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Thread: noise from front wheel

  1. #1
    Senior Member rb70383's Avatar
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    Took the bike out then the front wheel started making a bad noise, like something hitting the caliper. Is this normal spacing of the wheel? I thought the forks should have been touching the bearing. You can see a gap on the left side of the wheel. Non rotor side.





    This looks like where the caliper was hitting the wheel.

  2. #2
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    loosen the 2 pinch bolts and tighten your axle

  3. #3
    Senior Member rb70383's Avatar
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    Retorqued the front wheel. Is it suppose to freewhell? I can feel the bearings drag. The front wheel does spins but it might only do one rotation if you spin it. It wont spin continously like a bicycle wheel per say.

  4. #4
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    The position of the wheel in relation to the caliper is set by the position of the front wheel bearing on the R/H side. It is installed first and pressed completely into the recess on the R/H side. Then the spacer and L/H bearing are fitted with the position of the L/H bearing determined by the length of the spacer, wheel tolerances etc.
    The R/H fork sits against the R/H bearing inner (no gap) and the L/H side has a gap where you are looking at the thick part of the axle sitting against the L/H bearing inner.
    I wouldn't be happy about the spokes hitting the caliper like that as it is only a hair away from spitting you off. I just checked my '06 Uly and it clears the spoke by about 1/8".
    I would double check the caliper mounting bolts are tight and I would also remove the front wheel and check the bearings for smooth operation. It is probably a long shot but a partially collapsed bearing would allow a fair bit of wheel movement.

    Call me a worry-wart but you need to be really sure about what caused this because it would get real ugly, real fast to have major interference between caliper and wheel spokes.

  5. #5
    Senior Member rb70383's Avatar
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    Thanks. Looking at it closer the rubbing might have been when the bearing went the first time. I had to idle the bike home. I have a pic of how the caliper sits now. Looks to be between 1/8 inch and 3/16. The right side bearing is flush with the wheel. When I tightened the axle it was so much as loose just probably just snug

  6. #6

  7. #7
    Senior Member rb70383's Avatar
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    Took it to a shop. Bad wheel bearings. Go figure not even 100 miles on those. Oh well. It is good to be riding again.

  8. #8
    Glad you're safe, and thanks for posting the solution.

  9. #9
    Senior Member rb70383's Avatar
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    Well after about 100miles the clicking is back. Another set of wheel bearings going out. Gonna have to take it back to the shop. Wounder if the front spacer is bad. They said it had a groove in it. Maybe from when the wheels bearings first went out.

    I read somewhere that gave demensions on them. I cant find it now. Anyone remember?

  10. #10
    Senior Member rb70383's Avatar
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    Anyone do their own wheel bearings? After some reading I a little nervous as it has been mentioned you only get so many changing being it is an aluminum wheel. I cant use my press as it wont fit the wheel. I heard about heating the hub and cooling the bearing but the threaded rod trick is too slow and the temps equalize to quickly. Tapping a bearing in is a big no-no as putting it in cocked will trash the wheel.



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