Allo. The front wheel bearings on my bike are shot and although I have some new ones (All Balls) coming from M&P, I'll need some tools to help me swap them out. In a pinch I could use a screwdriver to tap out the old and a matching diameter socket to tap in the new, but I'd rather get a kit to properly pull the old and fit the new so I don't damage anything. I'm guessing it's 2 sets of tools (one to extract, one to re-fit)? Can anyone recommend a small set of tools that will match the Fireblade bearing sizes? Ta CW
TBH your first suggestion is adequate enough to change them without damage. Just knock the old ones out from the inside and leave the new ones in the freezer for a while and they should just drop in.
Use a shield anchor bolt to remove them like so! Then use the old ones to drift the new ones in! And Bob's your knob! Job done
Cheers Steve I had to replace the front and rear on my CB1 last year it worked a treat I took the wheel bearings in to my local hardware store to check the size first then half hour later job done
Fantastic approach. I'm not quite sure what a shield anchor bolt is though. I'll be looking silly when I find out
Nip in to B&Q or a hardware store and they'll show ya! Basically it's a bolt with an outer casing that expands when tightened which grip the bearing so you can drive it out! Google shield anchor bolt and you'll get a picture to work with! It saves on unnecessary tools I got mine for a couple of £ each
What size did you get? I picked up the biggest I could find in the local ScrewFix (M12) and it doesn't open wide enough :/ Damn Fireblades with their wide axels...
Callum I'm not to sure mate a M10 maybe! I took the wheel bearings into my local engineering agencies where everything is loose so I could try various sizes but I made sure it was tight fit before I made any adjustment to the bolt! I've not done the Blade yet but it works a treat on my wee bike sorry I'm not much help but there was definitely 2 or 3 sizes bigger than I bought, maybe try a another hardware store or eBay mate! Good luck.
Bit the bullet in the end and bought a slide-hammer bearing puller set off ebay. I should have done it in the first place (don't ask why...) 26k on my 'blade and the bearings were totally shot. Full of grit and rust - not one drop of grease to be found. I ... think this may have been overdue
That must have felt shit even when rolling it around!!! Bet you feel a difference when it's completed!!!
It was weird ... it squeaked like rubber against plastic(?) It didn't feel lumpy though. Just stiff and it would wander sometimes, but I'm not sure if that was the bearing or a gust of wind.
