Outer Axle Bearings

[FirstTrike]

I am starting to plan for my winter time project. Going to install the axle bearing retainer plates from DK. I have about 14k miles on the 21 trike. Need to know the information for the USA made outer axle bearings, so I can get them. Don't want to use the ones made in Korea from Harley. Thanks for the help.

 

[Jack Klarich]

SKF #[h=1]6208-2RSJ[/h]

I would pop the seals off gently and check the grease, I have seen too many bearings like this with too little grease in them

 

[ultrafxr]

DK can supply the proper bearings along with the retainer plates.

 

[Snohomish]

I am starting to plan for my winter time project. Going to install the axle bearing retainer plates from DK. I have about 14k miles on the 21 trike. Need to know the information for the USA made outer axle bearings, so I can get them. Don't want to use the ones made in Korea from Harley. Thanks for the help.

Plan on doing the retainer plate installation on our trike this winter also. Appears to be another area where Harley cost savings bit us.

 

[PosseRider]

Plan on doing the retainer plate installation on our trike this winter also. Appears to be another area where Harley cost savings bit us.

we had ours done at 10k & there was already scuff marks on hd plates . For me I looked at it as "preventive" .. I intend to not trade this one in.

 

[FirstTrike]

SKF #6208-2RSJ

I would pop the seals off gently and check the grease, I have seen too many bearings like this with too little grease in them

Thanks Jack,

Do you know if Timken makes a bearing that will fit?

 

[Jack Klarich]

Thanks Jack,

Do you know if Timken makes a bearing that will fit?

Give them a call with the SKF bearing to cross it

Many Napa jobbers carry SKF bearings in stock, the application fits a wide range of vehicles

 

[FirstTrike]

Give them a call with the SKF bearing to cross it

Many Napa jobbers carry SKF bearings in stock, the application fits a wide range of vehicles

Thanks Jack and to everyone that responded.

 

[Snohomish]

Bored yesterday morning so I decided that I would pull axles now instead of waiting for winter. Here is a picture of R/H retainer plate and bearing. This is at 24,800 miles. Obviously should have replaced the retainer plate with the DK version earlier. Pulling the axles was quite simple however getting the bearings off the axles has turned into quite a tug-of-war. I've got a 20-ton arbor press but it isn't budging these puppies. Going to take the axles over to the local John Deere dealer later today and see if they will be willing to give it a go with their shop presses. Order the new parts yesterday (Thursday) from DK and they are supposed to arrive next Tuesday. Looking forward to getting this fixed and back on the road.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Timken and National bearing part number is

[h=1]208FF Wheel Bearing[/h]

 

[David792]

View attachment 114103

Bored yesterday morning so I decided that I would pull axles now instead of waiting for winter. Here is a picture of R/H retainer plate and bearing. This is at 24,800 miles. Obviously should have replaced the retainer plate with the DK version earlier. Pulling the axles was quite simple however getting the bearings off the axles has turned into quite a tug-of-war. I've got a 20-ton arbor press but it isn't budging these puppies. Going to take the axles over to the local John Deere dealer later today and see if they will be willing to give it a go with their shop presses. Order the new parts yesterday (Thursday) from DK and they are supposed to arrive next Tuesday. Looking forward to getting this fixed and back on the road.

Great photo!!! I will replace mine at the end of this riding season.

 

[Dan SC]

I have been a professional mechanic all my adult life (since 1973), and I disagree with the idea of prying off a seal on a sealed bearing and adding grease.

I never heard of that idea until I started reading motorcycle forums.

Sealed bearings do not need a lot of grease, the manufacturers know how much to put in.

Besides that, how do we know the grease you add is compatible with the grease already in there?

There is no reason to second guess the people who make these bearings.

I believe the most common reason for sealed bearing failure is due to improper assembly and/or water intrusion.

I suggest you leave the seals alone.

Send an email or letter to a bearing manufacturer and see what they think...

 

[Rogue1]

I have been a professional mechanic all my adult life (since 1973), and I disagree with the idea of prying off a seal on a sealed bearing and adding grease.

I never heard of that idea until I started reading motorcycle forums.

Sealed bearings do not need a lot of grease, the manufacturers know how much to put in.

Besides that, how do we know the grease you add is compatible with the grease already in there?

There is no reason to second guess the people who make these bearings.

I believe the most common reason for sealed bearing failure is due to improper assembly and/or water intrusion.

I suggest you leave the seals alone.

Send an email or letter to a bearing manufacturer and see what they think...

To use your own words, " I'm going to strongly disagree with this theory".

 

[Dan SC]

To use your own words, " I'm going to strongly disagree with this theory".

I was just giving out some advice, no theory involved.

I think you should do whatever you think is right when you work with sealed bearings.

 

[MGB]

I am starting to plan for my winter time project. Going to install the axle bearing retainer plates from DK. I have about 14k miles on the 21 trike. Need to know the information for the USA made outer axle bearings, so I can get them. Don't want to use the ones made in Korea from Harley. Thanks for the help.

What made you decide to replace the rear axle bearing and the retainer plate?

 

[FirstTrike]

What made you decide to replace the rear axle bearing and the retainer plate?

Just got back from a 6k mile road trip without any issues. I am the type of person that if I know that there is a possible issue with something, go ahead and take care of it before you are sitting on the side of the road wishing you had taken care of it. Watch DK Customs videos about the retainer plates and bearings. For the cost of the plates and bearings, worth it for peace of mind. I will do the install myself. Thanks for asking.

 

[Dan SC]

Watch DK Customs videos about the retainer plates and bearings. For the cost of the plates and bearings,

I haven`t seen posts on any forum in reference to the axle bearings or retainer plates failing, except the posts by DK Customs.

I don`t doubt some trikes may have had issues, but if it were a widespread problem there would be a zillion posts about it.

 

[Trampas]

View attachment 114103

Bored yesterday morning so I decided that I would pull axles now instead of waiting for winter. Here is a picture of R/H retainer plate and bearing. This is at 24,800 miles. Obviously should have replaced the retainer plate with the DK version earlier. Pulling the axles was quite simple however getting the bearings off the axles has turned into quite a tug-of-war. I've got a 20-ton arbor press but it isn't budging these puppies. Going to take the axles over to the local John Deere dealer later today and see if they will be willing to give it a go with their shop presses. Order the new parts yesterday (Thursday) from DK and they are supposed to arrive next Tuesday. Looking forward to getting this fixed and back on the road.

Been thinking of this myself, guess I will have to ask my buddy what lb press he has, if less that 20 which I think it is I will have to look elsewear to get them off

All for now Trampas

 

[Snohomish]

All finished with the replacement. Real easy to do once the bearings & tone rings were pressed off. John Deere wanted nothing to do with pressing them off since it wasn’t a green color Took axles to an auto repair shop and they had a 50-ton press. Popped them right off. I pressed new bearings on and reused the same tone rings. DK plates are not going to warp.

 

[Rogue1]

All finished with the replacement. Real easy to do once the bearings & tone rings were pressed off. John Deere wanted nothing to do with pressing them off since it wasn’t a green color Took axles to an auto repair shop and they had a 50-ton press. Popped them right off. I pressed new bearings on and reused the same tone rings. DK plates are not going to warp.

I took my axles to an automotive machine shop and had the bearings pressed off and new bearings pressed on with the DK plates. When I put the old plates on a surface plate they were definitely warped. After only 25,000 miles. Bearings were good retainer plates were scored and warped.

 

[DK Custom Products]

View attachment 114103

Bored yesterday morning so I decided that I would pull axles now instead of waiting for winter. Here is a picture of R/H retainer plate and bearing. This is at 24,800 miles. Obviously should have replaced the retainer plate with the DK version earlier. Pulling the axles was quite simple however getting the bearings off the axles has turned into quite a tug-of-war. I've got a 20-ton arbor press but it isn't budging these puppies. Going to take the axles over to the local John Deere dealer later today and see if they will be willing to give it a go with their shop presses. Order the new parts yesterday (Thursday) from DK and they are supposed to arrive next Tuesday. Looking forward to getting this fixed and back on the road.

Good photo showing how the OEM plates bow and let that bearing bang around in the housing.

I haven`t seen posts on any forum in reference to the axle bearings or retainer plates failing, except the posts by DK Customs.

I don`t doubt some trikes may have had issues, but if it were a widespread problem there would be a zillion posts about it.

We only personally know one person who's wheel (and axle) separated from the Trike. Fortunately it happened in a slow turn and she was not hurt.

We know of several dozen (still a small percentage) that have had the rear end grenade due to too much play in the axle from the bearing being loose.

What is far more common is the trike having a loose feeling, and some even hear the clicking or clunking, as the bearing shifts in the housing. This can also cause wandering, which many times is just the road surface, but other times is the rear wheels being slightly out of alignment due to loose rear bearings.

Many of them go down the same path I did, checking the heim joints in the panhard rod, checking the swingarm pivot, then checking the bearings before identifying that loose feeling of not tracking tightly.

Kevin

 

[DOKK]

I haven`t seen posts on any forum in reference to the axle bearings or retainer plates failing, except the posts by DK Customs.

I don`t doubt some trikes may have had issues, but if it were a widespread problem there would be a zillion posts about it.

This is why, in my 30+ year career in industrial maintenance following a couple years as a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force, I have performed a lot of preventative maintenance. IMO, one failure on a trike is one too many for me. It's enough for me to replace mine this winter as well. I have had the new plates since last year though but I do check them at each 5k service. I just haven't had time available due to work schedule, but that has changed now.

 

[dthorn]

I had to have entire hub assembly replaced

Hi all

About a month ago my 2021 Tri Glide with just 11,000 miles started having clunking noise on the right rear side. Also felt like acceleration was sluggish. I stop to look things over. I noticed that they were several steaks of grease on the rim like it had blown out from the bearings. So I nursed it home.

I made an appointment at my Harley dealer and dropped off. I was told that the outer hub assembly bearings were shot. After dealer sent pictures to the mothership they decided that the whole hub assembly needed to be replaced instead of just bearings. It must have been bad as all the work was covered in full by factory warranty.

I guess I am lucky that the back end didn’t explode at 75 mph on an interstate.

 

[Snohomish]

Hi all

About a month ago my 2021 Tri Glide with just 11,000 miles started having clunking noise on the right rear side. Also felt like acceleration was sluggish. I stop to look things over. I noticed that they were several steaks of grease on the rim like it had blown out from the bearings. So I nursed it home.

I made an appointment at my Harley dealer and dropped off. I was told that the outer hub assembly bearings were shot. After dealer sent pictures to the mothership they decided that the whole hub assembly needed to be replaced instead of just bearings. It must have been bad as all the work was covered in full by factory warranty.

I guess I am lucky that the back end didn’t explode at 75 mph on an interstate.

Glad you got it fixed before it came totally apart....I couldn't believe how bad my bearings & retainer plate looked when I checked mine. The inside of the hub had worn some too on both axles. I caught it before it got really bad like yours. I really think people would be surprised at what they find if they pull the axles and check.​

 

[David792]

All finished with the replacement. Real easy to do once the bearings & tone rings were pressed off. John Deere wanted nothing to do with pressing them off since it wasn’t a green color Took axles to an auto repair shop and they had a 50-ton press. Popped them right off. I pressed new bearings on and reused the same tone rings. DK plates are not going to warp.

I'm curious about why your 2019 trike has tone rings. Mine is a 2018 and according to the manual it also has tone rings. My 2018 does not have ABS. Does the 2019 have ABS? and why would it have tone rings is no ABS.

Thanks

 

[Old Road Dog]

PN# 83315-09 Retainer,Axle Shaft(2) has been replaced by 12200173, Ring, RETG,Tone. Also up to '23 that gear on the axles is not shown in the parts manual as it's shown in DK's video. What is it? Anti rollback?.Anti sway? Traction control?Coffee grinder?

 

[Notgrownup]

I have a warranty for 6 years so I will keep an eye on it and ride. If it starts to get loose I will let the warranty take care of it. I have the body off enough to inspect everything at least once a year. Pretty stout end plate though by DK.

 

[Snohomish]

I'm curious about why your 2019 trike has tone rings. Mine is a 2018 and according to the manual it also has tone rings. My 2018 does not have ABS. Does the 2019 have ABS? and why would it have tone rings is no ABS.

Thanks

Yep it has ABS.

 

[David792]

I pulled the axles and replaced the bearings and retainer plates. I thought of buying a shop press, but in lieu of a "one and done" use on a HF press, I took the axles to a local shop. The shop charged $150 ($100 less than the HF press). They also broke one of their bearing splitters doing the job. The shop owner expressed his opinion that the HF 20 ton press might not have been enough.



minor water intrusion and not enough to contaminate the bearing

 

[New Orleans Kevin]

Had someone do my axle bearings and swapped the plates to DK recently . Bike at 27,400 miles . We found sand and dirt in the axles and bearings as well as rust and proof of water intrusion . All parts were still serviceable but the old plates were worn from the bearings and or flexing . Bearings replaced and new DK plates with prong installed . Tech was happy with DK quality and my decision to replace . Money well spent as I push my TriGlide pretty hard!