Installed my front wheel bearings. Pretty straightforward process... But that axle bolt is a BASTARD! Could't find a deep enough socket to turn it off, because of the lip at the end, so I went with two wrenches. The axle nut is 23mm... an odd size. 7/8" is the equivalent SAE size! The two flat areas on the other end of the axle is 18mm. I let it soak in PB Blaster for awhile, then heated it up for about 30 secs and pressed down on both wrenches at the same time. POP. Off it came.
Removed the disk brake, etc so that the speedo drive hub could come out.
Drilled out the original stakes with a 1/8" bit, and tapped out the retainer ring. Buggered the slots a bit, but it works still.
Plenty of rust in there!
Following przjohn's method (
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,149230.msg1702391.html#msg1702391), I popped out my bearings. Didn't need to heat the hub, either. Just a nice big punch, and a screwdriver jammed in there, a few taps with the 5lb mallet, and POPPED right out.
The bearings. Originals! Notice a few pics back... no previously-drilled out stakes on the retaining ring!
From here it was a pretty simple process... Retainer-side first, using the old bearing to get it in place. Don't hammer the inner races!
Then put your retaining ring back on. But first you'll want to clean up those threads. They are pretty soft metal, so easily done! The thread pitch for the retaining ring on the front wheel is 1.5mm, the same as an M10 bolt. Luckily that is the same as the oil drain plug. I just changed mine so I had the old one kicking around. Run that bolt with plenty of pressure around the retaining ring, and also on the hub inner threads. Any spots that are especially warped, like on mine where I used a punch to turn it out, and where the original stakes were drilled out, use a small jeweler's file to get rid of the big chunks, then the M10 to reshape.
So pop that retainer back on, and get the original stakes to line up. Make sure to punch new ones when you're finished!
Spacer... Make sure the NARROW END goes on the RETAINER SIDE. This photo shows the WIDE END.
Use the old bearing to get the new bearing to seat flush, to start.
NOW AN IMPORTANT PART.
Don't drive that bearing too tight! You want the inner spacer to be able to move, ever so slightly, but not too loose either!
The little sliver of silver you see in the center here is the opposite side's inner bearing race.
This means that the spacer moves, still (it was loose at this point). Notice in the pic above of the spacer that it isn't a super tight fit in the hub. It can move vertically (wheel upright as if on bike). You don't want it moving side to side, though, as that is too loose. It is all by feel...
How I found the magical "Just RightTM" position for this floating bearing is that it should be tight enough so that the spacer doesn't move side to side (remember wheel in normal, riding position... up or down is OK), BUT you should be able to spin both bearings freely, in opposite directions, at the same time, independently of the spacer. You may find you can feel the inner race rub ever so slightly on the spacer at this point. It takes a bit of feeling around (use your pinky's, those are small holes!)... but you'll get it. If you do make it too tight the first time around, GENTLY tap from the retainer side on the INNER RACES. GENTLY GOING SLOWLY, ALL THE WAY AROUND. Eventually you will get the floating bearing moved outwards a bit, and then you can try again. Ask me how I know... I thought I was done for, when I did it too tight... but I went and checked HondaMan's book, and this is what was recommended.
Then reassemble everything! Change the seals if they were included, and grease where necessary. Disk brake bolts are M8, so they were tightened to 15#, in a cross pattern, and then the lock washers bent up again. I should get new ones. Front axle is supposed to get fairly high torque, but finding a socket that actually fits is going to be near impossible. I used those two wrenches again and tightened to gudentight (all my 170lbs pushing on them). Fork axle holder is installed with the gap to the rear, front bolt tightened first (15#, again), and then the rear to the same torque.
I rode the bike this morning, and I found that the bike rolled much better when backing out of the garage.
Rear wheel bearings, cush drive rubbers, and spockets and chain are for next time!
