Wheel bearing disintegrates - F800

Are you saying this is a easy replacement job in the field? I'm only familiar with changing out wheel bearings in 4x4's and they certainly aren't that easy on the vehicles I owned (or worked on).

My failure was on the rotor side also.
Pressure washed mine on one occasion after a messy ride, but never held the nozzle of the pressure washer closer than 2 ft. from bike.

I would be surprised if that was enough to cause failure.

Glen

Well...normally I would not carry spare wheel bearings or a snap ring pliers with me, but yes, if you have the spare bearings and the tools you should be able to do it in the field unless I am missing something here. I have not actually serviced a rear bearing on this particular bike, but I have replaced a fair number of wheel bearings in my garage.

Wonder if the bearings are just coming from the factory with too little grease? Are the hub/axle seals substantial, or are they relying on the integral seals of the bearings to keep moisture out?

I always spin check my bearings when I'm changing tires, but your failure at 6500 miles is way to quick to really even wear a tire out.

Depends on the tires. 6500 miles is pretty much two rears for me.

Yeah, I am on my second rear, and I am planning to go to third before I remount the wheel. I cannot get more than 3k out of a rear knobbie. BTW, the bearings seemed fine when I mounted the current tire at about 3k.

Didn't ChiTown have a rear wheel bearing failure too? :huh

When will Toyota start making DS bikes ? Just imagine the 4Runner of motorcycles. Hanz and Franz would be out of business quickly I think. They should be embarrassed, I mean really.

I changed tires out @ 2100 miles and the rear bearings needed to be replaced. The fronts were OK.

I thought that it might have been from over-torquing the rear axle - not now.

Are they? I worked at a place that moved its manufacturing over there and it wasn't pretty. I was in the R+D department so I saw first hand the failures.

I've seen Dennis' bike...I don't think he has every washed it period

I do keep the roundels polished and scratch free, however.

Anyone got tips on how to check your bearings?

I'm pretty sure I have the basics down... spin wheel and listen to bearings, get wheel off and spin bearings by hand, check for grainy feel and noise, observe for damage.

If someone has a nifty technique or something I missed let me know, I will be going on a long ride before taking the wheel off to check...

Unless the bearings are really shot, you're probably not going to feel them going bad by spinning the wheel. Can't really hear them either with the chain and such.

Best is to spin them by hand and feel for any grittyness, or looseness.

I've never had a wheel bearing disintegrate on me, but I have caught several sets going bad while changing tires.

This is a first for me also on a motorcycle. I have replaced a few wheel bearings during wheel changes (mostly dirt bikes) usually because I could see that the seal was compromised. On cars the bearing usually makes a howling sound for a hundred miles or more before doing any damage or causing any grief. This incident was like getting struck by lightning - basically a sound resembling a light chain slap (which it probably was because of mis-alignment), and then complete loss of rear wheel directionality (very much like a blowout).

I did look at the bearings when I swapped tires last time to see if the seals were OK, and they were. I doubt I could have stopped this incident from happening with any reasonable maintenance process. Who expects a catastrophic wheel bearing event at 6K miles?

Exactly.

You know, every bearing I've ever purchased was oiled only, even when there were seals on both sides of the bearing. Always got to pop the seals off, clean out the oil, and pack those suckers with grease. Maybe that's getting over looked at the factory?

I did not realize you could pop the seals off of a sealed bearing.
My dealer told me today that the bearings where of Japanese origin

What does everyone think about going to a ceramic or other type of h.d. bearing?

If I had the bearing specs, I'd consider replacing them with qulaity sealed bearings. I think.

Yep, I just gently get a jewelers flat blade screwdriver in under a lip and they pop right out.

Well, you asked.
I don't think you should HAVE to.
You bought a quality bike, right?