Okay- front wheel bearings are in but I am still going to have the dealer spin the retaining nut on for me you can't beat the $10 price tag! I purchased a cheap 1 1/4" socket to use as a driver to get the bearing seated I then used a dead blow hammer to gingerly force the bearing in place. After failing to get the bearing in the first time around I have figured out some key points to encourage success.
1) Start on the threaded side of the hub this bearing will go in only so far the opposite side relies on the spacer
2) I wasn't making much progress with the dead blow hammer so I moved up to a 3lbs sledge and immediately saw better progress.
3) When striking the 1 1/4" socket I was very deliberate making 1 strike and then making sure the socket was positioned over the outer race before striking again.
4) When you hit the bearing correctly it makes a particular sound- like connecting with a baseball. You will "know" you hit it right and it will move.
5) When setting the second bearing be mindful of how far in you need to go because you can end up pinning it against the spacer. Also the spacer will be moving around a little even if you bend out the tangs properly- you are hitting it with a hammer or sledge!
I lubricated the bearing a little on the outside to help promote movement into the hub and it seemed to help. It doesn't take a lot just a minor coating.
Oh and I had the bearings in the freezer to help shrink them a bit this can't hurt either!
Recap: Start form the threaded side of the hub. Freeze the bearings then gently lube. Use a suitable drive tool I used a 1 1/4" socket. Don't be afraid to use the BFH instead of the dead blow hammer and last it's no big deal if you fail bearings are CHEAP even the good ones but falling on your face at 60 MPH is bad!
I know I should have been taking pics but I couldn't be bothered but will follow up and either edit this post (not sure if you can add pics while editing a post) or add a post below as a follow up.
I forgot to put the wheel in the car this morning so I'll stop by the dealer tomorrow on my way home to have him spin in the retaining nut. Then it will go back on the bike along with the swing arm and rear wheel so I have a rolling chassis again.
Next up is the refurbishment of the gauges- clean the glass, repaint the cups, and new faces! Fingers crossed I don't break the needles off! I have already done a trial run at this with an extra speedo that I bought off of ebay for the chrome back plate. And yes I broke that needle off but am the wiser for it!
