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Close Call

nickrides

Nick Kennedy
Gents
So last Tuesday afternoon I rode my 1978 R-80 25 miles south to Rico Colo. for Taco Tues night.
On the way there I thought I was hearing a subtle clicking noise from the front end, enough that I stopped and checked all the wheel and caliper bolts, nothing, I did not feel the wheel bearings, big mistake.
It bothered me enough that I decided when I got home not to ride it again until I really looked at it.
Well Thursday I had to run a quick errand into Telluride, about 8 miles round trip, the R-80 was in the front of the bike pile, so I took it. Leaving town the speed limit is 35. In the span of about 500' the front wheel started to drag and bind up and I first thought the caliper was dragging. To get to a safe place I had to downshift and floor it. Well in the next 100' the front wheel almost stopped turning, I didn't make it off the road. It full on STOPPED. I had to drag it off the Hwy.
I felt the bearings and they were smoking.
Jeez I got lucky I didn't go down! ATGATT for me!
About 5 years ago I had pulled the front wheel bearings and cleaned and inspected them, they looked very good.
I repacked them with Slick 50 Red wheel bearing grease.
I haven't had them apart yet, I'm curious to see what they look like.
43k on this machine.
Ride safe in 2020
Nick
 
Bearing

That is a close call, thank God and pat yourself on the back you are smart enough to wear proper gear and not to panic.

Sorry to say, it doesn't sound like much of a sales pitch for Sick 50 Red grease. Did you find anything else which could have contributed to the seizing?

I check my bearings every time I have the tires changed. Usually two rear and one front per season. I also check them each time I check the air pressure (just spin).

My friend had a brand new Harley and his rear bearing seized up the first week he was riding it. Gremlins are known to be out there! LOL, St.
 
Bearings

Gents
So last Tuesday afternoon I rode my 1978 R-80 25 miles south to Rico Colo. for Taco Tues night.
On the way there I thought I was hearing a subtle clicking noise from the front end, enough that I stopped and checked all the wheel and caliper bolts, nothing, I did not feel the wheel bearings, big mistake.
It bothered me enough that I decided when I got home not to ride it again until I really looked at it.
Well Thursday I had to run a quick errand into Telluride, about 8 miles round trip, the R-80 was in the front of the bike pile, so I took it. Leaving town the speed limit is 35. In the span of about 500' the front wheel started to drag and bind up and I first thought the caliper was dragging. To get to a safe place I had to downshift and floor it. Well in the next 100' the front wheel almost stopped turning, I didn't make it off the road. It full on STOPPED. I had to drag it off the Hwy.
I felt the bearings and they were smoking.
Jeez I got lucky I didn't go down! ATGATT for me!
About 5 years ago I had pulled the front wheel bearings and cleaned and inspected them, they looked very good.
I repacked them with Slick 50 Red wheel bearing grease.
I haven't had them apart yet, I'm curious to see what they look like.
43k on this machine.
Ride safe in 2020
Nick

Many years ago I was restoring a buddy's R100RS and mentioned that we should re-pack the rear wheel bearings because the bike had been sitting for about 15 years. He thought they were ok, since it only had about 12k on it.

After he picked it up, he was riding on the freeway at speed and the rear wheel locked up.

I re-pack mine every three years independent of mileage. (R90s).
 
Bearings

Gents
So last Tuesday afternoon I rode my 1978 R-80 25 miles south to Rico Colo. for Taco Tues night.
On the way there I thought I was hearing a subtle clicking noise from the front end, enough that I stopped and checked all the wheel and caliper bolts, nothing, I did not feel the wheel bearings, big mistake.
It bothered me enough that I decided when I got home not to ride it again until I really looked at it.
Well Thursday I had to run a quick errand into Telluride, about 8 miles round trip, the R-80 was in the front of the bike pile, so I took it. Leaving town the speed limit is 35. In the span of about 500' the front wheel started to drag and bind up and I first thought the caliper was dragging. To get to a safe place I had to downshift and floor it. Well in the next 100' the front wheel almost stopped turning, I didn't make it off the road. It full on STOPPED. I had to drag it off the Hwy.
I felt the bearings and they were smoking.
Jeez I got lucky I didn't go down! ATGATT for me!
About 5 years ago I had pulled the front wheel bearings and cleaned and inspected them, they looked very good.
I repacked them with Slick 50 Red wheel bearing grease.
I haven't had them apart yet, I'm curious to see what they look like.
43k on this machine.
Ride safe in 2020
Nick

Many years ago I was restoring a buddy's R100RS and mentioned that we should re-pack the rear wheel bearings because the bike had been sitting for about 15 years. He thought they were ok, since it only had about 12k on it.

After he picked it up, he was riding on the freeway at speed and the rear wheel locked up.

I re-pack mine every three years independent of mileage. (R90s).
 
Slick 50

Some years ago Slick 50 lost a huge class action suite. I haven't seen it around lately. Mechanic in a can!
 
I'm having difficulty finding front wheel bearings.
Bob's BMW is not picking up the phone nor is Denver BMW
Ted Porter doesn't have them in stock.
Nick
 
Gents
So my new bearings and seals should arrive this week.
A couple years ago a guy in So Cal wrote a long thread on Wheels bearings, I can't find it via the search engine.
I try and read Snowbums chapter but it is so verbose and mixed up my eyes cross.

Am I correct to think I need to heat the hub, tap out the races, freeze the new races, tap them in and just assemble the thing back together?
Is there a preload procedure to follow?
Thanks in advance
Nick
1978 R-80
 
Gents
So It looks like I'm in a world of hurt now. Run aground here.

I got my new bearings, seals and race puller.
I Put the R-80 up on some blocks to take off the front wheel.
I take off the axel nut and find out the axel is NOT coming out. On the Right side where you can put a drift in there to hold it, I put on a breaker bar and applied ALOT of turning force to the axel, no go.
I got a 3 lb hammer and beat on the end with the nut, no go. And yes , the pinch bolts are loose.
It looks like with a magnifying glass that the right hand wheel spacer has welded its self to the axel. Yikes.
I think my next move might to be to get a Sawzall with a metal blade and cut the axel on right side and try and slide it out the left side. Then see if I can get the other axel piece out of there.
I ordered a new axel [ 97 bucks ] and spacers.

Any great ideas out there other than to cut the axel, get the wheel off and go from there?
Nick
1978 R-80
 
Just double check everything to be sure it's all loose. Couldn't hurt to put some penetrant on there for good measure...the best is a 50-50 mix of acetone and ATF. It can sit and soak while you ponder some more!
 
If any good is coming out of this is that I was going to ride it on a 1500 mile tour around Utah last week.
My Brothers were going to ride other bikes of mine.
They backed out at the last minute.
That R-80 could easily be sitting in Hanksville Ut, instead of my garage.
Nick
 
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