Third front baring gone is as many months

C

cbranje

Well-known member
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1995 Honda Shadow Spirit

Late May, on my way to Montreal, front barring gives out. After making some bad metal grinding noises for about 100 kms, the wheel actually started wobbling about 1 inch back and forth. Towed back to Toronto.

Had Ted's replace the front baring end of May. All is good for about 100-200 kms, it starts making that same noise again. Real bad grinding noise.

Ted's replaced it on warranty Mid June.

Now the third baring is doing the same thing, really bad grinding noise. It seems like the handle bars are wobbling ever so slightly also.

So my question is what could be causing these failures, improper installation?? something else? I would take it back to Ted's cause he'll probably switch it again for free, but at this point I just want my bike to work!
 
try a different machanic...

also, there are many brands of bearings.....from 13 bucks to 50....choose wisely
 
One of the fork legs is bent maybe? How are the bushings and seals on the front forks, any leaks? Also could be a bent axle, but they would have noticed that when they changed the bearing.
 
Make sure the spacer that is meant to fit inside the wheel between the bearings, is actually there.
 
Brian P said:
Make sure the spacer that is meant to fit inside the wheel between the bearings, is actually there.
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Can you tell by these photos?

bike1.JPG>


bike2.JPG>
 
cbranje said:
Can you tell by these photos?

bike1.JPG>


bike2.JPG>
Click to expand...

NOPE
You will need to take it apart and inspect: the axle and spacer, the lower legs and the hole in the hub where the bearings sit.
If your technician has installed two sets of bearing that go south in a short time, maybe it's time to find a NEW technician.
 
bitzz said:
NOPE
You will need to take it apart and inspect: the axle and spacer, the lower legs and the hole in the hub where the bearings sit.
If your technician has installed two sets of bearing that go south in a short time, maybe it's time to find a NEW technician.
Click to expand...

Can you recommend someone in the GTA?

Carmen
 
Any bike shop other than whoever you have been dealing with up 'til now, who hasn't picked up the reason for the failure.
 
Those are simple ball bearings on a well engineered axle system. I would speculate someone is not taking the time to inspect the parts, or adjust the wheel correctly. I would be inclined to make reference of my lawyers name, and the incredible liability involved with a front wheel failure. This might instill a better work ethic in the said mechanic.
 
if the tool, who owened the bike before you, hadnt used a pressure washer, to blast out the grease from the bearings, the wheel bearings wouldnt have failed. or was that you?
 
^ Use of a pressure washer would explain the FIRST bearing failure ... but not the second and third, which can only be due to improper installation or failure to find and fix the underlying cause.
 
Stewart said:
if the tool, who owened the bike before you, hadnt used a pressure washer, to blast out the grease from the bearings, the wheel bearings wouldnt have failed. or was that you?
Click to expand...
Whoa now! No need for that! The OP came on here to get advice from the GTAM collective and you basically call him a TOOL?!?!?!?! He didn't bad mouth your shop in anyway other than state the fact that you all put bearings in twice and they failed. Ted's built a good rep with lots o'peeps on here and I don't know if he needs you slamming them (the peeps) in an open forum.
 
In this instance you have to work form the inside out. Replacing parts here and there may not fix the problem. Start from the shaft -make sure it's true then work to the forks - have you ever banged the front end -not necessarily a hard collision -but has ever been a front end incident? . Then, fork bushings and seals. If you have to replace the bearings again might as well do the seals, bushings and spacers.
 
Re: Third front bearing gone in as many months

I think that it should be determined who it was that keeps replacing the bearings at Ted's shop? I'd wager that it hasn't been Ted himself, unless something particularly elusive is getting by him in analyzing why they keep failing. If it wasn't Ted, then why don't you insist that he do the next set? It sounds like there is a Stewart there that might have been the one who has done the last two sets. If so, he sounds like he is out of patience with you and your bike (not your fault of course) and maybe was also after the first replacement.

I know many shops have the same mechanic cover their work if on pc work. The problem with this, if there is a wty claim, is if they have a mental block on a certain repair, they can keep doing the same incorrect repair over and over, and usually they get less conscientious with each attempt, not more.

I know many have said to check the forks and bushings etc, but if they were so worn that the front axle clamp could not keep things lined up (which would help align bearings in their proper location) then I would think the bike would be incredibly squirrelly to try to ride from the get-go. It would be so bad, it would be visual even, and any mechanic worth his weight, could see that aside from front wheel bearings, it needs other serious attention before even leaving the shop.

I can't help but think there is more to this, that yet another internet plea for assistance or advice, is at a loss to help properly because there are missing parts to the puzzle.
 
I'd start with the brand of the bearing first; before getting upset @ the installation itself. Avoid cheap stuff. Even the most expensive bearings are cheaper than a tow. Is the hub perfectly straight and true? I think you have a wire spoke front wheel, and I've heard** that hubs can go out of true -- ** only heard, spokes are too old school for me.
 
Just to be clear, I'm pretty sure Ted's is doing things right. Both Ted and the other mechanic (not sure of his name) put the barrings in, so I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the alignment being off and not improper installation.
 
If the spacer is in place (and is the correct one) my guess is that there is a mis-alignement causing this. Either bent fork leg(s), damaged axle or possible problem with the wheel hub. A thorough in depth inspection of everything involved is required.

P.S. it's bearing not barring.
 
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