Inspection is Required After a Fall! Pay Attention to Front and Rear Wheel and Bearing Condition

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When racing or riding on the track, but even more so when crashing on the street, the front and rear wheel rims need to be checked for distortion. This is not simply damage from the rim being pushed, but also from the spokes being distorted by unexpected force from the impact. If there is no damage after inspection, we can only consider ourselves lucky. No matter what the situation is, first check the wheel and rim for shaking or distortion, and at the same time, check the condition of the hub bearing.

Easy to check with gyro stand

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After removing the front and rear wheels from the vehicle, insert the axle shaft into the wheel hub and set it on the gyro stand. Move the gyroscope closer to the rim and try to rotate the wheel. If the rim is not distorted, the wheel will continue to rotate smoothly, but if it is distorted, you will notice the wheel wobbling while rotating. If there is a slight distortion on the spoked wheel, it is possible to adjust the nipple tightening after checking the looseness of the spokes. Experienced mechanics may have experience in this. But in case of cast wheel, it will be impossible to restore and correct unless you ask a professional shop.

Rotor distortion can be inspected with inspection tools

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The gyro stand inspection tool can understand the distortion by visual confirmation and dragging sound, but by attaching a dial cage to the inspection tool, the specific distortion dimensions can be measured. If there is no distortion in the rotor, the amplitude is as close to 0.00mm or so, but when it is distorted, the maximum amplitude can be clearly quantified. The method of repairing the distortion depends on the situation, but in case of severe distortion, the shortcut is to replace the parts with new ones.

Simple inspection of inner tube bend

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It can be done with the front wheel in place or after removal, but it is best to have the front wheel in place. If there is no wheel in place, at least insert the axle shaft and tighten it simply or fix the nut temporarily before inspection. Loosen the clamp bolts on the top bridge and steering stem (under bracket), if the inner tube rotates smoothly, there is no bend or distortion. If it is bent or distorted even slightly, the inner tube will not rotate smoothly.

When replacing the drive chain is the best time to inspect it.

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When the drive chain is on, the rear wheel does not turn smoothly due to the resistance of the chain itself and the transmission parts in the engine. When removing or replacing the drive chain, be sure to fix the wheel to the swingarm and check if the rear wheel continues to turn smoothly. Be sure to check. Not only the dragging of the brake, but also the condition of the hub bearing can be grasped and imagined.

As a rule, replace the hub bearing when it is removed.

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When a bearing is removed from a wheel hub using a bearing puller or by striking the side of the bearing, it is a basic rule to replace it with a new bearing. However, if you are in a hurry to do maintenance and do not have a new bearing on hand, for example, if the bearing has no rattle and you find that it has lost lubrication (run out of grease), you have no choice but to clean the bearing and fill it with grease before restoring it. However, if the bearing is clearly rattling or making a rumbling noise, don't hesitate to give up and buy a new part. For plastic sealed bearings, there is a technique to remove the seals with a pickup tool while the bearing is still mounted in the wheel hub, and then clean and grease the bearing while it is still mounted.

High performance grease for improved operability

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When replacing a bearing with a new bearing, if you can see the steel ball or retainer, you can add high performance grease to improve the lubrication performance and life of the bearing. A little attention to detail goes a long way in maintaining condition.

 
POINT
  • Point 1・When you have fallen, and also when you remove the wheel, make sure to check the rim and spokes for distortion.
  • Point 2・ The gyro stand is by far the easiest to use when inspecting the wheels.
  • Point 3・Check the condition of the hub bearings and practice maintenance as necessary!
  • Point 4・Check the grease status even when installing new bearings, and seal in additional high performance grease if necessary.

Have you ever parked your motorcycle on the main stand, spun the rear wheel and stared at it? At such times, "wheel rotation is reluctant!?' or 'The rim is swinging. You may notice something wrong with it. When you think about it, if you have ever thought of something like before, it makes you worry.

If the drive chain joint is a clip type (moped class and off-road models have relatively many clip type joints), you can get a clearer idea of the condition of the rim distortion, wheel bearing resistance, etc. by removing the chain and letting the wheel idle.

A gyro stand is a handy tool to have in this situation. The main purpose of the gyro stand is to adjust the wheel balance. When changing tires or replacing tires, weight seals are attached to the rim and balanced so that the wheel rotates smoothly. Dynamic balancing is done by spinning the wheel with a special measuring device (familiar to tire shops) and attaching weights to the indicated positions to determine how many grams of weight should be attached. It's a static method to match the balance.

Some gyro stands have a built-in inspection tool that allows you to check for rim distortion by placing the tip of the tool close to the rim edge and letting the wheel spin. If you have a chance to remove the front and rear wheels on a regular basis, you can easily check the condition of the wheels by owning a gyro stand. If you have the opportunity to remove the front and rear wheels on a regular basis

When the wheel is removed, you can also get an idea of the bearing condition by inserting your fingertip into the hub bearing inner ring and turning or shaking it. Also, if the amount of grease is low or the grease is very dirty, it is a good idea to fill the wheel with additional grease or wash off the dirty grease and fill it with new grease.

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