Replacing wheel bearings
 

Ok ive decided i need to get the rear wheel bearings replaced. There are 2 in the wheel and one in the chain drive. It appears that the one in the chain drive and on one side of the wheel have a circlip on them. Will this be holding them in or is it a belt and braces approach and they will be an interference fit?

Any tips on replacing them?

Re: Replacing wheel bearings
 

The circlip won't be all that's holding them in - they're an interference fit in the housing/hub. But not that tight - if you're doing it right they'll come out with minimal force.

You'll need a long drift to get them out, and preferably a suitably sized drift/socket/the old bearing run down on a grinder to fit the new ones. Make sure they come out neatly and squarely, and that they go back in the same way, if they're cocked they'll be difficult to move, and in an extreme case the bearing recess can get damaged.

The sprocket carrier bearing almost always fits into a recess so you'll know when to stop tapping, but many wheels nowadays only have one bearing that stops in place, the other one is simply in a machined hole with no backing stop, that one goes in second and must *just* be brought up to the bearing spacer, so that there is no play, (ie the spacer is held neatly by the bearing inner races), but with no load and the bearings will turn freely.

Make sure that the seals and spacers are in good nick, and that the recess has a bit of grease in between the bearing and the seal.

Re: Replacing wheel bearings
 

Not sure what Sid would say about this but if they're too tight in there, pour some boiling water over the hub, the alloy will expand more than the steel and they shoudl come right out, don't burn yourself though.

Re: Replacing wheel bearings
 

Yup, I would agree. Bit of heat & the 2 different metals expand at different rates, so should aid removal

Re: Replacing wheel bearings
 

I don't do this, not because it's a bad idea - it isn't. Simply that I don't find it necessary, as long as the bearing is brought out squarely it won't be difficult to remove.

Re: Replacing wheel bearings
 

i was dreading doing this. Turns out it took me an hour including driving to my place of work to use the press. (15 mins each way) infact the hardest part of the job was getting the rear wheel back in :) happy buunny.

Might do the fronts just for fun now.