SKF wheel spacer/seal system

[Darkside]

I just ordered a couple sets and will see how they work.

did you order them through AOMC?

[mcnut]

How do you guys get such short life on bearings? With good spacers I can go years on a set of wheel bearings. Maybe its because I change my wheelsets around often and clean/grease seals when I do, and do not pressure wash.

Answer: cheap bearings, sandy loam with just enough clay to stick to your machine when wet, & power washer abuse. That's my formula. Replaced my bearings in Colorado in September. Had to replace them again last Saturday.

[GMP]

Problem is seal and spacer wear that causes bearing failure. If the crap stays on the outside of the seal the bearing will last forever. The Beta spacers are not bad for alloy but when the anodizing goes they melt fast. I hate doing bearings so invest in having stainless or stainless bushing spacers made. I had one last so long that it actually went to a second bike. The ones I had made for my two front wheels are like new but the set for my Husky rear wheel grooved after two seasons. I suspect it was made from softer 316 SS not 18-8. I was all set to get another set made from 18-8 but these SKF kits are so cheap it's hard to ignore for a test. Regardless, pack the gap between the bearing and seal with grease. That way if a seal/spacer goes the bearing is protected for a little while anyway until you change the wheel.

[GMP]

I got two sets from AOMC. Installed one set in my OEM Beta wheel today. Be careful, don't just grab the parts and knock them in. The position of the seal is counter intuitive, and there are no instructions. Watch the video on the Inntech site or at least my picture. The side with the moving inner ring goes out, because it seals tight to the spacer and rotates with it. The other side has a fixed lip that the spacer rotates in. This however should not see dirt and should last awhile before grooving the spacer. Also don't pack the seal with grease as you don't want to cause drag within it, which will cause the moving ring to move on the spacer and not within the seal body. From experience with their fork scrapers the green polymer is just amazing at resisting wear. So, only time will tell but looks good and the price is outstanding.

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[Beta Jockey]

Hey Glenn, it's been 10 months since you installed the SKF spacers and seals and I was wondering how they've held up over time. Any issues?

Also, when is it recommended to replace the stock spacers and seals? I'm only at 320 miles on my 390RR but I'm just trying to plan ahead for when I should expect to have to change mine out. Thanks.

[GMP]

Still good after a full season. I installed a set on my spare Husky wheel as well. Spacer life really depends on how often you remove the wheel and clean/re-grease the seals. I swap wheels often plus go through a lot of tires so every time the wheel is off it gets done, only takes a minute. I got a quite a while out of my stock spacers but they were not used full time.

[Beta Jockey]

Thanks.

I've had my wheels off only a few times but haven't touched the spacers or seals. As a matter of routine maintenance I should get into the habit of cleaning them. What's involved? Is it as simple as pulling the spacers off, cleaning and lubing up the seals with grease? What do you use to clean everything? Sorry, I'm kind of a noob when it comes to wheel maintenance. Aside from lubing the axles I haven't really done much else, mostly due to inexperience. But I'm willing to learn and really want to stay on top of maintenance with my bike.

[GMP]

Thanks.

I've had my wheels off only a few times but haven't touched the spacers or seals. As a matter of routine maintenance I should get into the habit of cleaning them. What's involved? Is it as simple as pulling the spacers off, cleaning and lubing up the seals with grease? What do you use to clean everything? Sorry, I'm kind of a noob when it comes to wheel maintenance. Aside from lubing the axles I haven't really done much else, mostly due to lack of inexperience. But I'm willing to learn and really want to stay on top of maintenance with my bike.

Just pull the spacers, wipe everything off with a rag, and pack a little clean grease between the bearing and underside of the seal. If the anodizing on the OEM seal is worn forget it and just get a set of the SKF parts.

[BassMan]

They are great I went through two sets of bearings in the spring with our sandy clay mud. These are good as new since March.

[Beta Jockey]

Thanks guys.