Front Bearing Safety Warning!

I just found out that I was really lucky.... I think that front wheel bearings should be up there with break de-laming and is something that should be done as a safety thing.
One of the bearings on my bike wasn't any good at all. It was an open round rail of dry rusty pellets. It was really not cool to think that I had been driving around on those for the last few months. Not good. The installation of new bearings, spacer and other parts went well. Took some doing to get that rusty mess out of there but I got it. I replaced a lot of the internal parts so I should be good for a real long time.
I thought that I would stress the fact that everyone should grab there front wheel and if there is any play at all in it, to stop riding it and replacing those bearings.
My bike only has 11,800 miles on it so you wouldn't think that the bearings would be bad but this just goes to show you that after 30 years you need to check everything.

Old Biker Dude

 

You can put your make and model in your signature.
This helps members know what you are working on.

 

His advice applies to all XJs, and even other brands of old bikes.

(It's an XJ550 Maxim, though.)

The point is, even though things LOOK fine, sometimes they really aren't. You have to go through ALL of the "maintenance" procedures, all of them, when you take over a bike this old. Not just assume-- disassemble and inspect; had the bearing failed outright or seized up at road speed he could have had quite a disaster.

Valid warning, and something worth checking carefully.

 

Yes, sorry Bill. I think I just figured out how to do that. Fitz is correct. I have a 1982 XJ550 but I did want this to apply to all bike owners because you just never know after 30 years what condition things may be in.

Old Biker Dude

 

I'd like to know a little more about that bikes history. The low mileage suggests that it was sitting unused a lot. Stored outside? Covered?

 

There is no apology needed.
I just wanted to get you up to speed just in case.

 

I really don't know much of the history behind the bike. I got it from a guy that partially restores them. Unless it had a bad seal or something the front wheel got really wet somewhere along the line. There was really very little play in it but it was enough to make me take a look and I am glad that I did. I have taken this bike and replaced a lot of things on it now. It almost looks like a new bike at this point. Runs like one too...

 

Right after I got my bike with 23k on the clock I found
one ft bearing was a bit sticky. I replaced all of them front and back.