BSA WM20 Wheel Bearings - Keep Them Loose!
- hopkins92
- G-First Sergeant
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 5:28 am
- Location: Lawrenceville, Georgia
BSA WM20 Wheel Bearings - Keep Them Loose!
I'm slowly putting my basket case '42 WM20 together. I want to point out that this is the third WM20 I have worked on and every one of them had wheel bearings that were destroyed by over-tightening. This is a shame because the bearings are burly tapered roller bearings that would otherwise last forever. They have to be set up very loose on the bench because torquing the lock nuts and axle nuts takes up a very large amount of slack. I set mine up so that when the wheel is mounted to the bike, there is perceptible side to side movement at the rim. A small amount of movement will not affect the handling of the motorcycle and your expensive bearings will be happy.
Tom Hopkins, GAMVPA Treasurer
"Essayons!"
"Essayons!"
Re: BSA WM20 Wheel Bearings - Keep Them Loose!
Tom,hopkins92 wrote:I want to point out that this is the third WM20 I have worked on and every one of them had wheel bearings that were destroyed by over-tightening. This is a shame because the bearings are burly tapered roller bearings that would otherwise last forever.
I totally agree with you on this as it so happens I am working on one at present and not only are the bearings destroyed but the hub is ruined as well due to the bearing spinning in it. So much wear that you would not even get Loctite to work. As luck would have it, I have just located a new hub and bearings. Be aware that these Timken bearings are now obsolete and any new ones to be found in UK are about £50 each.
- hopkins92
- G-First Sergeant
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 5:28 am
- Location: Lawrenceville, Georgia
Russell Motors, et al
It has been some time since I bought bearings. If I remember correctly, the rear bearings were more plentiful and I bought what I needed from Accessory Mart/Domi Racer in Cincinatti, Ohio USA. Front wheel bearings were only available from Russell Motors in London. Russell fully disclosed that the bearings were NOS, but had rusted in storage and they had polished the races. The rollers were not rusty. Since I couldn't find any better source, I ordered a pair at approximately $100 US total, including shipping, and am now installing them.
Fortunately, all the hubs I have worked with have held the races well, but the interference fit has varied widely. The second race I tapped in last night in a front wheel worried me a bit at first, but it drove home tightly.
Fortunately, all the hubs I have worked with have held the races well, but the interference fit has varied widely. The second race I tapped in last night in a front wheel worried me a bit at first, but it drove home tightly.
Tom Hopkins, GAMVPA Treasurer
"Essayons!"
"Essayons!"
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