SilverStar Front Wheel Bearings

[comanche91]

I installed new tires on the SilverStar and have a question about the front wheel loose ball bearings. In the picture below (not my SilverStar but similar wheel), under the grease, there are several loose ball bearings. Are the ball bearings packed in to completely fill the race? I have gaps between the bearings like some may be missing? I cleaned and re-packed everything with new grease and the wheel is straight and true with no play. If I need new bearings, is there a substitute source? Did a search but came up empty. Thanks

[manumensa]

Don, you don´t waste a minute trying repair the wheel ballbearings.

I bet the bearing size - Thompson can help us- is 6302, 6302ZZ (double metal shielded) or
6302-2RSH (rubber sealed), in my opinion two models are good but the second is the best
no cheap in SKF quality, and of course for wheels never metal or polyamide open cage ballbearings.

The old bearing can be jammed in the wheel, the nonviolent way may be to use heat.
Shieled or sealed: always grease over the bearings and the wheel spacers.

Saludos/Regards

[comanche91]

Thanks manumensa. I was lucky enough that one of the members from the Das MZ Forum sent me a SilverStar parts manual in English this afternoon. The replacement recommended in the manual is 6302 2ZZ like these:

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit7567?gclid=CKOx-aa-950CFQRM5QodL1TvqQ

[DAVID THOMPSON]

print and show that link to your bearing guy
and tell him what you are using it for
he should have something in stock
and don't go cheap falling off hurts
dave

[comanche91]

Well, finally got around to doing this today, and as usual it turned out to be a PITA. Had new SKF 6302-2RS sealed bearings. Pulled the wheel, tapped out one bearing from the other side with a drift, went to the other side, and one light tap on the inner race blew out the inner race, ball bearings, and everything else. The bearing was toast. The only piece left in the hub was the outer race, and you can not use a drift to remove it because the inner wheel hub is smaller the the outer race. The only tool(s) I know of to remove the outer race would be an inside bearing puller (didn't have) or a small slide hammer (also didn't have). Ended up carefully cutting it out with a Dremel, and it worked well as I took it very slowly. Not one scratch on the hub.

Everything went back together as it should, and all is well. I just love working on these things.......

[DAVID THOMPSON]

i have found that for the past several years anything i try to fix or repair turns into a
PAIN IN THE "A"

you must be having the same problem
dave

[comanche91]

Mostly true Dave. This, IMHO, is a case of stupid engineering. All MZ had to do was cut a taper on the inner wheel hub to allow you to punch out the bearing with a drift on the outer race, as is normal in most all cases, and it would have been cake. And as it was in all the other wheel bearings, front and rear, except for this one. There is a sleeve/spacer between the two bearings, and a taper to allow easy outer bearing removal on both sides of the front wheel (as they did in the rear) would not degrade the interior sleeve bearing surface at all. Probably a financial decision at the time. I'm curious if the ETZ's had the same problems. If I read correctly, the front wheels were basically the same as the 500s. Ah well, got 'er done anyhow.

[manumensa]

The old bearing can be jammed in the wheel, the nonviolent way may be to use heat.

Enough heat and the gravity does the work.

[comanche91]

The old bearing can be jammed in the wheel, the nonviolent way may be to use heat.

Enough heat and the gravity does the work.

Didn't want to burn the paint off Manny.