Swingarm bearing -- alternate part/failue rate?

[Motorhobo]

As per BMW fiche:

#6 on diagram is 33 17 1241546 Tapered roller bearing 40X17X17 - $86.47

This has never been replaced on any of my K75s -- last time I checked there was no notching, seemed smooth with no appreciable grittiness or resistance. Has anyone ever had one of these fail or seen the need to replace it? Or even more important - has anyone found a source that isn't so close to $100 with tax?

[Motorhobo]

I found this -- 17X40X17.5 --

https://www.thebigbearingstore.com/5203-2rs-5203-zz-radial-ball-bearing-17x40x17-5/

[Elipten]

What is best way to clean them and then what grease to use.

Assuming not notchy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Filmcamera]

Nice site - thanks.  BMW want crazy prices for bearings but luckily it is not too hard to find identical ones for a fraction of the price.


Mine was fine last time I checked it BTW.  The needle one in the final drive I do need to replace though.

[Laitch]

I found this -- 17X40X17.5 --

https://www.thebigbearingstore.com/5203-2rs-5203-zz-radial-ball-bearing-17x40x17-5/

Swing arm bearings are tapered roller bearings. That one isn't.

[koapono]

204,000 miles on my 85 K100 and those bearings are good as new.
I service them when ever I do a spline lube.
I use a quality wheel bearing grease and just pack them full.
They should last forever unless dirt/contamination gets to them.
I never looked but if there's a number on one of the races you should be able to find similar sized bearing.

[Motorhobo]

Swing arm bearings are tapered roller bearings. That one isn't.

Yeah, I knew that, I was looking for tapered roller bearings that size but didn't find any 17X40X17 -- I posted that bearing without looking at what it really is.

I didn't see any tapered roller bearings that size, but I think I'm going to do what kaopono says below -- I don't see those bearings failing and I have a spare if it does.

It came up because I ran into a guy with 300,000 miles on his Suzuki tourer and he said he puts new swingarm bearings in every major service interval. Maybe it's just got crappy bearings.

[wmax351]

I've got an alternate set in mine. When I did a rebuild of everything, they had some notching. Standard bearing number is 32203. 17x17.25x40. Apparently FAG # is 32203-A

http://medias.ina.de/medias/de!hp.ec.br.pr/322*32203-A?lang=en

http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/bvogel/K100/download/bearings_equivalency_chart.htm

Snowbum has a littany of details on them here: http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/inputsplinesthrowout.htm

The replacement ones do not have seals (at least the ones I found). I just popped the seals from the old ones in. Packed well with grease. You can squirt some more in from the outside as well, which could be a way of maintaining them.

[Motorhobo]

That's pretty awesome info there...I will look into it once I start the work later this week and check out the condition of those bearings. My current brick is a mixture of two high-mileage bricks (110k and 175k) so whichever one I use has seen a lot of use.

BTW how did you get the bearing out of the swingarm? I don't have a bearing puller but will get one if I need to.

[Vespa no more]

+1 on removal question.


Mine is on the bench smiling at me. And I don't really want to buy a slide hammer kit for a one use.


I'm assuming you could follow the front wheel bearing removal - heat the surround up, cool the bearing and lever it out carefully.


Repacking with grease is the same as with a car bearing (pack it in using grease in your palm). But at less than $10 ($7.05 if you buy 100 or more!), why would you bother?


Anyone made a homemade slide hammer (with expanding centre of course)?


Guy