New Idler Wheels and Bearings?

dnale

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Joined
Jun 11, 2003
Messages
1,006
Location
South Lyon, Michigan
I pulled the skid on my 96 Vmax 600 XT. I'm having the shocks rebuilt and I have taken a look at my wheels. They look ok, but I'm not sure how the new ones should look. The bearings are pretty rough on some of them. Most of them would barely turn before I sprayed a bunch of pb blaster on them. So I'm thinking I'll need new bearings. One question is do I do all new wheels and bearings? If so what sizes are they?

Should I just replace the bearings and the couple of wheels that are nicked?

Obviously that would be the cheapest option but I don't want to be back into this next year or two.

Where is the best place to get them? Ebay? Online? Prices?

Thanks in advance.
 
you can get away with just bearings or you can do wheels also.its your call on the condition of them and if you want to upgrade.heres some info if you need some let me know.thanks rich

bearings=$5 each
circlip=$1 each
just aluminum oem style wheel=$10
plastic wheel black with bearing installed=$18
plastic wheel colored with bearing installed=$20
 
Ok, this will sound ridiculous but I'll ask anyhow....

Is there any benefit to go to something other than the oem wheels aside from appearance?
 
Wheels

go with the plastic wheels for the rear because water will drip on the the wheels from snow melting from the heat exchanger and freeze on the aluminum wheels. The ice will break off unevenly from time to time and cause a high speed vibration. I found this out last season when I substituted a aluminum wheel in place of a bad plastic one on my SXR. The vibration was very noticable and I was way out on the Gaspe in Quebec in the middle of nowhere when this condition arouse. I was able to complete the 1,200 miles like that though. Thats my 2 cents on the subject.
 
J.R Graham has the best price on bearings that i have found. $3.95 for the #6004 small wheel bearings. $4.75 for the #6204 large wheel bearings. I have tried the NTN bearings but they did not last any longer for me.
I have reused the snap rings on every bearing i have ever replaced and have never had a problem in 20 years.
The OE wheels hold up much better than the aftermarket alum/rubber ones. Even if the rubber part has small nicks in them i reuse the wheel. I have replaced the nicked ones with aftermarket wheels only to have the rubber peal off in one weekend.
The small replacement solid plastic wheels have cracked on me. But that maybe because of my riding habits? The large ones have been OK.
 


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