Replace wheel bearings or clean and grease?
 

I have always been told to add grease to the wheel bearings of any bike when you buy it new. Now that I have the bike down I decided to go into the wheel bearings. Some say to spray them down with brake cleaner and repack the bearing. Some say the bearings are not meant to be clean and repacked they need to be replaced instead. I took the rubber seals off of both sides. One side exposed the bearings and the other has a retaining clip and another seal. If I clean do I take this side off and just spray brake clean through until it?s clean on both sides? I found the seal and bearing kits which aren?t very expensive. If I do replace them do I need to add grease to the brand new bearings? If so that requires me to open the seal which some say do not do, but others say you must add grease because there isn?t enough. Here is a picture of the inside of the bearing. There is some rust circled in yellow. But the balls of the bearings do not have rust and the bearing rotates fine.

I don't pack the bearings with grease anymore however, I do put some waterproof grease in between the hub seal and the bearing to help keep the water out.

Just replace them with good quality bearings. No point messing about trying to rejuvenate simple cheap service items like bearings.

Do your bike a favour and fit an SKF bearing, spacer and seal kit. They are many times better than oem for all makes of bike. Top quality with a patented seal that has a rotating collar that sits against the spacers. They are designed to reduce friction and be better resistant to pressure washing. The rotating seal doesn't wear a groove in spacer and make a channel to let water in.

The friction reduction can be felt when you just push the bike along.

Ok thanks for the help. While we?re on the topic, I wash my bike after every ride with a pressure washer on the lowest setting. I admit I didn?t know any better about pressure washing around my wheels. What is a good way to get them clean without spraying directly with water?

Link please?

http://www.skf.com/twowheeler/produc...les/index.html

https://www.gasgaspartsguy.com/gas-g...uctid=-6508269

Just note that these probably contain generic product photos. I'm new to GasGas and I know that some of the rear wheels have 3 bearings against the usual 2 for a KTM or Beta for example.

For me, these are a no brainer and I would never fit anything else. I normally keep bikes for 3 or 4 years (300 hours / 5000 miles) and fit one of these kits as soon as the oem bearing need replacing. I have never needed to replace an SKF set.

I ride a shitload of water crossings and mud and the GG bearings hold up fine.

I do as above, and leave the seals in place, but put a nice thick layer of water proof grease over the bearing to act as another barrier. Very easy to wipe this away and reapply any time you have the wheel off.

I carry a set of spare bearings and seals on hand. If they get any side play or feel notchy it's only a 10min job to knock em out and drop a new set in. Checked prior to every ride (along with pads, fuel, filter, chain tension, etc).

Have you ridden the '18 yet???:p

Only once around the back yard..

Ride pencilled in for this Sunday!!

I do something similar to Jakobi. Additionally I use a grease gun syringe like this to inject marine grease under the seal lip to further help keep water out
https://www.acehardware.com/departme...CABEgIihvD_BwE