I got my front wheel back from the shop, where they mounted a new tire for me. I noticed that the left wheel bearing had moved inward approx 1/8". I tried tapping w/ a hammer and socket from the right side. It wouldn't budge. I reinstalled the wheel and torqued it down. Now the left brake wear indicator is rubbing the disc with plenty of lining left. The right wear indicator now has twice the distance that it had before. I guess that I could install new linings for the short term but is it safe to ride it this way? The front tire is 1/8' to the right of center as measure from both sides of the fender. :roll:
What we won't go through to save a few bucks. :roll:
Just exactly HOW did you notice that the "bearing" had moved in 1/8 inch ??
Maybe you should go back to the shop and ask them what happened?
Safe to ride.....without damaging someting......I doubt it.
Bearings don't move IN because the race it fits into IS where it IS and it doesn't move. So then there must be something else amiss.....like a missing spacer or a seal that had enough grease on it that you initially thought it was part of the bearing but fell off later in the process.
The front tire has TWO spacers, left and right, and they are NOT the same size. Take it back to the stealer and have him fix it, or take it off yourself, swap the spacers and reinstall front tire.
I noticed how it moved 1/8 inch by observing the newly shiney area where the bearing use to be. On the edge of that shiney area is a circular scribe mark which I suspect is an indicator of where the bearing should be. I fashioned my own bearing installer using a 3/8 threaded rod, washers, and nuts. Then I tried to pull both bearings back into postion but, they wont budge, even while hammering on the threaded rod while tightening it. Did I mention this is a 2005 Boulevard model? My manual which includes the older "Intruder" shows a different setup than what I have. Mine appears to have a one solid spacer/bushing in between the two bearings. The Intruder model shows a shoulder in the hub where the bearings are pressed against. Mine does not appear to have a shoulder.
The Intruder hub is different in appearance than the C-90 hub but the difference stops there, unless you have a bizarre monster. I have an 07' and when I changed my tire I followed the Intruder front tire removal and install. Like I said there will be two spacers, one left and one right. They are different in shape and appearance and the proper placement of these is critical to keeping your tire centered. The right one has two flanges larger toward bearing, smaller toward disk. The left has one flange that is placed toward the bearing. If spacers are reversed then you will have the exact issue that you describe. Inspect your spacers, they should be identical to the Intruder spacers, mine were anyway, and place them on the correct side. Also make sure that your tire is directionally installed. Maybe the stealer installed it directionally opposite of what it should be.
I can't even imagine not having a bearing shoulder. I can't count how many bearing bores I have machined and virtually all of them are shouldered.
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Fixed it! All it was, was that I had the spacers in the wrong position. The shiney area was where the correct spacer was seated before I took the wheel off. I wont make this mistake again!