How do I get the final drive thing off the rim? And the bearings?

[Guest]

https://imgur.com/a/NWCtxjT <- My new rim arrived. Dirty, but it seems round and complete. It had the thing for the final drive, but I'd like to inspect it.

The tabs from the brass, how do I bend it off without breaking it? For the screws. I am considering just leaving it and trying to see if it works.

I want to check the ball bearings are properly greasy and round, is there a simple way to check them without special tools?

Getting the rim down to the basic rim would be great, then I could just pressure hose it and then polish it. Considered painting that grey inside thing black or blackish too, thoughts?

it has the original Suzuki weights, should I take them off and keep them? The tire place would surely put on new ones. I am sure the tire people would tell me if it can't be balanced too, like if bent.

I also want the hub thing to be completely clean so I can use my molly paste on it. Not sure what to use on the brake rotor bolts though, I don't want them sticking.

 

[Steve]

I am just going to quote your questions and answer them individually.

The tabs from the brass, how do I bend it off without breaking it? For the screws. I am considering just leaving it and trying to see if it works.
I use an old screwdriver and a hammer. Wedge the screwdriver between the bolt head and the tab, then tap it flat. They don't usually break until they have been folded several times, but there is usually no need to move them more than twice. The factory did it the first time, you are doing it the second time. You are safe.

I want to check the ball bearings are properly greasy and round, is there a simple way to check them without special tools?
Stick your finger into the hole, rotate the bearing. You will easily feel any problems.

Getting the rim down to the basic rim would be great, then I could just pressure hose it and then polish it. Considered painting that grey inside thing black or blackish too, thoughts?
Stock color is a dark gray, but I have painted all of mine black. I found it's easier to remember what shade of black than it is what shade of gray.

it has the original Suzuki weights, should I take them off and keep them? The tire place would surely put on new ones. I am sure the tire people would tell me if it can't be balanced too, like if bent.
If you plan on doing your own tire changes, yes, keep the weights. They are different that what will be available at the tire shop, and they are not cheap. When you do go to the tire shop, ask them what kind of weights they use. Some will use weights that clamp on the edge, some will use stick-on weights. A few might even have the correct weights, so ask first.

I also want the hub thing to be completely clean so I can use my molly paste on it. Not sure what to use on the brake rotor bolts though, I don't want them sticking.
You may not want them sticking, but you don't want them to come out, either. I would recommend using blue Loc-Tite after cleaning them.

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[Redman]

After getting the tabs bent back away (dont need to be all flat, just enough to get socket on the bolt head well, which is somewhat flat), and the bolts out.... then the next question is: how to get the hub out of the wheel.
Answer: Pry with two levers at a time on opposite sides of each other, then move to other places and pry more. Put something over the wheel so levers dont mess up the wheel. Maybe get some penetrant lube into where those posts go into the wheel (but not any where else).

 

[Guest]

But don't I need the cylinder thing out to feel the bearings? Like to know if they are greasy?

And won't the tabs for the brake rotor bolts keep them from falling out?

My wife is washing the rim in the shower, so Ill try bending the tabs when she is done.

 

[93Bandit]

But don't I need the cylinder thing out to feel the bearings? Like to know if they are greasy?

And won't the tabs for the brake rotor bolts keep them from falling out?

My wife is washing the rim in the shower, so Ill try bending the tabs when she is done.

I believe they are sealed bearings from the factory, or at least one side is sealed. That being the case, they should still have grease in them unless the seal has been damaged.

Bearings are cheap enough that I believe they're worth changing the first time you take the wheels off, if they bike is used and new to you. Cheap insurance. I have a friend who almost died when his front wheel bearing failed. Not a risk I'm willing to take. Once you've replaced the bearings you shouldn't have to do it again unless you put a lot of miles on your bike.

 

[Steve]

Yeah, the tabs will hold the brake bolts, ... if you use them. :-k

I replaced my bolts with stainless socket-head bolts, which are round on the outside, so tabs would not work.

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[Grimly]

Get Koyo bearings from a local bearing stockist. They're a very common size, and get the ones that are double-sealed (rubber seal both sides).
Don't cheap out on bearings - the difference between a cheap-ish bearing and a good one like Koyo or SKF is only a couple of quid.

 

[steve murdoch]

But don't I need the cylinder thing out to feel the bearings? Like to know if they are greasy?

And won't the tabs for the brake rotor bolts keep them from falling out?

My wife is washing the rim in the shower, so Ill try bending the tabs when she is done.

"....my wife is washing the rim in the shower...." Nobody else thinks this is odd?

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Out of curiosity, why are you wanting to replace the wheel bearings? Have you verified that they’re bad and need to be replaced. Seems like the kind of thing you wouldn’t replace unless yours were bad. Maybe I missed something.

 

[Grimly]

Out of curiosity, why are you wanting to replace the wheel bearings? Have you verified that they?re bad and need to be replaced. Seems like the kind of thing you wouldn?t replace unless yours were bad. Maybe I missed something.

They have a finite life.
With a used wheel, you don't know how much of that life has been used up. Cheap to reset the clock and look forward to a hundred thousand miles of reliability.
Having been stranded by a collapsed set of rear wheel bearings once, I fit new bearings on wheels I buy, even if they feel good to my finger.

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Fair enough. thanks, Dave.

 

[storm 64]

I'll second the bearing replacement. I had rear wheel bearing failure on my 1100e. It happened in Ripley, West Virginia believe it or not... I had a friend drive 3+ hours to pick me up.

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Ripley, believe it or not...

I see what you did there, and I appreciate it.

 

[Redman]

And I do recommend removing the hub so can inspect it. You can not really see what need to see when the hub is in the wheel, especaily if are not familiar with what to look for. And it seems those things like to fail when are miles and miles from home (maybe the same applys to kilometers).

If you absolutely do not want to remove the hub, maybe you can get better acquainted with the wear pattern, and then maybe can probe in there with a very small screw driver or stiff wire or something and see if you can feel a bit of a hump where the wear pattern ends. THe end of the spline that you see is not in the wear pattern, so that portion will look good, but the hub can be close to failure. See pic in my previous posting of this thread.

 

[Redman]

.... oh, my posting of a picture showing the hub wear pattern is on your thread about “what to look for”.