Rocker C Rear Bearings at 17,000 Miles

[Fl Rocker Rider]

Just put in new bearings in my Rocker C. Brake disc side dumped all the bearings, bearing cage, seals. etc inside of the hub. No gory details and I was able to slow to 5mph with a bit of damage.

Asked my H-D dealer if they had the double row bearings I heard about. Answer was no. I put in replacements and pressed the drive pulley side to the bottom of the seat. Put the axle spacer in and noticed that I could not seat the disk side brg to bottom. There is a gap between the hub seat and bearing that needs shimed to take up the empty space. Is something not right? Also the belt rides on the drive pulley towards the inside of it, wheel side. I didnt notice the inner race being thicker on one side or the other on the bearings.

Any ideas? Did I miss something? It seems like I'll have to pull the hub side bearing out a bit to get the belt to ride in the center. But that will leave a gap in the bearing seat, and that's just not right.

I was a bit flustered still from my near disaster and was luckily a few hunderd feet from work when it happened. Skidded (new brake pads, no room for wheel wobble) to a stop in the dirt. Anyone?

 

[Jack Klarich]

Just put in new bearings in my Rocker C. Brake disc side dumped all the bearings, bearing cage, seals. etc inside of the hub. No gory details and I was able to slow to 5mph with a bit of damage.

Asked my H-D dealer if they had the double row bearings I heard about. Answer was no. I put in replacements and pressed the drive pulley side to the bottom of the seat. Put the axle spacer in and noticed that I could not seat the disk side brg to bottom. There is a gap between the hub seat and bearing that needs shimed to take up the empty space. Is something not right? Also the belt rides on the drive pulley towards the inside of it, wheel side. I didnt notice the inner race being thicker on one side or the other on the bearings.

Any ideas? Did I miss something? It seems like I'll have to pull the hub side bearing out a bit to get the belt to ride in the center. But that will leave a gap in the bearing seat, and that's just not right.

I was a bit flustered still from my near disaster and was luckily a few hunderd feet from work when it happened. Skidded (new brake pads, no room for wheel wobble) to a stop in the dirt. Anyone?

These new and improved bearings are proving to be a pitfall IMO. THE MOCO is blaming the owners for washing the bikes too much and riding in the rain, this is laughable in this market for a cheaper way to assemble a wheel at the factory JMO

 

[Breeze3at]

Manual says to install and seat the rotor side bearing first. Then the pulley side which does not seat flush to bottom. This is when using the HD wheel bearing forcing tool. Note: I'm going by service manual for touring model. The rocker may have different installation spec., but I doubt it.

 

[Fl Rocker Rider]

Awesome info. Thanks! I seated the wrong side. Just made it to work that day and didnt have a manual. Explains the misaligned belt. The outer race gap bugs me.

I've rebuilt manual auto trannies and have slpped a few chunks of soft solder in the bearing seat while centering gearsets and determining the proper preload (for tapered rollers), then taking it apart and miking the crushed solder chunks to choose shims. I know I dont want any preload on the bearings, but would it be wise to fill the gap with shims to keep from shifting the bearings in the hub from road shock?

This is a first for me and it just doesn't seem like a good design.

Maybe I WONT wash my sled anymore. Like THAT'S gonna' happen!