I just knock them out.

The spacer can take it.

I use the old bearing to drive in the new.

Kinell and Charlie.

Just did mine on my Beta Rev3. Its basically impossible to knock them out from the inside. Because the inside spacer has a little step in both ends that fits snugly into the bearing. So you just cant get behind it..like you would on most road bikes.

Obviously putting the new ones in is always easy, but you might want to come up with a plan to get those old ones out (on the Beta).

PS...I can get NSK bearings very cheap Mick, if your ebay ones dont arrive.

i'l get you them for less mick!! a gasgas i had had the same type of spacer

Edited September 30, 200421 yr by its a kinda magic

You can get a bit more life out of them if you pop the seal out with a small pick, I use a dental pick.

Wipe the old grease out and put some good quality waterproof stuff in and replace the seal.

Do this when you have the wheel off to change the tyre, don't wait until you have play in the wheel it only takes a couple on minutes.

Do this with the bearing in the wheel, I took a photo of one I just took out of lads bike, he didn't bother to grease his and paid me to do it.

Preventative maintenance is cheaper than paying Ishy to do it

Edited September 30, 200421 yr by ishy

Just done 2 wheels tonight without any problems at all (for once...)

A 14mm (9/16th) socket was small enough to fit inside the old bearing (disk side) and butted up nicely against the 'tube spacer'. I added an extension bar to the socket and tapped it with a hammer. The other bearing (sprocket side) popped out very easily followed by the spacer. I then spun the wheel round and used a larger socket inside the wheel hub and tapped out the other bearing.

I don't think the 'tube spacer' would be damaged as only a little persuasion was needed.

I followed Ishy's advice and prised the seals off both sides of each bearing before repacking with Marine grease.

The hub was then cleaned up and smeared with 'Copper Grease' to prevent rust and help the new bearings slide in easier. They were tapped in using one of the old bearings, which meant that the hammer blows were spread evenly over the inner and outer shells.

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I reckon I could replace both bearings on a wheel in under 5 minutes with no hassle at all in future.

Hi Kinnell

Thats interesting to hear. I did THINK about doing that (to get the old ones out) but thought it might damage that "step" on the end of the inner tube spacer. I will try the 14mm socket next time. I also thought about trying to find a thick/strong 14mm piece of plastic pipe. If I used that to hammer against the inner tube spacer, I guess it would all be tickety-boo

Or better yet, a 14 mm brass drift...

When you have the spacer out, grind two slots on one end big enough for the business end of a drift punch to fit in. Then the next time you have to replace bearings, simply place the drift punch through from the side opposite the slots with the end of the drift in a slot and against the bearing and strike it with a hammer. Move the drift from slot to slot until the bearing comes out.

Cheers,

Richard

Hey..Richard...thats a bloody good idea!

I'll deifnately do that next time I've got the spacer out. If only there had been internet when I was a kid. You can learn so much on here, I needn't have bothered going to school!!

I wish I could take credit for it, but I learned it on this forum when it was under a different name. Happy to pass along what I learn and works for me, though.

Richard