Topic: cb550 rear wheel bearing removal?

[ajracer]

how do you get out the rear bearings? I have it completly apart including the LH thread retainer. do they both drive out of the same side? the side with the retainer. I hit them hard and they didn't budge. the book says remove the retainer and drive them out but in the schematic it makes it look like the bearings go in on their seperate sides. Please help!!!!!!!!!!

[Johnie]

The left drives out from the left and right from the right side.  You have to get the retainer ring off to get the hub bearing out.  At least that is how it goes on the 750.  Total of 3 bearings in the rear wheel of the 750.  Your 550 guys will tell you if there is any difference.

[MCRider]

The left drives out from the left and right from the right side.  You have to get the retainer ring off to get the hub bearing out.  At least that is how it goes on the 750.  Total of 3 bearings in the rear wheel of the 750.  Your 550 guys will tell you if there is any difference.

Johnnie is keerect. You reach the left one with a long drift (punch, metal rod, etc) from the opposite side so you drive the left one out to the left and the right one out to the right. If there is a spacer in the hub, tap on it until it moves just enough to expose a lip of the bearing that you can catch with your drift and have at it. Within a few taps (whacks maybe) it'll start to move. Move the driving edge of the drift around the bearing as you tap so you don't get the bearing cocked as it comes out.

[DaytonGuy]

That spacer is in there pretty tight and runs the entire length between each bearing.  You can put your drift in the hub near the bottom of the spacer and pull pretty hard to one side to slide the spacer out of the way a bit so you have an edge to pound against on the bearing.  then work your way around the bearing.  You'll probably have to manually move the spacer as described above for a few whacks of the bearing until it's loose enough to move more freely.  Once that bearing is out, the space will come out and you will have full access to the bearing on the other side. 

[BobbyR]

One more thing, get some penetrating oil on them. When you are ready to punch them out, heat the area around the hub which will expand the Aluminum a bit and make it a bit easier. Take your new bearing and put them in the freezer which will shrink them a bit and make it easier to tap them in.

[Johnie]

Here is a pic of the spacer you will be pushing to one side so you can get a bite on the bearing.

[RSVbruno]

I know this hasn't been responded to for a while, but I just got the rear wheel bearings out thanks to this thread.  Wanted to say thanks, and that I used an 18mm socket with the 6" socket extension, used it to drive out the "smaller" bearing by hitting the tube that is pressed into the center of the "larger" bearing on the sprocket side.  I also wanted to note that mine did not have any stakes...is this odd?  It's a 1976 K model.  Thanks again guys! I get to keep some of my hair now