Article [13] ST1300 - Rear Flange Bearing Replacement
- Thread starter Mellow
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Nellie's article is on the right side. The side with the splines. I think I read that he has never needed to do the wheel bearings but just the flange bearings.
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Tom Mac 04a
Site Supporter
When mine felt 'gravely' this is what the two flange bearings looked like... https://www.st-owners.com/forums/sh...-Bearings...&p=1241803&viewfull=1#post1241803
As to if they would fail totaly soon is unknown. But I can say the 'ball bearings' were in good shape the real damage was the inner races only as in the pics.
Nellie -- thanks for the update 
Nellie... :chrfl1:
I couldn't figure out what you guys were talking about until I went back and read my post....
I blame my new keyboard I installed on my Thunderbolt or the Autocorrect. I am sure one of them are to blame...
- Joined
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- 2013 ST1300 A9
- 2024 Miles
- 000679
Sorry, I was wrong. I can't even imagine what I was thinking of. Of course the flange bearings are on the right hand (final drive) side.
Apologies for the confusion.
jfheath - no worries. Thanks for the clarification and your extra work. You probably made the most appropriate suggestion of replacing ALL the bearings if one or more are bad but I won't know for sure until I take my wheel off next week. Hopefully, I can limit the replacement to just the flange bearings--they are the ones that seem to fail the most but also are the easiest to replace. That, and I don't have the suggested tools for the wheel bearing replacement. Thanks again.
ChucksKLRST
Team Colorado
Re: ST1300-Rear Flange Bearing Replacement
I have 96000 miles on my wheel bearings, BUT I have replaced the flange bearing three times in the 96000 miles. No need to replace wheel bearings every time you change flange bearings. Just make sure you check them all each time you do a tire change.
I have 96000 miles on my wheel bearings, BUT I have replaced the flange bearing three times in the 96000 miles. No need to replace wheel bearings every time you change flange bearings. Just make sure you check them all each time you do a tire change.
Tom Mac 04a
Site Supporter
Yes best procedure, but also extra work that may not be needed. Many have found ONLY the flange bearings bad ( like myself )... and it takes only 15-20 mins to change them out after the tire is off.
I would recommend going to the full/double bearing sold by CBR Bearings...they're rated at 50% more load.
I have been in contact with BlueSTeed on the side. He is going to pick up bearings locally at Gopher Bearing to get the fully sealed ones. He is having the new tire shipped to my place and I will help him with swapping out the bearings. I haven't needed to change any bearings on my 1300 yet so this is new for me but it looks pretty easy. I have done the bearings on the 1100 a couple time so it shouldn't be that big of a deal. I told him to freeze the bearings ahead of time and then bring them over in a cooler. Once here I will toss them in the freezer in the shop fridge and get them cooled back down while we get to pulling the rear wheel and get the flange off.
We had his rear wheel off a couple weeks ago as I was helping him with a rear brake issue. I pointed out that he had a bearing that felt rough. Honestly I didn't pay much attention to which bearing it was as I always replace all of them at the same time. On the 1100 though there are only the two wheel bearings in the rear wheel. There are no flange bearings like the 1300. So I mentioned the bearing and that since his rear tire was about shot the bearings could be done then. Since the flange bearings can easily be done and leave the wheel bearings in place, I agree that this should be all that is need provided that the flange bearings are the ones that are bad. I am 75% sure it was the flange side that we felt the roughness on when turned with a finger.
I am still learning the 1300 but it is making more sense. When I was looking at getting one I glanced at a lot of the articles but until I do it, I won't retain everything.
BakerBoy
It's all small stuff.
Well, I just got done replacing my flange bearings... I was doing a tire change and the bearings felt a little rough and I saw unusual grease colors, so I pulled the driven flange out of the rear wheel to look at the bearings. When I took a look, all of a sudden in my head I heard a voice like Keith Jackson yell "WHOA NELLIE!!" when I got sight of the destroyed bearing.
Thanks for the the nice procedure Mellow.
One suggestion: Freeze the distance collar first before installing the two bearings on it (those bearings being at room temperature). They'll slip on easier because the collar shrinks with the cold. Maybe I missed it, but the un-shielded sides of the bearing should go face to face--each bearing's shields should be outboard. Once the the bearings are on the collar, freeze the whole thing (bearings on the collar) for a couple hours before tapping it into the final driven flange.
Sure hope I did a good job as I won't have a chance to test it before getting on the road towards NatSTOC Thursday morning.
Thanks for the the nice procedure Mellow.
One suggestion: Freeze the distance collar first before installing the two bearings on it (those bearings being at room temperature). They'll slip on easier because the collar shrinks with the cold. Maybe I missed it, but the un-shielded sides of the bearing should go face to face--each bearing's shields should be outboard. Once the the bearings are on the collar, freeze the whole thing (bearings on the collar) for a couple hours before tapping it into the final driven flange.
Sure hope I did a good job as I won't have a chance to test it before getting on the road towards NatSTOC Thursday morning.
ChucksKLRST
Team Colorado
Is this the first time you have done your flange bearings? I have done mine 4 times. Two of the four times I had the dealer press the bearings in and the other times I did the install myself. Next time I will be getting a set from CBR bearings. They have a long single roller bearing for the flange drive. I will also do the rest of the wheel bearings then.
Tom Mac 04a
Site Supporter
+1 , I think thats the way to go too
BakerBoy
It's all small stuff.
Chuck, this is the first such driven flange bearing changeout, the bike now having 39200 miles on it. The inner race was spalling off metal flakes and was chewed up, that being common with over-loaded bearings...the metal simply is not strong enough and once it starts spalling off, then there's all that metallic debris that gets rolled over. And the bearing cage was in pieces, mostly missing. One bearing failed, the other not. The 'good' bearing is full of metallic flake.
I too think that there is likely a better bearing design, but the only thing that pauses me about needle bearings is that those needles spin fast.
I too think that there is likely a better bearing design, but the only thing that pauses me about needle bearings is that those needles spin fast.
Re: ST1300 Rear Flange Bearing Replacement
I have many times seen bearings with what looks like dried soap as grease, and it probably was a soap based grease. I never know what kind of grease the manufacturers put in there, but why not make it better? Most sealed bearings specs say they are 30% filled, but most I look at sure don't look like it. I always remove seals and repack with a good wheel bearing grease, or maybe some Mobil 1 synthetic, but lately, I've been using titanium dioxide grease (super stuff, takes higher temps than molybdenum) for superior lubricity. I suppose you could use a bit of Moly paste mixed with a wheel bearing grease, it can only be better IMHO. Also, I try not to overfill and leave some room for expansion so it won't blow the seals out. Anyone else have any opinions?
I have many times seen bearings with what looks like dried soap as grease, and it probably was a soap based grease. I never know what kind of grease the manufacturers put in there, but why not make it better? Most sealed bearings specs say they are 30% filled, but most I look at sure don't look like it. I always remove seals and repack with a good wheel bearing grease, or maybe some Mobil 1 synthetic, but lately, I've been using titanium dioxide grease (super stuff, takes higher temps than molybdenum) for superior lubricity. I suppose you could use a bit of Moly paste mixed with a wheel bearing grease, it can only be better IMHO. Also, I try not to overfill and leave some room for expansion so it won't blow the seals out. Anyone else have any opinions?
Well we just got done working on BlueSTeed's 1300. It was the Flange Bearings that we toast. The outer one looked pretty good for what it was but the inner one only had about half the balls in it still. There was lots of metal fragments around the dampener area. We got it all cleaned up and used the article to remove the old bearings and install the new ones. It was pretty straight forward and not too big of a deal. While doing this we also put on a new PR2 as his old one was well into the wear bars. To wrap things up we went out to get some pie. I did a test ride of his 1300 and he took my 1100 as my 1300 is still down for maint.
Pic of the bad bearing
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I want to thank former MOTM, Sennister for allowing me use his garage and for his personal assistance. He's got the tools and the lift and a tire changer, oh, and a beer fridge too. I'm thinking of asking him if I can rent a room out back so I can hang out there full time.
Sennister - thanks for your help as always! I've really enjoyed the opportunity to do hands-on work with a fellow ST rider, especially one as mechanically fearless as you. You've helped me feel more empowered about getting underneath the tupperware. In a funny way, I'm actually looking forward to my next repair!
Sennister - thanks for your help as always! I've really enjoyed the opportunity to do hands-on work with a fellow ST rider, especially one as mechanically fearless as you. You've helped me feel more empowered about getting underneath the tupperware. In a funny way, I'm actually looking forward to my next repair!
BakerBoy
It's all small stuff.
Pic of the bad bearing
Hey, how did you get a picture of my 6905 bearings?! ;-)