Topic: Bearing Retainer Tool and Gear Box Retainer Tool for CB550

[Maraakate]

I want to do the wheel bearings over the next month.  Upon reading the service manual it appears two special tools are needed: bearing retainer tool and gear box retainer tool.  Where can I purchase tools that will help in doing the job properly?  This is for a 77 CB550K; but I believe it's the same tool for the CB500 and CB550 series.

[Maraakate]

So it appears David Silver Spares has the tools needed to remove the Bearing Retainers:

https://www.davidsilverspares.com/CB550K-1977-USA/part_237046/
https://www.davidsilverspares.com/CB550K-1977-USA/part_237065/

However, I still have been unable to find the tool specifically for the gear box retainer.

[onepieceatatime]

I used something like this on my 650 for the bearing retainer.
https://www.amazon.com/OTC-6613-Variable-Spanner-Wrench/dp/B000F5JMEA
I remember also reading about someone using the spanner that came with their angle grinder for bearing retainer removal.

[bryanj]

Why do you need a gearbox retainer to do wheel bearings? Plus i have never heard of a gearbox retainer

[Maraakate]

The gearbox retainer is on the right side of the front wheel by the speedometer.

[Deltarider]

I want to do the wheel bearings over the next month. 

Why? Is there a problem? It's not a nice job, you know. Pic shows the tool I made.

[Maraakate]

I'm at 25,000 miles.  I'm pretty sure it's the original wheel bearings.  They're 40 years old and I would like to take the bike on extended trips.  Mostly a safety issue for my peace of mind.

[bryanj]

There is no "tool" for that gearbox retainer otherwise known as a speedo drive. You simply undo the six bolts holding the disc on

[Maraakate]

Oh, I was under the impression it was one of those weird slotted things to remove the outer cover.  So the two tools from David Silver Spare's should be enough?

[Deltarider]

I'm at 25,000 miles.  I'm pretty sure it's the original wheel bearings.  They're 40 years old and I would like to take the bike on extended trips.  Mostly a safety issue for my peace of mind.

Your choice. Personally I'd leave them alone. I had to renew the rearwheel bearings some time after I had foolishly washed my bike at a carwash using pressurized water. A hell of a job it was. Bearings go a looooong way.

[Maraakate]

I'm at 25,000 miles.  I'm pretty sure it's the original wheel bearings.  They're 40 years old and I would like to take the bike on extended trips.  Mostly a safety issue for my peace of mind.

Your choice. Personally I'd leave them alone. I had to renew the rearwheel bearings some time after I had foolishly washed my bike at a carwash using pressurized water. A hell of a job it was. Bearings go a looooong way.

If I put the 25,000 miles on it I'd not care as much.  However, the bike sat for nearly 20 years and at that point only had about 20,000 miles on it.  Since I don't know the history I don't want to be cruising at 70mph on a highway and have one of the wheels lock up on me.

It looks like basically you remove the retainers, the dust seals and then evenly distribute heat on the hub and drive the bearings out.  Keep the new bearings in the freezer then using evenly distributed heat on the hub again to drive them home.  Having the proper tool helps.  Maybe your homemade tool made things more difficult for you?

I've done some loose ball bearing cone/race wheels on mopeds a few times.  It's not glorious, but was able to do it OK.

EDIT: And yes, I did read the shop manual and took note that the retainer on the rear wheel is LEFT-HAND THREADED.  A nice little trap that would cause a lot of frustration if you forget this fact!

[bryanj]

You forgot to mention you need to drill out the "stakings" that lock the retainers in.

And i never yet heated a hub

[Maraakate]

You forgot to mention you need to drill out the "stakings" that lock the retainers in.

And i never yet heated a hub

Stakings?  Picture please?

Yes, I am unsure about the necessity of heating the hub.  Maybe it's more applicable to mag wheels?  I have no idea.  I just see that as advice quite frequently for stubborn bearings.  Which it could very well be on 40 year old equipment.

[Smudgemo]

My one experience in removing the lock ring on a rear hub forced me to make a tool that engaged all four spots and allowed me to pass a bolt through the hub to keep the tool engaged.  Doesn't sound like that's a common thing, but I drilled the stakes and was turning in the correct direction.  I also had the luxury of scrap steel and a torch to do some spiffy brazing.

[bryanj]

Im sure the stakings are mentioned in the Honda manual

[Maraakate]

If you mean the "tongued washer" on the front wheel, then yes.  That is mentioned.

[bryanj]

Nope both screwed in retainers have punch marks on the thread halfway into each screwed part to stop them unscrewing.
These need drilling with a small drill to enable the insert to unscrew.
Cant do pictures as havent got a wheel where i am but the two punched dimples are obvious if you look at the join between retainer and hub

[middletons]

I beleive Bryan is referring to the punch marks between the retainer and the surrounding area.  It locks the two together.  Tightly.

Edit: Bryan beat me to it.

[Maraakate]

I had an appointment today at the local shop to have them put a new rear tire, tubes, rim strip, balance, etc. and also have them cut my old chain off.  I asked about doing the wheel bearings on the rear tire.  They ended up letting me do most of the job since I came pretty prepared.  In any case, we didn't have to drill any stakes out on the retainer.  Maybe the bearings were replaced before?  I have no idea.  But no special tool needed to get that retainer off either.  We just used a punch and it came right off.  Getting the smaller bearing out was a real pain for some reason.  We used one of those bearing removal tools where it has the mushroom and you used the drive to wedge it in and it would just not come out.  Took about 90 minutes of us working on it.  Eventually got a thick steel plate to support the tool and really hammered at it.  The inner race cracked and then it came apart.  After that it was pretty easy to do the rest of it.

To get the retainer back on we used two punches and used a lever in between them to turn the retainer to get it tight, then use the punch to drive it home.

So yes, a lot of work like Deltarider mentioned, but I think it was worth doing and learned a few tricks along the way.  It was really nice of the shop to only charge me the labor for the tire mount and balance since I ended up doing most of the work anyways 

[Maraakate]

Another interesting thing to mention is that I did check the bearings after we pulled them out and they were OK.  Probably unnecessary like Delatarider mentioned, but now I won't have to worry about the wheel locking up when I'm cruising for hours on end.