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I9 Problems

1601 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  meltingfeather, 
kntr
My I9s lasted ALMOST 1/3 of a season before the front locked and the rear barely spun. Is this normal? Am I going to have to rebuild them 2-3 times a year? I ride in wet conditions and have to wash my bike a lot but I am careful on the pivots and hubs.

My Azonic Outlaws have last 3 years with NO maintenance. WTF
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J
I don't know if it can help you, but anything I have with bearings gets some treatment NEW. The moment I get it, it's clean and that's the best time to open the bearings and pack them with grease. Sometimes the bearings are dry, or have a partial fill. The latter is usually what they are advertised at if they are a major brand. However, I pack them full. The next step is to have a thin layer on the outside of the seals to create a hydrophobic barrier against water.

The bearings might drag a bit for a few rides, but after that, and some expulsion of extra grease, the bearings will last a very long time. Maybe this can help, I don't know, but I've had extremely positive results doing this.
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006_007
The front locked? something is really not right there. I have 2 sets that are used throughout the yet in the wet coast of vancouver, and while I admit the bearings are more towards the suck side of things, mine never seized completely. I typically do a preventative rebuild 1/year.
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kntr
The bearings are out. One side is completely locked and the other still moves great. Im not sure what brand they are but they are black. They are not Enduro or Enduro Max. Im not sure what happened. They dont have very many miles on them. Good to go now though.
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M
kntr said:
The bearings are out. One side is completely locked and the other still moves great. Im not sure what brand they are but they are black. They are not Enduro or Enduro Max. Im not sure what happened. They dont have very many miles on them. Good to go now though.
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Perhaps if they charged more they could afford good bearings.
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meltingfeather
Jerk_Chicken said:
I don't know if it can help you, but anything I have with bearings gets some treatment NEW. The moment I get it, it's clean and that's the best time to open the bearings and pack them with grease. Sometimes the bearings are dry, or have a partial fill. The latter is usually what they are advertised at if they are a major brand. However, I pack them full. The next step is to have a thin layer on the outside of the seals to create a hydrophobic barrier against water.

The bearings might drag a bit for a few rides, but after that, and some expulsion of extra grease, the bearings will last a very long time. Maybe this can help, I don't know, but I've had extremely positive results doing this.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I understand how this applies to the sealed cartridge bearings I9 uses. How do you open a sealed cartridge bearing to pack it?
OP- sounds like you're rolling again. it's not unheard of for some cartridge bearings to fail prematurely. as you figured out, a few bucks for a new bearing and you're good.
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J
There's no such thing as a sealed bearing. These have side shields that snap in and out. One inserts something, such as a thin pin and pulls the seal out. Then it can be packed, or filled fully, then the seal replaced.
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meltingfeather
Jerk_Chicken said:
There's no such thing as a sealed bearing. These have side shields that snap in and out. One inserts something, such as a thin pin and pulls the seal out. Then it can be packed, or filled fully, then the seal replaced.
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COOL! If you don't mind, do you have a picture of the tool you use? Would a safety pin or something like that work? You're the first person I've ever heard say that you can repack a 'sealed' bearing. Since they're so cheap, I always just buy new ones... never thought much about it. I have a couple of old ones lying around and I'm going to try it. thanks. :thumbsup:
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J
I'm the first?

There isn't a tool. Sometimes I use my fingernail, sometimes I use a very thin staple. I've in the past used a broken piece of a Hope pawl spring. Sometimes a pin. Anything that will get in there and not damage the seal.
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meltingfeather
Jerk_Chicken said:
I'm the first?
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Yup. Since cartridge bearings are not adjustable and they are dirt cheap, I guess there hasn't been that much motivation to investigate the possibility... just never thought that much about it. What you are saying makes sense... I'll give it a shot.
Jerk_Chicken said:
There isn't a tool. Sometimes I use my fingernail, sometimes I use a very thin staple. I've in the past used a broken piece of a Hope pawl spring. Sometimes a pin. Anything that will get in there and not damage the seal.
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Roger... I'll find something.
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W
5
Hope this helps...

I have a brother that is a dentist and so use a tool that he gave me which you see in the pictures.

The last thing to do is just push the "cover" back on....All done!

Forgot to add the only thing I would watch out for is that the "cover" is a very thin washer bonded to a rubber seal and so when you lift it make sure you dont bend it as you will then stop it from sealing properly when you put it back in. e.g lift it out evenly.

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meltingfeather
warrenpfo said:
Hope this helps...

I have a brother that is a dentist and so use a tool that he gave me which you see in the pictures.

The last thing to do is just push the "cover" back on....All done!

Forgot to add the only thing I would watch out for is that the "cover" is a very thin washer bonded to a rubber seal and so when you lift it make sure you dont bend it as you will then stop it from sealing properly when you put it back in. e.g lift it out evenly.
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definitely helps. you da MAN!! thanks.
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