| Author | Message | ||
     Lloydxt |
So I removed the rear wheel for new rubber and to replaced my belt to carry the old as a spare. When I got the wheel off the bearings wouldnt move, totally seized. (black sealed type). Im not sure how long they had been that way but Im glad it wasnt a catastrophic failure. I took my wheel over with the extra bearings I carry and had my local motorcycle shop replace the tire and press in the new bearings. Apparently he had to fight a bit to get them out and they were rusted solid. They looked fine from the outside, there wasnt any orange spidering water marks and no howling. So I live here in Seattle and can ride my bike year round. I think Ive walked to work 4-5 times when it snowed (I live a little over a mile from work). It actually takes me longer when I ride than when I walk. Long way home ya know. Anyways I do a lot of rain miles and my bearings failed at 11,000. I drilled the hole. | ||
| Tankhead |
What year? | ||
| Lloydxt |
09 XT | ||
| Mnrider |
Even though my wheel was dry inside I drilled the hole opposite each other in my rim also. My bearings were notchy but not rusty or seized. | ||
| Treadmarks |
When I came up with the drainage hole idea, my bearings had failed to water intrusion. I ride in the rain alot as well. I drilled two holes, opposite each other to sling the water out. After two years I had the rear wheel off and took the opportunity to inspect the bearings and the cavity with a mirror. The cavity was clean and dry and the bearings looked and felt like new. Thats all the proof I need. My 06 still has the factory belt, 20 year old FAG bearings and the springy thingy. I love armchair engineering (true enthusiast)! | ||
| Cityxslicker |
if you run that sucker off road... change your bearings every third tire change. The premptive change will be a catastrophic failure DAMHIK | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Terry, Good to hear from you brother. My original belt lasted for 25,000 miles but broke 2 miles from home. Towed it home behind my son's 07' ULY with a towing strap. Still on my original fan though. (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on March 14, 2011) | ||
| Etennuly |
Tread, I was in total agreement with you on the drilling idea, I did a couple of fellow Uly riders wheels. I went with my tried and true(on three wheeler rear axles) fill it with grease program. Good gawd man, has it been two years already!? No signs of anything failing there, now at 55,000 miles. It has not slung any grease out as my only fear of doing this has not happened. I replaced my belt at 33,000 because it got quite loose, it makes a good spare, and the "new" belt of the later style, no signs of looseness at its current 22,000 miles. Still have the original clutch cable retainer, and have not changed the fork oil or seals yet(although it needs the oil changed). | ||
| Buellerxt |
Etennuly! 55,000 miles with the original fork oil/seals? If so, I'm not at all surprised that all is okay, just surprised that you did it. Cool. I'm planning on having it changed at the 20,000 mile range. How often do you change spark plugs? Thanks. | ||
| New12r |
Damn Vern, I am on my 5th set of fork seals at 40k. I guess jumping it is not such a good idea.  Still got the original bearings too, with many many water crossing and rain rides. | ||
| Etennuly |
The thing about fork oil is that it wears out and gets contaminated. I like the suspension softer than most riders(dirt background) and I think that helps prevent seal blow outs by having less hydro pressure present when coming down from wheelies and or jumps(as some dummies do). I have had to screw the adjusters in about a quarter of a turn per year, as the fluid changes, to keep it consistent. I can say that now it is more than time to change the fork oil, the adjusters are nearly bottomed out.  It is sad that the fork oil has been in my cabinet for almost three years waiting for me to get to it. But every time I started to look at changing it, someone would say "if it ain't broke don't fix it", even if they were talking about something else. I changed the plugs at 10,000 every time, and I do my oil and filter at 3,000 to 4,000. I changed the plug wires, coil, and intake seals at about 45,000. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Thanks Vern. I'm thinking about trying 15,000 - 20,000 on the plugs because of the difficulty in getting to them. I've replaced them at 10,000 on my Harley's and they always looked good when changed. I have a friend in N.C. who used to routinely go 35,000-40,000 miles on his Harley before changing plugs. He put 415,000 on his first Harley and has nearly 300,000 on his current one. After the first Harley he started splitting riding time with Bergman scooters and has over 200,000 on them! He said he went 80,000 miles before changing plugs on his Bergman the first time but only 40,000 before replacing them again!  (Message edited by buellerxt on March 16, 2011) | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I haven't changed my fork oil yet on my 06' and I don't look forward to it either. One thing that'll cut a fork seal is a dried bug. Blew the seals on my Yamaha Venture years ago when I had to clamp the brakes to avoid a collision. Dried bugs on the fork tubes ripped up the seals nicely. |
