I have a '04 RK Custom. The rear wheel bearing on pulley side seems to back out enough where the center axle spacer becomes loose and makes a clicking noise. (stock cast wheel, replaced original HD bearing with new All-*****)
A local Bearing & machine shop has recommend sealing the bearings in with Loctite 660. Has anyone had experience use a retaining compound to lock in wheel bearings? Also looks like the originals were secured with red Loctite.

 

The inner races of the bearings and the inner/outer spacers are all held (squeezed) together by the axle and axle nut.

Can`t see how anything in that stackup can come loose unless the nut comes loose, or a part in the stackup disintegrates...

 

I'm not sure why, but I've press the bearing in twice now. No noise, take a 25 mile or so ride & noise returns. When I disassemble rear wheel the pulley side bearing has backed out just enough for center spacer to move. I still need to use the tool to install bearings, but seems to press in easily. I thought the same how can it back out with axle nut torqued down. I've pressed it in using the Loctite 660 now. I'll give it a ride tomorrow & see what happens.

 

There is a procedure especially for the front so the caliper sits properly centered to the rotor. One bearing side is bottomed. The other is centered and controlled by center spacer and press fit to the hub. Your wheel bore for the bearing is probably damaged and is too big. The press fit is very small. Wheel probably should be replaced but they do make some loctite products to fix bearing and sleeve problems like this but not sure if loctite would approve it for a motorcycle application..
I drew up some pictures to help make this clear. You press fit is probably only .0005 to .0015 too big. The tapered bearing do not apply to you here but I always throw them in.

You need to look in the service manual for your bike to see what one goes to the bottom.

 

Left side first which I assume is standing at front of bike.

Thanks for all input.

 

The left side of your truck is the steering wheel side...

 

Sitting on bike.


The center spacer is pinched by the axle, inner race and outer spacers, how do you figure it is moving?

The outer race could disappear completely but the inner stack up (center spacer, inner races, outer spacers) will stay tight.

 

Only if the press fit is correct. If everything was perfect and both bearings bottomed on a shoulder, your statement would be correct but no way can this be done. Even being off a few .001 of an inch and then the torque of the axle would be on the outer bearing race which would pre-load the bearing and cause it to fail. The axle torque simple goes thru the spacers, inner race and center tube.

 

I'm in the process off bottoming out the correct bearing first. Since I had it reversed maybe this was causing the bearing to back off some.

 

That is exactly what I said, in response to the OP`s statement that the center spacer was coming loose.

If all is set up correctly, once the axle nut it torqued, that stack is not going to loosen.

If the OP`s center spacer stack is coming loose, the parts were never drawn together to begin with.