Harley tapered wheel bearing - end play set up

Harley tapered wheel bearing - end play set up

[@kirkdavis3929]

Dude, this is the best how to on wheel bearings out there, good on ya!

[@jacobdurham7219]

This helped so much. I misplace all my original spacer and had no idea where to start. This made life so much easyier, thank you

[@rollotomassi4987]

Great video!! Just the right amount of information to make the video short and to the point. It also corrected the wrong information in Clymers shop manual which tells you to add shims if you have too much play after tightening the wheel. Thanks again.

[@halletts1171]

Outstanding Instructions especially about the thin shim! Most mechs don't even know that one! I own 5 pre 1999's and always inspect/replace bearing and seals at tire change time. This is a must do to keep the squirrels out of your ride! I also inspect/replace the swing arm bearings when doing the rear wheel. older rides just require a little bit more maintenance. Thanks Brian!

[@cobraninetysix3883]

Great video. Always found the official harley service manual for my 95 wideglide to be confusing. It instructs to use anti seize on the axle, which makes no sense when working with an open tapered bearing.

[@trevorhalford8410]

Great informational video. Thank you for your thoroughness.

[@carpetpros751]

Great Video, thank you for taking your time to help us. Simple easy and to the point.

[@randtotheboone4897]

Thank you so much for this video Brian. I live very far from a decent shop that will work on old bikes. Forced to do some of this myself. This info was exactly what I needed.

[@jameskirby9369]

Great video!!! Especially thanks for the anti seize info cause my Clymer manual says to use anti seize for a 98 Fatboy!! I ordered all the parts and tools and I’m going to tackle this job!!!

[@newfiebob56]

Brian , Thanks so much for your videos , great job.

[@Oldetownecycle]

No Michael and Ben but, your wheels axle spacers most likely would to correct for the change. You would also need to make sure the inner spacer was long enough to be captured by the bearings so to not have it fall in the hub making axle insertiton impossible. Last of course brake disc centering. We get a lot of questions about fitting this or that wheel or installing sealed bearings. This is close to ask "can I put a Honda wheel on my Harley" most likely yes. You just need to engineer the whole thing. Thanks!

[@TootsMacTait]

Best. Instructions. Ever.

[@roberthealy8519]

Thanks for the antiseiz comment., I didn't know,1987 Sportster. Grease it is then. thanks

[@johnod1955]

Good video, thanks. Just ran into this today, and trying to figure it out, so this will be a HUGE help.

[@gooru4speed]

Great explanation Brian. I appreciate that.

[@mikewatson2187]

that was a kick ass video,thanks so much.

[@421CentralIowa]

Thanks for taking the time to explain it to those of us who refuse to pay anyone to work on our stuff. It makes perfect sense what's going on here. Any tips out of what to make the test spacer out of? Just a piece of appropriately fitting pipe?

[@Oldetownecycle]

+luketrash You need to use the current spacer during set up.

[@dtsouza2519]

Great video! Answered every question I could imagine.

[@Wizzard033]

Awesome video bro! I went to MMI many moons ago but haven't practiced. :( I'm chopping an old iron head so this is very helpful

[@bjoernandersen8287]

Thank you so mush, have been looking for this video lang time and finally found it.

[@tomduncan1970]

EXCELLENT video! Nicely done.

[@clarktferrill]

Couldn't see your gauge properly..But I got it ! Thanks...Now I have something else to worry about..🤣😎

[@fbbc6495]

Cool video thanks 94 fxdwg 21" couldn't find real info on nut torque , shim play thanks.

[@montipython]

Very useful, thank you.. Need to turn the camera the other way though lol :)

[@lqqkout4thedude]

Depending upon the wheel, it does matter which side the spacers are on. For instance, the spacers on the rear wheel on a 1993 Fatboy need to be on the sprocket side.

[@jrock22]

Great video 👍

[@tgg223]

yes sir that was a kick as video just one question do you have to is it a must to replace the cup

[@mumfordify]

Awesome video very helpful thank you.

[@georgejanz1313]

Hello. Good vid. The end of the axle in the vise, I am assuming that is round. How do you protect it so it does not get damaged when you tighten the vise jaws.

[@Oldetownecycle]

We use a spare axle. Aluminum jaws will work through

[@BrewCityRider]

Excellent vid, but the math isn't working for me. If you had .027 end play and wanted .004, you would need to REDUCE end play by ADDING a .023 spacer. The way you explained it is basically the opposite of this...you reduced the spacer total by removing a .032 and adding a .008. Please explain to me where I am missing the boat. Also, why is your Snap-On dial indicator moving backwards. Thanks. EDIT: I've been trying to wrap my head around this end play adjustment and I think I understand now. It all has to do with how far you are compressing the bearing into the cup using the appropriate torque spec. To reduce end play you would need to remove space by reducing the shim stack so that the bearing can be compressed into the cup further. Is this correct?

[@jameskirby9369]

BrewCityRider yeah I’m not getting this either u would think that if u wanted to decrease the end play u would have to add washers to take up the extra space

[@tmarx88]

Thanks Brian...outstanding video and instructions. Subscribed also bro.

[@leroy3663]

All these numbers is confusing the hell outta me regarding the dial gauge, I've watched 6 times over and still don't get it, so are we putting less shims in or more, 27 thou then take a spacer out bring it down to 6 ??? can someone please break down the maths here for me, my head hurts, yeah I know it's obvious I'm not the smartest, any help to understand this would be appreciated thanks

[@mhooper72]

It was out by 27 thou so he removed the 27 thou by removing 1- 32 thou shim and adding a 6 thou instead (32 - 6= 26 thousands of an inch reduction) which will decrease the end play to within specs. Make sense ?

[@jameskirby9369]

γελώντας στο αφελείς I’m confused too u would think that u would have to add washers to take up the extra space instead of decreasing them

[@redamor9182]

@@jameskirby9369 your forgetting that there is a tapered bearing in there if you add more shims the bearing is held further away from the inner race and can't be successfully tightened so less shimming will let the bearing sit down on the race and lessen the end play

[@contact4mwy7]

Hello Brian, excellent video for those of us with the older taper bearings. I want to try to tap into your experience and knowledge on a different but similar note. I have a '97 Road King that is having a tracking issue and I cannot figure out what might be causing it. Going down the road, the front wheel pulls back and forth in a side to side manner, vertically, like someone is tipping the bike from one side and then the other while you are sitting on it. It is very random, sometimes favoring a right side lean for 5 seconds, then a left side lean for 20 seconds. Imagine a rocking back and forth of the whole bike leaning to the left, and then right, and then back to the left, and then the right. Never really feeling like it is straight up and down vertical. Could the wheel bearings having too much end play cause this? Is this something someone has brought to your attention before? Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy question, I am just about out of ideas. I have checked the neck bearing tension, rear bearings and swing arm, checking alignment of front and rear tires. I am on my 2nd set of tires with the same results. I really would like to make this 'twitching' go away.

[@Oldetownecycle]

+Mark Young Hey Mark, Sorry for the late reply but the shop emails and work take my days as well as I have tried to get notifications through here but rarely works. If the wheel bearings are correctly set up and in acceptable condition. It sounds like your neck bearings may be notched. This will give the fealing of failed wheel bearings or pulling during stoping or sometimes riding. The more obvious would be if you have laced wheels ( thin spoke style) they are beyond loose. The last is a badly cupped tire. All tires should be changed at the same time. The ideal you get two rear to every front tire is false. It is about one and a half. Half way though the second rear the front is overly cupped/scalloped causing ride rideability issues Hope you find it.

[@contact4mwy7]

Thank you for your reply, will check thoroughly!

[@Mijaycapri79]

Brian Thomas I just pulled my 1997 xl1200s apart that I picked up second hand and it does not have a sleeve spacer. Any thoughts on this ? Please help thanks

[@mrbigg7255]

Best video. Thanks.

[@seanbucke]

Great video.. helped me loads.thank you.

[@johncasor9698]

should it be on the loose side and not the tight side of the tolerance??? for heat it will expand and make it tighter you think??? and they say oh it will get loose with were, i think not. those bearing are harder then a DIAMOND that steel is super hard it would take a long time to were down and get loose, i have done brake jobs on trucks and cars many hundreds for 29 years and never seen a bearing wear down to be loose they just get rust pits or the race has were marks and the cage gets larger and rollers are rattling loose but you do not lose clearance... now that being said. when do you do a brake job on a truck or a car??? correct about 30-40 thousand miles. now the bearing is most likely not been off for new grease correct??? yep believe me i have been doing this for a very time as a shop foreman union factory tech. and keep those bearing at the loose side of the tolerance. now the Harley book states to check the bearing at 10K and that means when the new tires are installed which i do on my 1990 FXRP and the 1997 FXDL but what about the 2020 FXLR sealed bearings should i just pop in new replacement bearing from the Harley Dealer ???

[@VeritasEtAequitas]

Damn, why does Harley make everything to difficult to work on? Between this and line-reaming half the engine, it's ridiculous.

[@tracydore9938]

A daft punk -Harley D needs to eat dessert too, lol.

[@thaitram7616]

great video thanks

[@phillipthompson6809]

How do you static balance a harley wheel with that type of bearings

[@LyonhartZ2]

Thank-You Brian!!

[@tomrohn8607]

Good information.thank you....

[@michaelfuller5713]

If one was to convert to sealed bearings would the shims still be necessary?

[@benriley86]

I am wondering the same thing..

[@mikedog8627]

Awesome man very helpful.

[@butchsmarr3744]

do the hub spacers wear out won't lock into the bearings

[@Oldetownecycle]

Butch Smarr No, no worries

[@AMAmedia8]

So why don't you need a Top hat spacer on the other bearing?

[@jameskirby9369]

AMA Media if you’re not using spacers on that side then u don’t need one. You only add spacers to one side

[@MoeLarrycurly1]

How deep do you set the bearing seal is it important to be a certain amount below the lip equal to the lip etc. of the rim of the tire thank you

[@jameskirby9369]

mot ikswelborw depends on the year of the bike.

[@MoeLarrycurly1]

James Kirby 98 fatboy

[@jameskirby9369]

mot ikswelborw my Klymer says flush. I also have a 98 Fatboy!!!

[@MoeLarrycurly1]

James Kirby in my Harley Davidson manual it says 0.04 inches or 1 mm below outside edge of wheel hub and that’s what I did that’s on page 2 -six of the service manual 🖖🏽👍🏼

[@나른한오후-k4j]

Good man!

[@dougbrown8840]

I'm not to cheap to pay a wrench, I just don't trust the guys I find working in the dealers. Harley doesn't support anything older than 10 years. That tells me those guys aren't really trained to install tapered bearings. I know I'll get it right...

[@clarktferrill]

Harley is all about nostalgia..until it comes to an old bike..😵‍💫

[@fasttimes6346]

Great video thx...

[@MrQuickster60]

good video to the point

[@bartomiejczerwinski3052]

where do I get this different thickness spacers?? any hd part number or whaever??

[@Oldetownecycle]

You can get them aftermarket or Harley.43290-82 is for the .032 spacer part number

[@scrumthebum2451]

@@Oldetownecycle I know I’m late to the party but I just replaced my bearings for first time in my shovelhead rear wheel. They were last done by a Harley shop. The wheels were brand new and tagged with .012 play. I specifically told them to reduce the play to .002 to .005. BUT when I just replaced them there was not any top hat spacers. Just the center spacer. I have no way to check the end play. Is this normal ?

[@Oldetownecycle]

@@scrumthebum2451 Some / most early wheels did not use spacer setup. They had different length spacers to install (different length). They still wouldn’t usually get you to the 2-6. Usually loose or to tight, lol. We send the spacer to the machine shop and have it turned down and install the step spacer setup

[@scrumthebum2451]

@@Oldetownecycle Thanks for replying