Topic: rear wheel bearing retainer missing - safe or not

[Scott]

Hello there
I have a CB750 took the wheel off to get new tyre fitted and bought myself some new wheel bearings.  Just came home to put the new bearings in and realised there is no screw in retainer and also no thread left in the hub to put a new retainer into.
I've been riding the bike like this since I got it.  Would you continue to do so with new bearings and no retainer or would you get a second hand hub
Thanks for your thoughts
Scott

[BobbyR]

No, you cannot. Buy a new retainer and if your threads are buggered find a machine shop and try to get it re threaded.

[Don R]

Or a new wheel.

[Scott]

sweet thanks for that, I'll check out machine shops and also a 2nd hand hub or wheel
Scott

[Greggo]

I agree with Bobby and Don...wheel bearings are critical items, and you don't want something going wrong at 80 mph. 

[BobbyR]

With the right care you could keep riding.  You could machine and press or loctite a sleeve in the area of missing threads to hold the outer race.

Let me put it this way. You have two wheels, and they are the only thing holding you on the road on curves and high speed straightaways.

 Do you want to trust your life or worse, your ability to use your arms and legs to some Loctite? Honda machined a piece and staked it in place so it could not move. They must have spent the money because it is important.

[MCRider]

The spacer stack is holding the bearing in place by its inner race. So it ain't goin nowhere. But it was designed to be held in by its outer race primarily via the retainer. Still if you notice the bearing on the other side doesn't have a retainer. Hmm.  It was designed so the outer race could float. Why can't both sides float?

I can't answer that other than to repeat what BobbyR said: Honda put a retainer there for a reason.

So you could probably have continued riding it without mishap. But now that you know, I could never ride it a mile again.

Removing the retainer takes a trick. Before i knew the trick, I destroyed a retainer and a hub getting one out. That's probably what happened to yours.

[BobbyR]

Retaining on one side may have to do with the chain and sprocket being on that side. The chain would try to apply a lot of force on that side and not much on the other. I work for a Japanese manufacturer, they do not believe in extra parts.

A lot of people do not drill out the staking and just muscle off the retainer, and of course they bugger the threads.

[stewonepot]

Hi Rotortiller
good call, it's stacked on the axle anyway.
Regards Stew

[Scott]

circlip idea is worth thinking about if I can't cut a new thread in the hub.  As for going to hell is that just like having a bike with the wheels off it and not being able to ride it
Scott

[seanbarney41]

Actually all the good riding occurs in hell. Rides like bikes, jet skis, pussy, roller coasters, go-carts, jet packs etc are plentiful in hell. The heavenly guys messing with #$%* forever praying to remain exactingly stock like tend to  'sniff the 'reeking buns of angles and act as if it is cocaine'
(who said that anyway)
 
RT

lol

[solo 2]

The retainer ring is just for the oil seal, that bearing is a tight interference fit and is also held in with a spacer, it isn't going anywhere. With the new sealed bearings I wouldn't worry about it. If the appearance bothers you get a new rim.