Topic: CB550 Rear Wheel Bearing Spacer Issue.

[Adam80]

Sorry to invent yet another issue with these damned rear wheel bearings.
I am putting the bearings and spacer back in the rear hub and total confusion has occured.
There spacer prongs just seem to be getting in the way of the bearings. I am not sure how exaclty they were all supposed to work origionally but something seems wrong here.
These photos were taken with the large bearing seated on the other side with the short bearing collar seated inside the large bearing. I am pretty confident the short collar is seated in all the way, I can hear it "click" home. 

1. I'm not sure which way around the spacer goes
2. No matter which way around it goes it seem the prongs on the spacer impact into the area the bearing should seat
3. Is are the spacer prongs supposed to bend or crush when the bearings are seated in? I dont understand why the longs ones are bent on mine but the new ones seem straight
4. Are the spacer prongs supposed to go into the open ends of the original bearings?
5. Do I need to just cut off the long prongs as I have closed bearings?

Thanks in advance!

Adam.

[rotortiller]

There may be a spacer that goes into one bearing inner race that solves interference. The tabs on one side may be bent wrong. That's where I would start to look.
https://www.cmsnl.com/products/collar-axle-dist_42620404000/
https://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/hon/506b87c6f870023420a1e6e6/rear-wheel

[Oddjob]

Long tabs go on the inside, sprocket side, due to the inner spacer which is fitted inside that bearing on that side. Short tabs of course go on the brake side. See if that makes a difference.

[bryanj]

I dont remember tabs being on both ends, the one end has long tabs bent right round and that is wrong

[wolf550]

when I took them out of a broken hub they came out like this. the long tabs go on the sprocket side and the shortys go on the brake side. dont forget that spacer between the bearing and axle spacer number 11 on that spec sheet.

[Adam80]

Thanks I will give this a go I appreciate the help.

[HondaMan]

Umm...you don't install the bearing of the chain side until AFTER you install the bearing on the brake side. If you do it backward, the bearing on the chain side will be seated too deeply, causing the bug you now have.

So, tap the bearing outward on the chain side so you can flush-mount the one on the brake side, then tighten the collar up by tapping the chain-side bearing in until the spacer stops it. Then you'll know how far to turn in the threaded retainer on the chain side.

[rotortiller]

I do not see it that way Hondaman. If you install and seat the drum side bearing first then install the sprocket side last when you torque the bearing retainer down the bearing outer race may shift and load the bearing internally causing binding. It is best to fully seat the sprocket side bearing and have the retainer hold that position, that's why they made it that way. The drum side bearing gets seated until the inner race on both bearings just touches the spacer. The spacer tabs are employed for this purpose so it does not flop out of position when the axle is installed. They are wanting little to no axial preload on the bearings. edit- I might add by design they want no possibility of the bearings shifting position while in use, thus altering alignment position, locking the sprocket side bearing outer race in the wheel hub bore assures that along with the stepped spacer.

[Oddjob]

I've always done it Hondamans way, drive the brake side bearing in flush. Fit the spacer, drive the sprocket side bearing in along with it's inner bush until it bottoms out on the hub ring. Doing it the other way you can drive the brake side bearing in and dislodge the sprocket side if things don't line up, as it's recessed that could be difficult to spot. You try and fit the bearing retainer and find it sits proud. Doing it the first way I described, IF things don't line up you can easily see the brake side bearing sitting proud and you know something is wrong then.

[rotortiller]

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=165432.0

[Oddjob]

That doesn't help clarify the situation, 3 for brake and 1 against. And 1 for the brake said to fit the bearing retainer in so that stops the bearing being moved when you go to install the brake side. My experience is when Honda fit a depth shoulder, that bearing goes in first, if it has 2 then it doesn't matter which order generally. Oddly, the workshop manual doesn't say which order to fit them so it's possible it doesn't really matter or Honda would have addressed the issue. They did seem to do the front bearings the way I describe though.

[rotortiller]

That doesn't help clarify the situation

If it were me I would cut and/or bend the tabs to fit provided the spacer is the correct length item instead of #$%*ing around in here lol.

[Ozzybud]

+1 On the Brake side first. It has a seat the other side does not!

[HondaMan]

The purpose of the 'fingers' on the center spool is to help locate it near the center of the holes so the axle can go thru after the bearings were installed. They aren't a critical-alignment gizmo, but just a production-assembly assist device. It's in all the Hondas of the era. I wished Suzuki would copy it when I had my shop: some of their smaller bikes didn't have it, and getting those little spools aligned so the axle could pass thru after installing new bearings was a PITA.