Bearings

[Mucckker]

  New to this site ..greetings all ..I have a question.Just taken my bike to a new garage only to be told my mot Will fail that I need new front bearings and it's a big job..my bike only has 21000 miles ..don't they last longer than that ?

[Kingfisher91]

Hi and welcome. I can't think front wheel bearings are very hard to do l, especially for a garage. I'd be questioning the quality of their work if they find wheel bearings hard...  as for the miles in not sure as you never know how they've been treated, pressure washers kill them if not used properly.

[greywolf]

It's unusual for bearings to be needed that early unless the bike had gone swimming or been pressure washed. Bearing replacement is not a big job though. http://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,4250.0.html

[Mucckker]

Never been swimming or pressure washed ..Think the garage maybe pulling a fast one..Will ask for the old bearings tomorrow..hopefully they still have them when I pick my bike up

[TimV]

I wonder if they mean the steering head bearings? After 11 years, if they hadn't been maintained much they could well need doing, and it is a bigger job than the wheel bearings.

[UK_Vstrom650]

They definitely mean front wheel bearings and not steering bearings...? The latter is a relatively big job, c.3hrs labour although I did them myself for less than £50 (vs £160 for an independent garage).

I think the last time I had front wheel bearings done on an old Fazer it cost about £50 in total for a garage to do it (may have been less)

Edit TimV beat me to it.

[greywolf]

Many years to dry out the seals and some riding on salted streets can take a toll too.

[Loz]

I would not use a punch to drive a bearing in (as per link above) as you want to be driving it in flush, there are better methods to achieve this.
I find it a relatively easy job, having done a fair few on Enduro bikes.
Tips from me would be new bearings in freezer and warm the hub up before fitting them, other than that just ensure you drive them in flush.

[greywolf]

If you don't have a bearing driver, a large socket from your tool collection can often do the trick.

[Loz]

Large socket is what I use or the old bearing with a slit cut across it so it doesn't jam itself in and can be removed easily.