Bearing Stuck To Suspension Pivot Bolt

[Cappi]

Hi., seeing that this thread is about pivot bearings and bushes. can someone please shed some light on how to service/lube them on the Scott Spark 920? what type of lube etc or is it better to order a new set of bearings/bushes and replace? i bought the bike 2nd hand and recently noticed little creaks when powering thru the pedal strokes.thanks in advance.

[dev null]

Hi., seeing that this thread is about pivot bearings and bushes. can someone please shed some light on how to service/lube them on the Scott Spark 920? what type of lube etc or is it better to order a new set of bearings/bushes and replace? i bought the bike 2nd hand and recently noticed little creaks when powering thru the pedal strokes.thanks in advance.

 

Firstly inspect the bearings for roughness.  Bearings in the pivot only move over a small angle of rotation, which means the balls only move over a small area in the race thereby wearing elongated holes in the races.  Sooner or later this causes the balls to get stuck.  It is at this time that your suspension starts to squeak when it moves under your pedal strokes.

 

When it is at this stage replacement is your only option.

 

If, however it still seems fine, open up the bearings by removing the seals on both sides, clean it out thoroughly (not with Clean Green or water based cleaners), and pack it with the best quality marine grease you can find.  Re-install the seals and then the bearings in the pivot.  Remember to clean the bearings on the insides of the inner race, and the outside of the outer race to prevent it from fusing or rusting onto the pivot bolts or frame.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Moridin

[V12man]

Hi., seeing that this thread is about pivot bearings and bushes. can someone please shed some light on how to service/lube them on the Scott Spark 920? what type of lube etc or is it better to order a new set of bearings/bushes and replace? i bought the bike 2nd hand and recently noticed little creaks when powering thru the pedal strokes.thanks in advance.

Strip the bearings first, then inspect and decide whether to clean and regrease or replace.

 

Only advice is with new bearings - fill them with grease before installing - they don't have enough in for use as pivot bearings.

[Plentipotential]

Clamp the bearing in a vice and tap the bolt out - use a nut to protect the thread end where you hit it

 

Do not do this. Sorry V12man, all that will happen is the outer race will separate from the inner race and balls leaving you with the inner race still stuck to the bolt. You may damage the bolt for good measure as well. Best advice is to cut it off with a Dremel as suggested.

 

While on the subject of servicing bearings, I have just replaced all my suspension bearings on my Trance, R 630.00, sourced from Bearing Vision, all bearings top Japanese quality.

[dev null]

While on the subject of servicing bearings, I have just replaced all my suspension bearings on my Trance, R 630.00, sourced from Bearing Vision, all bearings top Japanese quality.

 

NSK?

[V12man]

Do not do this. Sorry V12man, all that will happen is the outer race will separate from the inner race and balls leaving you with the inner race still stuck to the bolt. You may damage the bolt for good measure as well. Best advice is to cut it off with a Dremel as suggested.

 

While on the subject of servicing bearings, I have just replaced all my suspension bearings on my Trance, R 630.00, sourced from Bearing Vision, all bearings top Japanese quality.

Done it maybe 10 times - never separated one yet - in any case - provided you don't damage the bolt when tapping it and it does separate, then you have only the inner race to cut - but that is not an easy cut on that bolt - not even close to easy without risk of damage to the bolt from the cutter.

[Plentipotential]

NSK?

 

Yes.

[Plentipotential]

Done it maybe 10 times - never separated one yet - in any case - provided you don't damage the bolt when tapping it and it does separate, then you have only the inner race to cut - but that is not an easy cut on that bolt - not even close to easy without risk of damage to the bolt from the cutter.

 

I am in the fastener business, have been for 33 years, do not hit stainless steel fasteners with a hammer on a nut over the threads to move anything, you will damage the thread pitch eventually. Damaged threads on a SS bolt screwed into an aluminium frame part....not good. My family are in the bearing business, manufacturing, installing, inspecting and so on for 45 years, do not remove bearings by putting them in a vice and hitting the bolt with a hammer. Do you have your car exhaust repaired on the pavement? I doubt it but many people do, 10 times or more.

 

Cut the bearing race until it is almost through to the bolt, cool often during the cutting process, tap on the race lightly with a hammer using your vice or a solid steel block as a rest until the race splits open, that's the right way to do it for those interested. 

[dev null]

I wanted to get the NSKs for my pivot bearings, but in the end decided to try out the Enduro Max compliment bearings to see if they would last longer.  Only R20 per bearing more than the NSK 6900 bearings.

[V12man]

I am in the fastener business, have been for 33 years, do not hit stainless steel fasteners with a hammer on a nut over the threads to move anything, you will damage the thread pitch eventually. Damaged threads on a SS bolt screwed into an aluminium frame part....not good. My family are in the bearing business, manufacturing, installing, inspecting and so on for 45 years, do not remove bearings by putting them in a vice and hitting the bolt with a hammer. Do you have your car exhaust repaired on the pavement? I doubt it but many people do, 10 times or more.

 

Cut the bearing race until it is almost through to the bolt, cool often during the cutting process, tap on the race lightly with a hammer using your vice or a solid steel block as a rest until the race splits open, that's the right way to do it for those interested. 

I don't dispute your credentials, method or warnings - but I suggest you look at how to hold that bolt still while cutting the race - without damaging the bolt - even a small die grinder is not an easy cut without accidentally touching the grinding wheel to the bolt, especially if you don't have it securely fastened.

 

The problem with these "stuck" bearings is that they are small bolts and hard to hold and apply force - they are not actually stuck that tight at all that requires major force to remove them - more a question of how to apply that force in the right direction - not everyone has a tiny bearing splitter to use (ok - I do have one, but it would not be my first tool of choice unless it was not going to move any other way)

 

Sometimes a less than perfect way works well enough - that said all the ones I have done - have not required much more than a light tap or two with a smallish ball peen to shift them - clearly I am not suggesting a major smack with a 10 pounder - as much fun as that might be

[dev null]

I don't dispute your credentials, method or warnings - but I suggest you look at how to hold that bolt still while cutting the race - without damaging the bolt - even a small die grinder is not an easy cut without accidentally touching the grinding wheel to the bolt, especially if you don't have it securely fastened.

 

The problem with these "stuck" bearings is that they are small bolts and hard to hold and apply force - they are not actually stuck that tight at all that requires major force to remove them - more a question of how to apply that force in the right direction - not everyone has a tiny bearing splitter to use (ok - I do have one, but it would not be my first tool of choice unless it was not going to move any other way)

 

Sometimes a less than perfect way works well enough - that said all the ones I have done - have not required much more than a light tap or two with a smallish ball peen to shift them - clearly I am not suggesting a major smack with a 10 pounder - as much fun as that might be

 

I was unlucky with mine in that it was THAT stuck, that moering it did nothing, and I clearly knew that using my 5 pound hammer would destroy that proprietary bolt of mine.  So clearly, cutting if off was my only option left.  And being small and against the bolt head, getting my Dremel wheel in there to cut the inner race would be a tricky exercise without touching the bolt with the cutting wheel.

 

Normally I would start of the process the same as the V12 man.  But common sense normally tells you where to stop what that option.  OK, we are not all handy weekend engineers, but still, some experience guided me in my choices.

 

EDIT:  When I asked my question, I more or less expected most of the answers I was going to get.  I just wanted to see if there was not another option I was not thinking of.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Moridin

[V12man]

I was unlucky with mine in that it was THAT stuck, that moering it did nothing, and I clearly knew that using my 5 pound hammer would destroy that proprietary bolt of mine.  So clearly, cutting if off was my only option left.  And being small and against the bolt head, getting my Dremel wheel in there to cut the inner race would be a tricky exercise without touching the bolt with the cutting wheel.

 

Normally I would start of the process the same as the V12 man.  But common sense normally tells you where to stop what that option.  OK, we are not all handy weekend engineers, but still, some experience guided me in my choices.

Havn't seen one that stuck yet (plenty of other things on cars that have been well and truly stuck) - my favorite tool as a starting point for stuck things is fire.... nice hot flames... but not so hot as to discolour the metal - and a shot of penetrating fluid - and several repeats over  a week or so.

 

The guy who does my engineering work for me likes to use his tig torch - but I don't have his skills with a tig.

[dev null]

Havn't seen one that stuck yet (plenty of other things on cars that have been well and truly stuck) - my favorite tool as a starting point for stuck things is fire.... nice hot flames... but not so hot as to discolour the metal - and a shot of penetrating fluid - and several repeats over  a week or so.

 

The guy who does my engineering work for me likes to use his tig torch - but I don't have his skills with a tig.

 

I do have a TIG torch, but are still learning.  The problem is that the TIG torch also provides for an opportunity to permanently fuse the inner race to the bolt if you are not carefull with the amp setting.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Moridin

[V12man]

I do have a TIG torch, but are still learning.  The problem is that the TIG torch also provides for an opportunity to permanently fuse the inner race to the bolt if you are not carefull with the amp setting.

The Tig torch provides and opportunity to turn a small problem into a HUGE problem... - as does my plasma cutter..... an expensive huge problem...

[Cappi]

any tips on how to remove the top two bearings near the seat post? and the bottom one by the cranks? you tube links etc

[Cappi]

bump. nothing nada no help??