Rear Wheel Bearings Not Lasting???

[Duffy]

Anyone know what wheel bearings come on 300rr? My original rear wheel bearings lasted well over 2 years. I replaced them last September with SKF and they are shot already??? Not even 8 months???

[twowheels]

Chain too tight? Excessive pressure washing? Seals installed the right way (iirc the SKF seals appear to be installed backwards when they are correctly mounted).

[Duffy]

I do pressure wash my bike but no different than I have in past. Original bearings lasted over two years! Chain is not too tight nor are the seals backwards. I'm blown away as to how the bearings went bad so fast???

[ian480RR]

I just replaced my front and rear wheel bearings as the front were stuffed after 50hrs, had a lot of side to side play. I replaced front and rear just to be safe. I have never had wheel bearing go that quick (I have a crf 09 model still on orignals 260hrs) and wonder if it was just a crap batch they put in from the factory. I pressure wash all my bikes but don't go crazy around bearings with the washer so i dont think that was the cause of my Beta ones failing. Ian

[oldman]

I have two rear wheels that I run. One has OE bearings in it and the other has SKF bearings and SKF seals. The wheel with SKF bearings was run for about half of the 425 hrs on my Xtrainer when I sold it. I kept the wheel with SKF bearings when I sold the Xtrainer and have used it for about half of the 90 hrs I now have on my 17 300RR. So about 250hrs total time on the wheel with SKF bearings and seals and they are still in like new condition and they have seen their fair share of mud and water. My bikes never see a pressure washer. Garden hose pressure only.

[oldman]

I have two rear wheels that I run. One has OE bearings in it and the other has SKF bearings and SKF seals. The wheel with SKF bearings was run for about half of the 425 hrs on my Xtrainer when I sold it. I kept the wheel with SKF bearings when I sold the Xtrainer and have used it for about half of the 90 hrs I now have on my 17 300RR. So about 250hrs total time on the wheel with SKF bearings and seals and they are still in like new condition and they have seen their fair share of mud and water. My bikes never see a pressure washer. Garden hose pressure only.
BTW my Xtrainer still had the OE bearings in the front when it was sold and they had no play in them.

[serialize]

I have a theory on this, and used to always go SKF-expensive.
But the cheappo all-ballz/pivot-works and other low grade brands have become the way to go.
I'm riding allot of enduro with allot of water, and it won't matter how good the bearings are the water eventually gets in there and starts to wreck them. So I'll spend a 3rd of the price on bearings and change twice as often.
I have heard of some seal upgrade kits that help keep some water out but they are pricey too and I haven't tried it to tell you if it really works.

[BassMan]

Sand and mud is what kills bearings and spacers. The newer skf mud spacer and bearing kits are the answer. Without those spacers I would go through rear sets every 4 races or so. The skf mud spacers lasted an entire season and 5 races. I am doing one more on them before a change. I have a light movement in the rear wheel now but this next course is a bearing and seal of every kind destroyer so u will do everything afterward.

[Hyde]

Read the writing on the SKF seals, if you don't you'll install them to what looks normal, it's not. Get you cheaters out, it should say "this side out" , have to buddy's that switched to them and both put them in wrong.

[Marty Moose]

Just doing mine now at 185hrs all std.