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Fearing the worst... please tell me I'm wrong..

SpyderGirl

New member
So here we are... just three days before leaving on our trip down to Arizona.

For probably about a month now I have been hearing this "clicking" sort of sound coming from the rear wheel of the Spyder... my first mistake wasn't checking where the sound was actually coming from.

Tonight I did the oil change and installed my missing air dam kit and went ahead and jacked up the rear wheel so that I could see if I could pinpoint the sound. The sound is coming from what seems to be on the left side at the rear wheel axle.

At 16K I had either the inner or outer (can't remember which) bearing replaced. We only had one done because the dealer couldn't get us the other in time for us to leave on our cross-country trip last year. That was in July 2009.

Then in October 2009 at about 21K we had the other bearings replaced that weren't done at 16K.

Today, we are at just about 26.2K miles. I recorded this video, please tell me that it's something else... please tell me this is something I can remedy before I leave... please tell me that I'm not going to really screw something up riding with it like this for another 2K - 2.5K miles... :helpsmilie:

Alright, here's the video.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX1hWkNaqy8[/ame]
 
A little hard to tell. If you have the time, I would loosen the belt and remove it to let the rear wheel spin free. That will take anything forward of the wheel out of the picture. Also, check the brakes to make sure the pads arent catching on the rotor. Unfortunatly it does sound like a bearing is failing, but unless you can eliminate the other things, its too hard to be sure.
 
I've never taken the drive belt off myself and am afraid I won't be able to get it back on and tensioned right on my own. I would seem to think that the bearings should last longer than they have. Oh, and it makes the sound in forward and reverse.

If it is the bearings, what is the worst that could happen by me riding it for about another 1,000 miles?

I am going to try to get it to the dealer and get it fixed before I leave.
 
Oh crapola... I had a feeling. :gaah:

And I looked it up, I had the outer bearings replaced at about 16K miles in mid-August of last year. The inner bearings were replaced at about 21.5K miles in mid-October of last year.

Is 10K miles all these bearings good for?

Do you guys think this is something I can fix myself?
 
Oh crapola... I had a feeling. :gaah:

And I looked it up, I had the outer bearings replaced at about 16K miles in mid-August of last year. The inner bearings were replaced at about 21.5K miles in mid-October of last year.

Is 10K miles all these bearings good for?

Do you guys think this is something I can fix myself?
These bearings are pretty easy to change out, you'll need to take the hub apart to knock the old ones out if you don't have a bearing tool.

Belt tension has a lot to do with how long a bearing last. I've only changed one set out in 48K.
 
I've never taken the drive belt off myself and am afraid I won't be able to get it back on and tensioned right on my own. I would seem to think that the bearings should last longer than they have. Oh, and it makes the sound in forward and reverse.

If it is the bearings, what is the worst that could happen by me riding it for about another 1,000 miles?

I am going to try to get it to the dealer and get it fixed before I leave.

You can jack the spyder up just to the right point where there is barely pressure on the shock--- remove the lower shock bolt-- then you can crank it up much higher (thus dropping the swingarm really low). This take the pressure off the belt--- then you can spin the wheel without the belt on it.

I'm betting bad bearing----- shouldn't be a big deal for your dealer to replace.

I've got extra bearings--- lemme know if they have a problem-- I can overnight them to you if you need them.
 
You can jack the spyder up just to the right point where there is barely pressure on the shock--- remove the lower shock bolt-- then you can crank it up much higher (thus dropping the swingarm really low). This take the pressure off the belt--- then you can spin the wheel without the belt on it.

I'm betting bad bearing----- shouldn't be a big deal for your dealer to replace.

I've got extra bearings--- lemme know if they have a problem-- I can overnight them to you if you need them.

Thanks, I'll let you know. I am (not so) patiently waiting for the local dealers to open so I can start making phone calls.
 
Oh crapola... I had a feeling. :gaah:

And I looked it up, I had the outer bearings replaced at about 16K miles in mid-August of last year. The inner bearings were replaced at about 21.5K miles in mid-October of last year.

Is 10K miles all these bearings good for?

Do you guys think this is something I can fix myself?
WORDS TO LIVE BY--- "Oh Crapola...I had a felling":spyder:
 
Oh crapola... I had a feeling. :gaah:

And I looked it up, I had the outer bearings replaced at about 16K miles in mid-August of last year. The inner bearings were replaced at about 21.5K miles in mid-October of last year.

Is 10K miles all these bearings good for?

Do you guys think this is something I can fix myself?


I did mine myself and it wasn't too bad. Your local autoparts store will usually let you use a puller for free. I took a bearing in to my local AutoZone and we came up with a simple combo that removed the bearing really easy. It was a blind-hole puller unit -- I think I used a 2-pronged unit on the bottom instead of the 'flange' type device.

Blind hole puller:

http://www.harborfreight.com/blind-hole-bearing-puller-95987.html

I wouldn't buy crap from HF as it will just break-- and Auto parts place will let ya use em free!

I did buy and use this kit to seat the new bearings in place:

http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-bearing-race-and-seal-driver-set-95853.html
 
Great, thanks Firefly!!

Seems easy enough. I have replaced hub / bearings on cars, so this shouldn't be a big deal. I'm only worried about the belt tensioning.
 
You'll want to do all 3 bearings and new seals btw.....


Here's my thread of when I did mine:

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21217&highlight=rear+bearings
Just read that post and I wouldn't advise to "grease the bearing" to put them back in.

If you have the hub apart you can knock the bearing out from the back side with a rod or just about anything, no need for a bearing puller. A socket works good for knocking them back in if you don't have the bearing tools too. :doorag:
 
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