more than likely the bearing wasn't greased from the OEM,
its VERY common in todays world for bearings to NOT get fully greased at the factory
I personally think this is a plan to sell more bearings?
I always pull the dust seal back and FILL before I install them, and its shocking HOW Many have NO grease in them at all, never mind just low amounts of it!
NEXT< if you run a lift kit,m larger tire or a LOT of water time
that will kill even GOOD bearings FAST
last, if this is an older Honda with a tubed rear axle, the left side is a KNOWN weak link, as the right side has two bearings and left only one
so things wear faster on the left side by design !
very common failure there, and if NOT caught in time can lead to a destroyed rear axle, as them splines rust up SO easy and then strip real fast and , that cheap bearing turns into a much more costly repair!
name of the game here is check a LOT more often LOl
There's an easy way to fix this problem, my father and I both mud ride a lot and we got tired of replacing those bearings.
Buy a tube of grease and a grease fitting from your local auto parts store. (I'd recommend doing this next part with the axle tube off the bike, so you don't get shavings by that seal in the differential) Drill a hole in your left axle tube about 1/2" to an inch away from the differential, right on the top. Thread that grease fitting into the hole. When you use the grease gun to fill it, I'd suggest having the hub off along with the seal, so you can watch and see when the grease is starting to pop the seals on the bearing. Make sure the seal facing toward the tire stays on the bearing, it helps it a lot. Then,put it all back together, and have some fun!
We did this awhile back, maybe 2-3 years ago, and we both have the same bearing on the left side, and our differentials never get water in them. I usually go rack or handlebar deep when we ride, and I never have any problems anymore.
yeah that's what he's saying
I still don't see how that helps on the bearing going out, due to only one on the one side
once that fails due to load carrying, even filled with grease water will find its way past things, might slow rust down some, but that bearing will still fail I think? its a design flaw
adding the grease doesn't change the design!
MANY guys will even tap and add zerk fittings to diff's and fill them with grease
but from all I have ever read, it still doesn't save things , as once water gets in, grease or oil, its still water on metal, which makes rust and that weakens it?
again can maybe slow things down, but in the end, its still water ina gear box
a down side I have read of is, folks pumping a diff full and blowing out seals, grease can make a TON of pressure when pumped into a closed area!
actually making matters worse NOT better
I'm NO expert, just relaying things I have read and my 2 cents LOL
To be completely honest, I have no clue as to why it makes the bearing last longer, maybe it's because it's constantly got grease up against it so it stays well lubricated, or maybe they just last that long when the water is being repelled from them.
Just from the example of my bike, I ride it hard in the mud. Just tonight, I drove it through a pond twice and came out the other side, in thick nasty mud. (Gettin kinda dry around here, lol) I haven't replaced that bearing since we replaced it and filled that axle tube with grease about 4-5 years ago. It mainly helps keep water and mud out of your rear diff, but I guess it also helps that bearing. I don't mean to argue with you or anything, mrbb, I apologize if it seemed like I was, just relating things from my perspective. But good luck on your bike, man, I hope you get it all fixed! :happy
NO harm here, and I wasn't trying to be a smart a$$ either LOl
just saying the load on the bearing would still be the same, but like I said, that grease might help lube better and get you the longer life??
But my question to you would be this?/
HOW many miles a yr do you put on it, trail riding?
as water rider , yes has water to get in things, but IMO< its the actual amount of miles on dry ground AFTER water gets in that kills things, as that friction builds and heat, and then even MORE water gets past things LOL
then the rust comes and bye bye splines and bearings
so maybe its ALL the water riding your doing that helps lubes things too HAHA< WHO know's
I tapped my housings and added a grease zerk, but it was more to keep any water that might get past the bearing and seal from getting into the diff. The grease puts a barrier of sorts in the tube that should keep a little water from flowing towards the diff. Can't hurt anything, right?
As for the bearing, my guess from rebuilding a few of these is that the hub is worn/grooved, allowing water to leak in past the seal and then the water is what kills the bearing. I've noticed on a lot of these rigs when I pull the hub off the hub, while it still functions fine, isn't smooth where it seats up against the seal. That lets water/grit in, and that water/grit eats the bearing.
Good point about the hub. Mine do have grooves. Should they be smooth?
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