Bad front wheel bearing part2
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,513
Likes: 6
From: SC
Bad front wheel bearing part2
I got my Timken/Fafnir bearing today. I also ordered myself a puller/installer and a larger double row sealed bearing 25mm x 52mm x 20.6 that might be a substitute for non-ABS Harleys. I want to visually compare it to the standard size bearing.
I got the idea from video I found on Youtube that shows how much deflection is possible with single row bearing compared to a double row bearing. >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esUqoQ_ChTA
Im thinking if it works it might give us trike riders longer life from the failing beaings HD is now using
I got the idea from video I found on Youtube that shows how much deflection is possible with single row bearing compared to a double row bearing. >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esUqoQ_ChTA
Im thinking if it works it might give us trike riders longer life from the failing beaings HD is now using
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 99
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From: Rockwall, Texas
I just picked my trike up from a indy shop, had the front bearings replaced. Both bearings were rough and on the verge of failure. I have 31,000 on the bearings. They put a new tire on the front while we had it apart. I put a Bridgestone Battlax T-45 rear tire on it. I'll let you know how it runs out.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,513
Likes: 6
From: SC
I just picked my trike up from a indy shop, had the front bearings replaced. Both bearings were rough and on the verge of failure. I have 31,000 on the bearings. They put a new tire on the front while we had it apart. I put a Bridgestone Battlax T-45 rear tire on it. I'll let you know how it runs out.
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,513
Likes: 6
From: SC
KLM bearings are chinese made. I may be wrong but this may be a on going issue with this size bearing no matter who makes it.
Update, I wanted to expand on my comment as to why and I found a posting in another forum that explains it better as to why and what I want to do as well with trying to use a double row bearing >>>>
Copied explaination >> I have been reading a lot of forum posts about failures with the 25 mm bearings that HD is presently using. When HD went to the sealed wheel bearings back in 2000, they used an international industry standard OD (52 mm) and Width (20.6 mm), but kept the ID in inches (3/4" and later, 1"). These were pretty stout double row deep-groove ball bearings, and from forum accounts I have read, have relatively few failures compared to the late model (2007 or 2008 onward, depending on model) bearings currently in use.
Then, in 2007 to 2008, depending on model, HD went all the way to an internationally standard bearing size (OD 52 mm, Width 15 mm, ID 25 mm). That international size designation is 6205. Notice the decrease in width, from 20.6 mm to 15 mm. That's because the bearing went from a double row bearing to a single row bearing. From what I can tell from bearing catalogs, going from a double row bearing to a single row bearing represents a drop of 33% in dynamic load rating, and almost 50% reduction is static load rating. So it is not surprising to me to see that more bearing failures are being reported in late model HDs.
As far as converting back to tapered Timken bearings, may I offer a less radical suggestion, which I am also implementing on my '07 Ultra? I like the look of the '09 touring wheels, so I bought a dealer take off front wheel. Instead of going with the original single row bearings, I am swapping them out for 5205-sized bearings, which are double row ball bearings (52 mm OD, 20.6 mm Width, 25 mm ID). They fit in the same bearing space as the originals, but are 5.6 mm wider. The wheel spacers need to be cut down by that same 5.6 mm, but it promises to be a bolt-in swap, while retaining the strength of the double row ball bearings. NOTE: This may not be as easy to do on a bike with the ABS sensor.
What was HD thinking when they went to single row ball bearings? Maybe they worked in their labs, but out in the real world, the number of reported failures is alarming.
Update, I wanted to expand on my comment as to why and I found a posting in another forum that explains it better as to why and what I want to do as well with trying to use a double row bearing >>>>
Copied explaination >> I have been reading a lot of forum posts about failures with the 25 mm bearings that HD is presently using. When HD went to the sealed wheel bearings back in 2000, they used an international industry standard OD (52 mm) and Width (20.6 mm), but kept the ID in inches (3/4" and later, 1"). These were pretty stout double row deep-groove ball bearings, and from forum accounts I have read, have relatively few failures compared to the late model (2007 or 2008 onward, depending on model) bearings currently in use.
Then, in 2007 to 2008, depending on model, HD went all the way to an internationally standard bearing size (OD 52 mm, Width 15 mm, ID 25 mm). That international size designation is 6205. Notice the decrease in width, from 20.6 mm to 15 mm. That's because the bearing went from a double row bearing to a single row bearing. From what I can tell from bearing catalogs, going from a double row bearing to a single row bearing represents a drop of 33% in dynamic load rating, and almost 50% reduction is static load rating. So it is not surprising to me to see that more bearing failures are being reported in late model HDs.
As far as converting back to tapered Timken bearings, may I offer a less radical suggestion, which I am also implementing on my '07 Ultra? I like the look of the '09 touring wheels, so I bought a dealer take off front wheel. Instead of going with the original single row bearings, I am swapping them out for 5205-sized bearings, which are double row ball bearings (52 mm OD, 20.6 mm Width, 25 mm ID). They fit in the same bearing space as the originals, but are 5.6 mm wider. The wheel spacers need to be cut down by that same 5.6 mm, but it promises to be a bolt-in swap, while retaining the strength of the double row ball bearings. NOTE: This may not be as easy to do on a bike with the ABS sensor.
What was HD thinking when they went to single row ball bearings? Maybe they worked in their labs, but out in the real world, the number of reported failures is alarming.
Last edited by FLTR2008TRIKE; Jan 27, 2012 at 03:55 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
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From: SC
Timken # W205pp
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Lake Ozark, MO.
I went on google looking for FTM bearing kit (double row for 99 thru2006 kit) do not offer for 2007 and up. Ran on a interesting artticle on Baggers Mag about HD using double row bearings on 2007 and up. My question is any one know for sure these arn't double row bearings.