Front Wheel Bearings

J. Fitzgerald

J. Fitzgerald

Joined
Mar 7, 2005
Messages
240
Location
Mississippi
Bike
'12 GL1800
Was changing tires today, and while checking the run-out on the front rim, I found that one of the bearings needs replacing. I intend to bearings & seals......my question - has anyone had success cross-referencing oem bearings & seals with quality U.S. made products at a bearing supply house?

John
 
I have not checked ST (1100 or 1300) bearings specifically, but several years ago I was able to replace nearly all of the non-engine bearings on my VFR with non-Honda sourced bearings (at considerable savings). I wouldn't be surprised if your wheel bearings were 6004s, certainly one of the most common motorcycle wheel bearing sizes on the planet.

(Are there any "quality U.S. made" bearings these days?) :confused:

Ciao,
 
(Are there any "quality U.S. made" bearings these days?) :confused:

Ciao,[/QUOTE]

I hope there are.....if not, I'll settle for quality Japanese ones. Even though they have made great strides in recent years, I still have difficulty using 'quality' & 'Chinese', in the same sentence.....especially when it comes to tires & bearings.

John
 
J. Fitzgerald said:
(Are there any "quality U.S. made" bearings these days?) :confused:

I hope there are.....if not, I'll settle for quality Japanese ones. Even though they have made great strides in recent years, I still have difficulty using 'quality' & 'Chinese', in the same sentence.....especially when it comes to tires & bearings.
Click to expand...


This is a bearing supply company that many on the old ST1100 Listserve used for years and swore by. Claimed their products and service were great:

http://www.cbrbearing.com/motorcycles_&_atv's.htm

CBR Bearing Company
401 Olive Hill Way
Fallbrook, Ca. 92028
Inside the USA 1-800-769-5388
Outside the USA 1-760-731-7207
E-mail cbr@tfb.com


Here's an old list email I saved from November of 2000 showing a response from CBR. Since this is from 2000, I suspect the prices you see below will be higher by now:
****************************************
Thank you for your interest in CBR Bearing Co. Our ST1100 front wheel
bearing kit includes the two bearings and two dust seals and sells for
$34.95. The rear kit includes two bearings and one dust seal for $49.00.
All bearings are top quality Japanese with rubber seals on both sides and
carry a lifetime warranty. Shipping is free on orders over $75.00. If
you would like to place an order, please call us between 8:00 and 4:30 PST at (800) 769-5388. Thanks again.
***************************************
 
Thanks Mick & Jon - I will give them a call tomorrow. I need to get the bike back together, as the weather is going to be great for riding for several days....for a change.

John
 
NAPA has front wheel bearings for the ST1100. 2 grades. The more expensive grade is about the OEM price.

Ralph Sims
 
CBR Bearings has been around forever, as has All Balls Racing, but these companies aren't doing anything different than Parts Plus--or whatever the brand of tapered headrace bearing kits is that is sold through Parts Unlimited and Tucker Rocky (and thus available through every dealer in the country). With these companies you will pay for the convenience of having the appropriate bearings picked out and packaged according to motorcycle application. Sort of Honda dealer-lite.

OTOH, if you can read a bearing or seal number and have a bit of understanding of what they mean, you can order from a true automotive bearing supply house and save a lot more money--not to mention pick your manufacturer, if you prefer SKF or whatever. Sorry, I only know UK bearing supply houses, but there must be hundreds of them in the USA...

Ciao,
 
Yup.
CBR: http://www.cbrbearing.com/
All Balls: http://www.goallballs.com/home.asp
Both great service.
Might as well buy rear wheel bearings too.

Harbor Freight has long drifts/punches for driving out the old bearings.
Dead blow hammers for installing.
IIRC they're on sale this month

Supply your own freezer for shrinking the new bearings and torch for expanding the wheel recess.
Use old bearings to install new.
There is a write up somewhere.
 
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