When should i worry about jack shaft bearing failure??

welterracer

welterracer

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I have about 2100 on my warrior right now... and going to be riding about 1200miles on my next trip in two weeks...

When should i worry about bearing failure on the jackshaft??

Thanks..
 
Best thing you can do is to remove the secondary and pry the seal off with a small screw driver. Add grease or clean out the bearing and then grease it.

This should last a whole season. The grease in these bearings is poor at best.

You should also check the drive bearing while you have the secondary off as this bearing needs more attension than the jack shaft bearing.
 
In my experience, personal machines, family / friends machines & 8years of working for Yamaha dealership, I have found the Driveshaft bearing should be replaced every two to 3 seasons. Mileage isn’t as much of a factor as time. Water seeps into the bearings and rusts them. Now a very low mileage vehicle would likely go 3 full seasons, where a high mileage vehicle will go two full seasons, but bearing failures start to pop up the 3rd season.

Jack shaft bearings don’t see the water factor, they go much longer with stock clutching. Sleds with stock clutch tuning will go for 5-6years. High horsepower & torque sleds about 4 years. If you have a aggressive clutch engagement with a studded track, I would replace every two years, the 3 season is a gamble you may end up on the side of the trail.

All of this is my opinion; take it for what it’s worth. This is my own rule of thumb because I hate to have anybody have a failure in our group. I always get stuck making the repair on the trail or at the motel.

Right now I told my buddy to buy a new or newer sled because he isn’t invited until he does.
 
Snorover said:
Best thing you can do is to remove the secondary and pry the seal off with a small screw driver. Add grease or clean out the bearing and then grease it.

This should last a whole season. The grease in these bearings is poor at best.

You should also check the drive bearing while you have the secondary off as this bearing needs more attension than the jack shaft bearing.
Click to expand...

Do you have to replace or reuse the seal??
 
You can reuse the seal. I use a pick tool, much like the dentist uses, to peel out the seal. Then I use brake clean to wash out the bearing real good. Then with a needle type grease gun addaptor, I apply lots of grease and pack it as much as possible. I also add grease to the bearings during my mid season inspection. Make sure to check ALL the bearings, not just the jackshaft and drive axle bearings. Sure beats having problems on the trail.
 
If you grease as advised, they should last for quite a while. I agree that the axle bearing needs grease more often.
 
If you pack too much grease in bearing, then they get really hot, that's bad. It' s recommended to pack half of bearing with grease. But then, what the heck do I know? Heh Heh...
 
If you remove the seal on the bearing PLAN on changing the whole brg because the seal is NOT reusable. Before you remove seal or bearing maybe take a grease needle and add some additional grease. Don't need a whole lot. Most common causes of bearing faluire is contamination and over and under greasing. Remember you can only get so much grease between the rolling elements in a bearing. Too much grease causes the brg to skid internally building heat and under greasing is a no brainer. Most all bearings are made to a industry standard or ABEC rating and should last if properly maintained. Biggest problem I have found with these units are trying to protect them from water and dirt, both cancer for brgs.
;)!
 
Not reusable????????? Sure it is. I have done tihs for years on sleds with no issues including suspension wheels. As a matter of fact I believe if you do some real research you'll find out the same.
 
replaced mine at 5000 .it wasnt shot but wasnt like new either.do it at the end of this season. ;)!
 
I have been greasing my bearings (all) for years and reusing the seal, you just have to be carefull removeing them so you don't damage them.

If you use carb cleaner to clean them out be sure to blow them out to get all the cleaner out before greasing them.

I usually get 6000 to 8000 miles on my sleds before I sell them so I don't know how long the bearings last. Some do need replacing, but that is easy to tell when they do need replacing.

The boggy wheels requires greasing every other year with putting on about 3000 miles per year.
 
The seal on a bearing is nothing like that of an oil seal. If one is careful removing an oil seal they could reuse confidently, however the seal on a bearing is NOT recommended from the manufacture to be reused after removing. The reason is being able to reseal as new. I should rephrase my statement: it is NOT impossible to reuse the seals, but NOT recommended to remove and reuse but I guess if one wants to chance screwing up a seal on a $5.00 brg it can be done. If possible much safer to just replace. The bearing from the factory is prelubed with the proper amount of grease but the only reason one may want to add grease or simply replace is due the contamination inside the brg. :? Adding grease may purge any particals or water that may have entered the bearing. Also depending on the seal type (ie) steel shield or rubber seal you can't get nothing small enough between the seal and the steel portion of the bearing without causing deformation of some kind to the seal. Even small dental picks will cause harm to this seal while trying to pull out if not careful. One last note if you remove the seal from the bearing you will void any warranty you may have regarding the unit. It is just one of those things similar to a track failing, you just don't know for sure. 2 miles or 2000 miles. You may just replace for piece of mind. I have 3,500 miles on mine with no problems. I'm not a bearing expert but have worked with them for quiet some time now. Again if possible just replace vs. removing seals. Also when removing seals and regreasing how does one know how much grease to add to the bearing without causing harm??
 
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