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Front wheel scrubbing?

Chadlebowski

Cruisin' Guzzisti
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
149
Location
West Sussex; UK
My 09 Stelvio with 35k miles has developed an intermittent noise, coming from the front wheel at slow speeds. It is not always there - I notice it more often when slowing after a stint at high speeds. It sounds like a tyre rubbing against something, but doesn't seem directly related to speed. And it is felt through the handle bars. Otherwise the bike handles fine, brakes are fine, and no wobble in the bearings.
Anyone else encountered something similar.
 
My 2015 NTX made a howling sound with Mich. Anakee 3, but Conti Trail Attack is quite. Sound only occured at certain speeds . 50 mph,
 
I don't think it is caused by the rubber. The noise is very random, sometime it sounds like a rub, sometimes a squeal, sometimes a hiss. Also, the feel through the handlebars seems more like a throttle\gearing issue than a wheel\bearing one
 
If you can feel it at the handle bars that isn't good. Remove the front wheel and check the wheel bearings just to be on the safe side. Bearings can last for thousands of miles, or not. There is no predicting failure on them.
 
It's the bearings! I'm lucky they didn't fail at high speed.
Any top tips\things to bear in mind when replacing? I've never had the front wheel off, but will have a go...
 
Got the wheel off and inspected the bearings - the retainer on one was completely shagged, and filled with all kinds of crud! Also, the nut holding the axle was not much over finger-tight.

i now have a general question on the degradation of unleaded petrol - the bike has sat with a half-full tank for almost three months. Could running this affect the engine?
 
Got the wheel off and inspected the bearings - the retainer on one was completely shagged, and filled with all kinds of crud! Also, the nut holding the axle was not much over finger-tight.

i now have a general question on the degradation of unleaded petrol - the bike has sat with a half-full tank for almost three months. Could running this affect the engine?

It will be fine running that old gas. Hopefully it will not have much condensation at only half full. The ethanol in the fuel will help to run out any water. It may not have peak performance, but once you run it out and add fresh fuel it will be fine. Next time park with a full tank of fuel.
 
Anyone have any thoughts on placing new bearings in the freezer for easier assembly?
Also - when reassembling the front wheel, what needs greasing. I haven't cleaned the axel; is it worth cleaning and reapplying grease?
Everything else is clean and corrosion free. Any other tips\advice greatly appreciated!
 
Yes to having the bearings in the freezer. Most of the time they will just drop in. I also use an electric heat gun to heat up where I will place the bearing. Once dropped in a couple taps with the correct driver to make sure they are all the way in. Also do clean the axle and apply new grease. I like to use a good synthetic grease as it doesn't harden over time.
 
I use a socket of the appropriate size so you are driving the outside of the bearing only. Before fitting the bearing try the largest socket you can just fit into the space, otherwise measure both.

If you use a socket, use it backwards. That is with the flat end toward the bearing.
 
If you use a socket, use it backwards. That is with the flat end toward the bearing.

Can't agree, John. This will mean that you would be driving the bearing into position by effectively hammering on the center part of the bearing.

I would be concerned with possible damage to the bearing doing it this way. Or have I misunderstood?
 
Can't agree, John. This will mean that you would be driving the bearing into position by effectively hammering on the center part of the bearing.

I would be concerned with possible damage to the bearing doing it this way. Or have I misunderstood?

The face of sockets have a rolled edge. This makes it difficult to drive using the open end of the socket. There is movement of the center piece as there is clearance between the balls and inner and out races of the bearing. If you look at a ball bearing, the inner and outer are the same width. So the center will deflect, but not enough to cause any damage. As you know, the spacer in the front wheel is shorter than the distance between the faces of where the bearing rides. When you tighten the axle, it moves the centers of the bearings closer together. This is to load the bearing so it runs true.
 
In the end, I used an impact socket with chilled bearings, they sailed right in. Job done.
A week ago, I was caught on farm roads in the driving rain, lost control of the bike, and it went over. It was all very slow and at low speed, no injuries (apart from confidence).
The next time I used the bike, left turns felt wobbly - really not good.
So I inspected the forks, the brakes, checked for play across the axle - nothing apparent.
Then I took the front wheel off, to inspect the bearings. In removing the dust seal, I caught the bearing seal too, so will replace again (practice makes perfect).

How do you guys remove the dust seal without marring the bearings. I used a flat head screwdriver, but the seals are in so tight that the act of levering bent the bearing cover too.

Also, regarding the handling, anything else I should check?
 
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