freedomgli
Been Around the Block
So I just got done installing new wheel bearings (All Balls Racing 25-1335 kit) into a Honda CL350K2 rear hub I picked up for this project. Unfortunately, the bearings seem to be dragging a bit now and I'm wondering if maybe I messed something up.
Bearing Install Method
I put the new bearings in the freezer for about 4 hours so they would shrink (probably should have left them in there longer) and then used the old bearings and/or a large impact socket to pound them in with a small sledgehammer and/or rubber mallet, doing my best to ensure the load was directed towards the outer race. (Sadly the HF hydraulic press in my shop sprung a leak and is out of commission at the moment). I first installed the 6303 brake side bearing until it was flush. Then I greased the inside of the hub and inserted the long spacer. Then I put the small spacer inside the 6304 sprocket side bearing and drove that home. It was impossible to tell exactly when the two spacers made contact inside the hub (per All Balls Racing Wheel_Bearing_Install.pdf instructions). Finally, I replaced the seal and inserted the bearing retainer until it was snug.
Axle Install Method
I first became concerned when it took more effort than I thought would be necessary to fit my original CB350K2 rear axle to the CL350K2 hub (the hubs are the same part number and use the same exact axle). I greased up the axle but it wouldn't slide in smoothly all the way. It seems it was getting hung up on the second bearing (sprocket side). It took several good whacks with the rubber mallet to get past the second wheel bearing (sprocket side). It seems there must be some misalignment or perhaps my rear axle is slightly bent.
Diagnosis
I'm concerned that perhaps I went too far in driving the second bearing in. Per All Balls, fully seating the second bearing may cause both bearings to become side loaded causing premature failure. Or perhaps I inflicted some damage by using a hammer and socket instead of a hydraulic press and a thin-walled bearing driver to ensure the force acted only on the outer race. Or perhaps one of the bearings is slightly cocked. Or perhaps the bearings lack sufficient lubrication. I read a lot of off-road guys remove the bearing seals and pack them full of grease as they come with only a thin coat of grease from the factory (supposedly Chevron SRI, mislabeled on All Balls advertising materials as SR1-2). Or perhaps my axle is slightly bent.
Or perhaps the wheel bearings just have a normal amount of drag and I'm being paranoid. Spinning the rear hub by hand it barely turns one revolution before coming to a halt. For comparison, my front hub with new bearings installed exactly the same way will spin several revolutions before stopping and I didn't have any difficulty installing the front axle. I know this isn't the most scientific method but the discrepancy makes me wonder if everything is OK. By the way, these are bare hubs with no spokes or rims attached so they don't have much inertia to begin with but it still seems to me that there is excessive drag.
Bearing Install Method
I put the new bearings in the freezer for about 4 hours so they would shrink (probably should have left them in there longer) and then used the old bearings and/or a large impact socket to pound them in with a small sledgehammer and/or rubber mallet, doing my best to ensure the load was directed towards the outer race. (Sadly the HF hydraulic press in my shop sprung a leak and is out of commission at the moment). I first installed the 6303 brake side bearing until it was flush. Then I greased the inside of the hub and inserted the long spacer. Then I put the small spacer inside the 6304 sprocket side bearing and drove that home. It was impossible to tell exactly when the two spacers made contact inside the hub (per All Balls Racing Wheel_Bearing_Install.pdf instructions). Finally, I replaced the seal and inserted the bearing retainer until it was snug.
Axle Install Method
I first became concerned when it took more effort than I thought would be necessary to fit my original CB350K2 rear axle to the CL350K2 hub (the hubs are the same part number and use the same exact axle). I greased up the axle but it wouldn't slide in smoothly all the way. It seems it was getting hung up on the second bearing (sprocket side). It took several good whacks with the rubber mallet to get past the second wheel bearing (sprocket side). It seems there must be some misalignment or perhaps my rear axle is slightly bent.
Diagnosis
I'm concerned that perhaps I went too far in driving the second bearing in. Per All Balls, fully seating the second bearing may cause both bearings to become side loaded causing premature failure. Or perhaps I inflicted some damage by using a hammer and socket instead of a hydraulic press and a thin-walled bearing driver to ensure the force acted only on the outer race. Or perhaps one of the bearings is slightly cocked. Or perhaps the bearings lack sufficient lubrication. I read a lot of off-road guys remove the bearing seals and pack them full of grease as they come with only a thin coat of grease from the factory (supposedly Chevron SRI, mislabeled on All Balls advertising materials as SR1-2). Or perhaps my axle is slightly bent.
Or perhaps the wheel bearings just have a normal amount of drag and I'm being paranoid. Spinning the rear hub by hand it barely turns one revolution before coming to a halt. For comparison, my front hub with new bearings installed exactly the same way will spin several revolutions before stopping and I didn't have any difficulty installing the front axle. I know this isn't the most scientific method but the discrepancy makes me wonder if everything is OK. By the way, these are bare hubs with no spokes or rims attached so they don't have much inertia to begin with but it still seems to me that there is excessive drag.
