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Bearing replacement

5K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  lemmy999 
#1 ·
Hi I have a couple set of linkages one red and one silver. The red one a couple of bearings are shot. The silver one is in almost new condition. I want to swap the bearings. Can I do it myself. How do I take it out and how to I press in. thanks
 
#3 ·
  • Removal needs a hammer and proper fitting driver. The driver should rest on the inner race of the bearing. A couple of good hits with room for the bearing to fall out is usually all it takes.
  • Installation needs a long bolt, nut, and proper fitting washers. You set it up and tighten down until the bearing is fully inserted.
  • Also, while the bearings are out, pack the bearings with grease. You need a pick or some tool with a sharp and small point. Lift the seal from the outside.
I just search through my junk to find stuff that will fit the Mojo parts and the basic concepts.

Here's some pics to help:

Needed Tools
Metalworking hand tool Tool Wrench Household hardware Metal

Seal removal
Metal Synthetic rubber Household hardware Iron Steel

Bearing removal
Finger Hardwood Synthetic rubber Machine Gas

Bearing installation
Hardwood Iron Metal Steel Circle
 
#5 · (Edited)
I also did not have any weights. For the smaller bearings I balanced the link on a 7/8" socket. I then used a 6mm deep socket and a 1/4" extention to drive out the bearing, it fell into the socket below. For the larger bearings I used a 3/8" deep socket and a 3/8" drive extention. Can't honestly remember what I drove the bearing into. I remember drilling a larger hole in a peice of wood with a flat bit to simulate the hole in a weight. I found bearing removal to be a creative process. Reinstalled the bearings just like Noshortcuts did.

For the upper links I did not figure out how to drive the bearings out. The curved shape of the links stumped me as how to get a nice flat surface to drive against. I ended up removing the seals that are exposed and repacking them with grease. I forced lots of grease in with a Q-tip with the cotton removed. The new grease mixed with the old and became quite dirty. I wiped it all out and forced in new grease, this time the mixed grease was not so dirty. Wiped out one more time and then forced in more and reapplied seal. I must say that 3 of the upper bearings were moving smoothly before even though I could not see any grease. The forth was a little rough but smoothed out after I greased it. I now have 4 brand new Enduro bearings waiting for me to figure out how to get them in.

Straw
 
#10 ·
straw said:
.......

For the upper links I did not figure out how to drive the bearings out. The curved shape of the links stumped me as how to get a nice flat surface to drive against. ...........

Straw
I was just thinking that a soft-jaw vice might be the best bet for some of the links that do take creativity to balance in such a way that you can drive out the bearings.
 
#11 ·
Just done mine today and replaced the two uppers with a single lopes link. The lowers were pretty dirty and very notchy and one was seized. I was quite surprised as the bike is less than a year old. (although I guess the lowers take the brunt of river crossings and water)

Rather than wait for a new link (they are good value really - about the same price as a set of top of the line bearings) I decided in the end to replace the bearings with good quality SKF units and to repack them with much more grease than the come with a standard (as they are intended for a high rpm applications and not so much the semi static applications we use them for)

This was the state of the lower link bearings. The upper link bearings had started to drift out as well (resulting in a pit stop strip down of the suspension during a 24hour race last weekend)

Just got to wait for some 10mm rear axles to come in stock now as I've broken the cheap and nasty plastic lever on the rear DT Swiss RWS effort ... I am hoping to get an NC-17 one to replace it as I refuse to buy another from DT Swiss
 

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#16 ·
clewttu said:
I believe the uppers use a 608* (same as my skateboard wheels, should be same as rollerblade wheels as well). The lowers have a larger size, didnt pay attention when I regreased mine.

*dont quote me on that
From the pic mikelmrs posted, his skf bearing package had 61900-2RS1. I think that is the same size as the 6900-2RS (10x22x6)
 
#18 ·
dan51 said:
The bearings in the Lopes Link are not easily replaceable. I tried to get them out a few weeks ago and couldn't get them to budge. An email into Ibis support says they have loctite on them, and the easiest thing is replace the whole link.
I think if you put a little heat on the link to warm up and loosen the loctite they will come out a little easier. There is no way I am going to pay $92 (inc shipping) instead of $10-$20 every time the bearings go out.
 
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