Timbersled Bearings ?

[Hawkster]

There's no way you can say there's no flexing , you just replaced a tire with a track not to mention the rolled aluminum swing arm that the factories have been perfecting since for ever . And now you've added a track with a lot more moving parts and it has to be as light as possible otherwise you won't be leaving the parking lot . Nature of the beast it's gonna eat bearings for some , now add a turbo .

 

[9Miler]

Why these bearings are failing

This got the best of me, I have a 2013 TS kit has about 15 rides on it. I took out the bearings they feel like they have sand in them, didnt blow the seals greasing. Here is the problem misalignment, it is the # 1 bearing killer, look at the pics you can see were when it was put together the bolt was driven in the hole, the bolts wont go in the hole unless you bend the shaft back and even then they are not straight. The long bolt in the hole shows the misalighnment the front bolt wont even start. now tighten the bolts and you can barely turn the shaft that is excessive preload. No bearing will live in this situation. Also there is evidence of the keys starting to roll, cant wait to see what 100 hp does to these 1/4 " keys. I am going with a different style bearing see if it lives.

 

[dennyb]

Were you able to figure out a fix to the alignment issue?

 

[Jon Mutiger]

There is a bit of slop in each hole that the bolts to into. You basically have to loosen everything off, check the chain to jackshaft for perpendicular angle, then tighten everything. Nobody ever said these kits were perfect.. Notice the chain and sprocket wear, and I bet you'll even notice that the power isn't going straight into the kits either.

It's close, and adjustable a bit.. But never gonna be perfect.

Jon

 

[9Miler]

bearings

Yes, machined out the housing went with a different bearing, shimed housings now you can slide the shaft back and forth with housings tightened. It can be perfect it has to be if its going to live. At least now I gave it a fighting chance

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

good feed back

interesting to see the different experiences with bearings on the bikes. While building 4 bikes this last few years I have tried to make chain sprocket and bearing alignment perfect...............which is impossible and frustrating. Welded frames, flexing aluminum, imperfect motorcycle frames, all around big compromise. MH is doing a great job.

Sled mfg companies with 40 years of experience are still turning out duds on occasion as far as bearing failure is concerned. All side load issues on the sleds.

I think the key here is observe, watch your bearings, know the signs that side pressure, chain misalignment, vibration, tight chains can cause. Tight drive chains in packy snow is one killer. Rough landings and motocross bumps got to kill the drive shaft bearings. Leaking grease out of a bearing, often just a little trace of black around the inner race.......oops, not normal, chit happening, beware.

 

[Moto4Life]

interesting to see the different experiences with bearings on the bikes. While building 4 bikes this last few years I have tried to make chain sprocket and bearing alignment perfect...............which is impossible and frustrating. Welded frames, flexing aluminum, imperfect motorcycle frames, all around big compromise. MH is doing a great job.

Sled mfg companies with 40 years of experience are still turning out duds on occasion as far as bearing failure is concerned. All side load issues on the sleds.

I think the key here is observe, watch your bearings, know the signs that side pressure, chain misalignment, vibration, tight chains can cause. Tight drive chains in packy snow is one killer. Rough landings and motocross bumps got to kill the drive shaft bearings. Leaking grease out of a bearing, often just a little trace of black around the inner race.......oops, not normal, chit happening, beware.

You brought up a critical point. The chains being to tight. Im not exactly sure how the chain tension works on these kits, don't own one. But I use to work at a Yamaha dealership before I went to college and we had a bit of a problem with the tension. You had to make sure there was a little bit of play in the chain as it would blow out the lower bearing and wear everything very fast. Not many people new this, most of the nytros were coming in and the chains were very tight and some failed.

I'm not sure why the jumping should have much effect on anything as they use smaller bearings in dirt bike hubs and no issue there. Unless one end was not floating, then it would cause severe binding doing pretty much anything. The good part is they are only 40 bucks for good bearings and doing them yearly inst to bad. Twice as much as the for one of the sprockets.