydsilver, his bike is meticulously serviced and maintained. He had it towed the dealer in Longview, TX (Excellent experience, stayed open after closing on Sat, got us back on the road!!) I would have them looked at.
Last edited by shadowchaser; Jul 4, 2013 at 10:17 AM.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ase-marks.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...f-failure.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...g-failure.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...-8500-mil.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...a-classic.html
Not my picture but from the link above.
It's obvious to me that Harley had a batch of bad bearing or their quality control sucks. Like I said in more than 70k miles I had one go bad and that was around the 10k mark. Thats one to many in my book, I've never had a wheel bearing go bad on any bike I've owned. For the fanboys I didn't ever use a power washer or anything like it on any of my bikes. There is a problem but it seems to be spotty at the most, do I worry about it no, but I'm aware of it and I inspect the area a little closer knowing that it might be a problem.
This is when mine failed
Last edited by EricD10563; Jul 4, 2013 at 10:34 AM.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 24,287
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From: Western MN
I can't agree with you, plenty of post about wheel bearing failure on the 09's and later.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ase-marks.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...f-failure.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...g-failure.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...-8500-mil.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...a-classic.html
Not my picture but from the link above.
It's obvious to me that Harley had a batch of bad bearing or their quality control sucks. Like I said in more than 70k miles I had one go bad and that was around the 10k mark. Thats one to many in my book, I've never had a wheel bearing go bad on any bike I've owned. For the fanboys I didn't ever use a power washer or anything like it on any of my bikes. There is a problem but it seems to be spotty at the most, do I worry about it no, but I'm aware of it and I inspect the area a little closer knowing that it might be a problem.
This is when mine failed
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ase-marks.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...f-failure.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...g-failure.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...-8500-mil.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...a-classic.html
Not my picture but from the link above.
It's obvious to me that Harley had a batch of bad bearing or their quality control sucks. Like I said in more than 70k miles I had one go bad and that was around the 10k mark. Thats one to many in my book, I've never had a wheel bearing go bad on any bike I've owned. For the fanboys I didn't ever use a power washer or anything like it on any of my bikes. There is a problem but it seems to be spotty at the most, do I worry about it no, but I'm aware of it and I inspect the area a little closer knowing that it might be a problem.
This is when mine failed
I'm gonna have em checked.
Appreciate the other links. My search didn't pull that many posts up.
Suppose I started an unnecessary thread but much appreciated feedback.
Be safe -
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 56,052
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From: Western South Dakota
Just a PM thing for me, but I don't think it's a bad idea to change your bearings every time you change your tires, especially in the front.
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Joe Kucinski
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: So. New Jersey
Rear sprocket bearing disintegrated 2 days ago.
2008 FLHTC 31,000 miles. Mechanic removed rear wheel to replace tire, and sprocket bearing just fell apart. No warning. He said its a fairly common occurance. The wheels bearings seemed ok though. Go figure!. We'll see how long the new bearing lasts. .......jdhickm.