250ES Rear Bearing replacement

[jburn25]

I just bought a '85 Big Red, thats in pretty good shape physically and mechanically. The only thing in the immediate future that needs work is the back right wheel bearing. The wheel has alot of play whenever I pick the bike up and wiggle the wheel.

Do I have to pull off both wheels to replace that one bearing? I assume I do, but hope I don't because I tried to pull the right wheel and brake drum off last week and couldn't get the brake drum or the big center wheel nut to budge. I tried lubricant, heat, banging on it and everything.

[Ironbnder]

You will need a good impact wrench for the nut and make sure you pull the (2) little phillip head screws out that hold the drum on first. They are between the lug nuts. You will probably need an impact driver for them.

[jburn25]

I went to home depot and bought a big bad dewalt impact wrench and still can't get the stupid nut off. I'm going to bring it by an auto repair shop and see if their impact wrenches may be more powerful than this one.

Anyone able to point me at the correct wheel bearings to purchase? I bought some from VXB bearings for my model, but they ended up being too large. I think the problem is that they are "axle" bearings and I'm assuming I need just the "wheel" bearings? Someone on ebay is selling a kit for a early 85 model that comes with 4 rear bearings but i don't know if mine is early 85 or not or what the difference is.

[jrwebb8324]

the nut would most likely spin right off with the impact you have if you apply a little heat to the nut.

[jburn25]

I tried heat too. Tried lubricant, heat, large wrench with pipe for extended lever arm, impact wrench, no luck. I can't keep the wheel from spinning so I put it in reverse but then when I crank down on the nut it starts to tweak the transmission.

Anyone know what/where bearings to get?

[Ironbnder]

When applying heat to remove a part, you have to remember that heat makes things expand. You only want to heat the nut and not the axle. If you are heating everything you are wasting gas. I assume you have an air inpact? I do not know anything about electric Dewalt inpacts.

[tri again]

i remember things called 'nut splitter' when i lived on the east coast and EVERYthing was rusted from salt.

looked kinda like a chain hook with a screw that tightened the nut against a log splitter blade thing.

it would split the nut and spare the threads.

Seems pretty dramatic for this tho.

Someone said 'Kroll' is 10x better than pbblaster but that may have been for carb specific varnish cruds.

A little dry ice from the bait and tackle shop?

freeze the nut AND axle, then heat just the nut.??

I used some wart remover freeze stuff to shrink out a pressed in jet on an85 carb last winter and it fell right out after weeks of trying everything else.

[tri again]

wait, let's start over.

Are you sure it;s the bearings and not just the hub/splines worn out?

Are you sure ALL of the cotter pin is out..the one that holds / goes thru the nut?

either way, I guess that stuborn nut needs to come off.

What if you trucked it to a tire shop.

They may have you sign something in case THEIR 'take it or break it ' gun twists the axle off.

If it's a Chrysler, they even used reverse threads on their lug nuts for some years.
(just kidding, but the chrysler comment is true)


Sometimes a nut will TRY to come off and jam because of crud impacting the threads so more pressure is pointless.

try going off AND on, then off then on to displace the crud in the threads. The nut will actually get hot from the frictions

man, I'm starting to take this personally, prob because I'v been putting off that same project on one of My trikes.

[jeswinehart]

When you get around to ordering bearings Jordan, our board member dads is the fella to contact.
He is our resident "All Balls" dealer and has IMO, the best prices.

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/member.php?691-Dads