FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS - Difficult?

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ROMAN

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Aug 11, 2012
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Location
Deep East Texas
Even prior to advice or suggestion, I was convinced the howling noise while turning my Warrior to the right was bad wheel bearings.
If you guys are anything like me and on a super-restrictive budget, you understand the desire to make repairs on your own. There are several excellent ATV/motorcycle repairmen in my area. Problem is, although they are good they charge hefty fees. However, I think it would be fun and a good confidence builder to do it myself.

So, front wheel bearings. Something I should tackle? If so...HOW?
 
we all tackle these things, with help, but this is an easy one, i and all of us are here to help and a clymers book dont hurt, ill find bearings for ya on flea bag

if ya own it,,,,,,,,,,,,,ya gotta know how to fix it!!!!
i asked my buddy if he wants to ride......he said NO.............nothings broke:haha:
 
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lol jim he said no...:( i hate when my friends say that.....my one friend was like:hey jeff why is your warrior always a piece of crap and falls apart....and I said:cuz i dont ride like a pussy lol
 
whats the difference Dune? besides $ i dunno just askin..........better bearing?
 
Tapered roller bearings can handle more side load (like when you turn) than a ball bearing. Roller bearings also have more surface area than a ball bearing, which only rides on the very top of the ball. Ever look at a basket ball sitting on the ground? Notice how a 1/16 of the ball is in contact with the ground? That is what a ball from a standard ball bearing looks like. Rollers are just that, rollers. They are shaped like the paint rollers you use to paint your walls. See how much more surface area and coverage they have? Much more capable to handle the vehicle weight, and side load forces. That's why you only see tapered roller bearings used on older cars, 2wd trucks, and fullsize vans. Unless their cages are made of plastic, or they are run without grease, it's very seldom you have to replace them. All you do is repack and install new wheel seals. Same thing applies to these bearings. Am going to do them the next go round on mine. Just didn't have the cash when I replaced mine a year ago.
 
ok i read that when i was looking......what about swingarm bearings????? iwasnt happy with what i installed,,,,,,but grease fitting gives me some confidence,,,,,oh yea ROMAN we gotta tell you about grease fittings YOU HAVE TO INSTALL.....imo
 
Tell me everything. There's no doubt my machine needs several immediate things. Clutch cable (or adjustment); oil/filter change; carb clean/rebuild; cam chain/timing chain adjust (or replace) and the wheel bearings. I think I will choose wheel bearings first. House Appropriations Committee (WIFE) says we can afford only a little bit at a time and recommend that I learn to do some of this stuff on my own.
I watched a couple of YOUTUBE how-to videos and it looks simple. My biggest issue is confidence.

Oh, and I pulled the spark plug. Looks like it needs replacing. But it had just a little oil on the threads of the spark plug - but not on the tip of the plug itself.
Concern here? Or perhaps a good tune-up and some adjustments here-and -there will cure several issues.

My wife and I are of the conclusion...."surely it can't be THAT difficult!"

:???:

Many thanks to all in advance!
 
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nothing on that list is above a 3 out of 5 if you have some tools and time.

the hardest part about the wheel bearings is putting the new ones in square, its so easy after you do it, your gonna ask yourself, " people pay to get this done?"
 
OH GREAT! I've stripped a lug nut. Some prior owner decided it would be cool to install the lug nuts with an air gun that works at 390,000 PSI so it would never come off ever again.
Lovely! It will have to go to the shop now at $70/hr plus parts. What would have cost me $50 total will now cost $125.00 (at least)!
 
OH GREAT! I've stripped a lug nut. Some prior owner decided it would be cool to install the lug nuts with an air gun that works at 390,000 PSI so it would never come off ever again.
Lovely! It will have to go to the shop now at $70/hr plus parts. What would have cost me $50 total will now cost $125.00 (at least)!

You can still get it off, but I have to ask, where you useing a giant monkey wrench like you should if been?

Chisel and hammer could work. If all else fails cut it off, very carefully! All in all you'd just have to but a new nut, and I actually have a old used one with good edges and splines on it - just pay for shipping.
 
so is the nut stripped? i wouldnt take it to a shop, its 2 hrs to change plus parts and tax and labor mark up. soo if i were you id bust out the wrenches, and a cheeter bar!
 
If the stud is damaged, take and lay the hub on a couple blocks of wood, or the jaws of a bench vise. Doing this will support the hub so it won't break when you remove the stud. Just make sure that the body of the hub is on a decent piece of wood, and the tip of the hub where the stud is, is supported by another. You basically want the stud between the two blocks of wood, with nothing under the stud. Take a fairly good size hammer and whack that stud till it comes out. It's not usually too bad, because it's an aluminum hub. Then go to a parts store or yamaha and get another. You can install the same way you removed it, or you can put a spacer on it, and put a nut on after the spacer, and tighten the nut till it pulls the stud completely in.
 
No - my big dummy self was using a 9/16 12-point socket. Should have been using a 6-point socket. I started grinding the nut down with an air grinder. Lots of work! Thought I could get it down close enough to the threads to bust it loose.
No dice so far. That thing feels welded on (it's not, though. I checked).
Super, super tight! I've shot WD-40 on it, 3 in 1 oil....tried the basics. No worky!

Then woke up this morning to find the battery leaked overnight.
Leaked all down into the battery tray and onto the garage floor. I suppose it was battery acid. It was clear, odorless. The battery was very warm to the touch.
WHY? I don't know. No reason I am aware of.
It was fine yesterday.

So many problems are piling up on this machine.
I'm not sure I will get this machine going anytime soon. Not without spending about a thousand dollars!

I am beginning to think I may have bought into a money pit.
Oh well. I should have inspected it more closely before I bought it.
It sort of makes me want to triple my efforts and do a "warrior" battle cry and not allow defeat!

 
Keep pluggin away at it. These machine are all old and have there own personality. Everything can and will be worked out, just takes time and patience and if your wise about your spending, you can do it all for next to nothing.

That batter thing sounds goofy though, If it was just sitting, it shouldn't of leaked and definitely shouldn't be hot to the touch. Disconnect it now!
 
Could be a bad cell. Try using a smaller socket and beat it on the nut with a hammer. Done that before. Take a propane torch to the nut and heat it up some.
 
MAN! You guys are so nice and supportive! I appreciate it and may God Bless ALL of you!
GOOD NEWS! I got the darn thing off! A neighbor was passing by on HIS 4-wheeler and saw me having issues. He stopped and gave me some help with it.
In the end, I destroyed 2 nuts and only one stud. Not bad considering I know not what I am doing. I got both front wheels off and after about 45 minutes of fumbling with it, I got the bearings out. See attached picture of how they looked. It's a blurry photo but you know what you are seeing! Bearings packed in rust! I will use this opportunity to do some house keeping in and around the front of the machine and maybe do some touch-up here-and-there cosmetically. Brake pads look good for now. Now I can relax a bit. Can't afford the bearings until the 20th when wife is paid. More as this dramatic story unfolds! Thanks again buds!
 
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