Rear Wheel Bearing Retainers

[Ray55]

For something to do today, I removed the right side axle just to look at the retainers. I could see some marking at the top and bottom of the retainers where the bearing was riding against the retainers. Put a straight edge across the bottom and top of the plates and could see the bow in the plates. Measured and had over 0.003 bow in the plates. Using a feeler gage, a 0.003 would slide under the straight edge, but a 0.004 would not. Started looking for new bearings but most to the bearing places were closed today.

 

[PosseRider]

For something to do today, I removed the right side axle just to look at the retainers. I could see some marking at the top and bottom of the retainers where the bearing was riding against the retainers. Put a straight edge across the bottom and top of the plates and could see the bow in the plates. Measured and had over 0.003 bow in the plates. Using a feeler gage, a 0.003 would slide under the straight edge, but a 0.004 would not. Started looking for new bearings but most to the bearing places were closed today.

Glad we got to meet in AZ.

Look on DK's site for pics of his at 30 some thousand miles. Just the reason I had the retainer plates done on my trike going home. http://www.dkcustomproducts.com/axl...for-harley-davidson-tri-glide-freewheeler.htm

 

[Ray55]

Ordered my bearings today from McMaster-Carr. supposed to be made in the USA. The bearing on the axle that I removed, was made in Korea. The ones I ordered were $55.00 each. Ordered the retaining plates from DK. Bearings will be here tomorrow morning. Probably get them installed next week sometime.

 

[PosseRider]

Ordered my bearings today from McMaster-Carr. supposed to be made in the USA. The bearing on the axle that I removed, was made in Korea. The ones I ordered were $55.00 each. Ordered the retaining plates from DK. Bearings will be here tomorrow morning. Probably get them installed next week sometime.

Did you get it done ? Mine had minor scuff marks, but, only like 8500 miles on it.

 

[Ray55]

Yes. I finished it up yesterday. Bearing are SKF and made in the USA. I started putting it together on Saturday, but didn't like the looks of the mounting bolts. With the increased thickness of the bearing retainers, when using the original t-bolts they were to short for me . The ends of the bolts were about two threads short. and the nuts are locknuts with the top thread being deformed the locking feature was useless. You would be depending on the thread locker to hold the nuts in place. So Saturday I jumped on the internet trying to find longer bolts. checked a lots of auto parts places, speed shops and other hardware stores and finally found some on Amazon. They were mounting bolts for brake backing plate on a FORD 9 inch rear end. Grade 8 1 3/8 inches long. 1 1/4 would be fine but could not find any that said that they were 1 1/4 inches long. A little long but still have appox. 3/8 inch clearance between the tips of the bolts and the back side of the wheel studs. Took thee axles into my old work pace and used their press to remove the bearing and retainers, used their magnetic bearing heater to heat the bearings. heated the bearing to 250 degs and they dropped right on, no press needed.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Ray,

I am sorry for your experience. When I read your post I grabbed a micrometer and measured the OEM plate-

Then I measured our Heavy Duty Plate (at the nut seat)-

Here they are side by side-

Only 0.0185 of an inch difference, which is less than 1/3 of a thread. The Heavy Duty Plate was not yet painted, so with paint it may be 1/2 of one thread.

Visual of the difference with threads-

I can only think of two reasons you had the experience you did-

1. We machined your plates wrong and they were much thicker than they are supposed to be. If that is the case, please contact me and we will make it up to you.

2. When the plate is first put on, with the o-ring in place, it does not look like there is enough threads. However, as the nuts are tightened down the plate begins compressing the o-ring and more thread length is gained. Enough so the nut is within 1/2 of 1 thread of where it was originally.

Either way, please contact me and let me know.

Ride Free,

Kevin

P.S. Was a great time riding with you in Arizona!

 

[Ray55]

Kevin

I pulled the right side axle today to measure the thickness of the retaining plates. The originals were 0.150 or 4 mm, the replacements were 0.198-0.199 measured at the seating surface of the retaining nuts. From your measurements, mine are about 0.030 thicker which accounted for the less than a full nut when torqued. I seem to have remembered that on yur website you stated that you were providing Quad rings instead of 'O' Rings, my set of retainers came with 'O' rings.

All is Good

 

[DK Custom Products]

Kevin

I pulled the right side axle today to measure the thickness of the retaining plates. The originals were 0.150 or 4 mm, the replacements were 0.198-0.199 measured at the seating surface of the retaining nuts. From your measurements, mine are about 0.030 thicker which accounted for the less than a full nut when torqued. I seem to have remembered that on yur website you stated that you were providing Quad rings instead of 'O' Rings, my set of retainers came with 'O' rings.

All is Good

Hi Ray,

Thanks for the info, and am happy to hear that all is good.

I am still a bit perplexed. I accounted for the paint making it a bit thicker than the measurement I pictured above...which puts our measurement 1/100 of an inch different than yours. This is an insignificant amount in this situation since one full thread on the bolt is 6.25/100 of an inch.

I have spent quite a bit of time with Devin yesterday and today talking about this. We never want anyone to be surprised when they get a part from us having to get something else to make it all work.

Because of supply chain issues we have alternated between sending round o-rings and square o-rings, so we thought that may be an issue.

We measured the o-rings (photo's below) and then we compressed the o-rings to see if one compressed more than the other.

They are the same size, uncompressed and compressed to the torque settings.

btw, thank your for pointing that out about the 0-rings, I have changed the instructions on the site to be non-specific on the shape.

What is throwing us for a loop is that this was a big point for us when we initially designed them. We were very careful to make sure the design allowed for a bit of the thread to stick out the end of the nut when torqued down. The retainers we just installed have the threads protruding past the end of the nut. I am at a loss as to why yours didn't.

I do know that we will be doing another one soon and I am going to take photos and will be getting the sizes of the bolts and nuts, because right now the only thing I can think of is that Harley used slightly shorter bolts on yours from the factory...and if they did it on yours, they may have done it on others.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Kevin

 

[Cagmo]

Ordered my bearings today from McMaster-Carr. supposed to be made in the USA. The bearing on the axle that I removed, was made in Korea. The ones I ordered were $55.00 each. Ordered the retaining plates from DK. Bearings will be here tomorrow morning. Probably get them installed next week sometime.

Ray,

I ordered Nat'l Bearings 208FF rear wheel bearings from O'reilly's Auto Parts. When they came in they were marked "MADE IN CHINA" bigger than Oprah's underwear, so I told them to keep them. When I checked AUTO ZONE to order SKF 6208-2RSJ, the parts guy said they were made by the ChiComs, too. When you get your bearings from McMaster, would you drop a post here and tell me where they were made? If I can't find these rear wheel bearings made in America, maybe I can at least find a set made by an Ally. Thanks, brother.

CAGMO

 

[Ray55]

Dave

I got the bearings that I ordered from McMaster-Carr. They were made by SKF in the US. They were somewhat expensive at $54.18 each. Here is the McMaster-Carr

part No. 6661K109 These are precision Bearings Max speed 5400 RPM