Zerk Fitting on the Rear Carrier 200X

[200XMichigan]

My 200X has a zerk fitting on the carrier. I looked on some posts on 3ww and I guess this was added on but I don't think it was done right. When you add a zerk fitting to the carrier do you need to drill holes in the dust caps to allow grease to pass through the bearings? If I am going to drill holes in them is there any reason to replace them?

Also are Honda bearings as good as All Balls?

[Dirtcrasher]

Honda bearings probably have better tolerances than ALL BALLS. But, being a carrier or wheel bearing, I'd use ALL BALLS all day long; Mainly because MY BUDDY gets them to me for a great cost, there is a huge markup on all parts but the bearings are so cheap whole sale that it's incredible........

You can't drill a hole or you contaminate it; Just use a small thin screwdriver and the dust cover pops right off (I use to add grease to bearings and pop the seal back on).

I like the carriers designed with zerks on the side so you can get at them after installation. The ones in the middle have no access once the carriers put in!!

Grease that carrier outside and make sure the splines get a good coat of thick grease too, you'll thank me later

I am amazed at the amount of people who install parts dry and wonder why the rust together or why thew OD of the axle journal gets ruined............

[tri-Z ripper]

Always good info from DC just wanted to add Marine grease is great stuff! more water resistant then standard grease.

[Dirtcrasher]

I use Bel-Ray waterproof grease. It goes on EVERY bolt/shaft I install.......

When you get (by luck) a mint part, there are ways to keep it mint and still ride/beat the snot out of it.

There is a black THICK grease called "open gear compound". One dot on your hands and it takes gas to remove it........ I use that stuff on all my bearing JOURNAL surfaces and my splines.

I can ride through any weather for years, take it apart, and that grease is still there! It nearly ELIMINATES any future spline play and keeps your real axle bearing journal surfaces dead on.

As soon as water enters a dry spline or journal, it starts rusting..... Then you rebuild it with brand new parts and you still have slop!

The stuff is far too thick for bearing grease or pivots, but it is phenominal for keeping important parts tight! My axles can rust on there outside all they want, as long as the splines and journals stay tight!

Sorry for the rant, I tend to go on and on and on and on and on and on and on................................................ ........

[200XMichigan]

I guess I should have mentioned its an 1983 200X, so it doesn't have a separate carrier. Good to know about popping the seal off. It seemed like a bad idea to drill hole in a seal/dust cap. But when I went to grease the zerk nothing wanted to go in, made sure the zerk was free with a small nail. My 200X has a zerk fitting in the center of the carrier portion of the swing arm. Someone must have added it.

[Dirtcrasher]

^ Aahh, your all set then! Maybe you need a new zerk?? G-Fittings that aren't hit often tend to plug up, I hit them with my propane torch and all is well............

Just pop those dust seals off and your good. It's great to be able to grease them.........

Sometimes you guys don't say what year and or EVEN the model; Makes it tough to try to help

[200XMichigan]

Yeah I was in hurry when I wrote it, realized the year would help. Thanks.

[Woodsrider]

Whoever had my '85 200X before me had put a zerk in the carrier AND ALSO a zerk in the tube for the swingarm bolt....after reading all the horror stories about removing the swingarm bolts, I was VERY pleasantly surprised when I was able to remove mine with just a couple taps from a ...I was actually in shock...lol. You might consider adding a zerk there too if you don't have one already.

[Grizzlypeg]

I notice my 84 200x has zerks in the centre on both ends. But, I'm curious how much grease has to be pumped in to deliver it to the bearings? Seems a long way from that zerk in the centre to the bearings.

[Dirtcrasher]

Hopefully there done right....

Don't forget, the axle displaces allot of that grease so it won't take a whole tube or something.

You probably have to get a feel for it, otherwise if the bearings have seals on the inside you may "hydraulically" push on the bearings outwards; Although, I can't see how they could move.........

If the inner bearing seal IS removed, it could pop out the oter seal IN THE BEARING. Were not even talking about the dust/rubber coated outer seals...........

If the zerks don't pump, hit them with a propane torch, the grease just gets old and crusty - like some of us

[Grizzlypeg]

Just to be clear here, when installing new axle bearings on a swingarm that has a zerk fitting in the middle, should any inner dust seal be removed so that grease flows freely to the bearings?