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Hi
I have a 2016 Specialized Stumpjumper Carbon Comp and have a very small amount of play in the suspension, nothing too serious, yet! Anyone out there have experience of replacing the bearings themselves? The LBS quoted £80 for the bearings (10 of them) and £60 for the labour. Didn't seem unreasonable given that it's a relatively straightforward job if you have all the right tools and don't hit any problems. I like to do as much of the work on my bike as possible and have in the past replaced suspension bearings on my old Scott Genius MC10. Buying the tools and doing it myself would cost about £100, £69 for a puller and press (bearingprotools.com) and £32 for the bearings. The tools would be a future investment and I have a couple of friends with Stumpy's who may want to "hire" them or more likely ask me to do it for them. I am dubious about the bearings though as most buying options are on e-bay, the ones for £32 are Blueseal bearings from trailvision.co.uk. Any comments or suggestions most welcome. Cheers
We bit the bullet and bought the tools quite a while ago as most of our bikes are Specialized.
Got the tools of ebay for the pullers and the pressers. Both are full kits.
We have used Blue Seal bearings for years, including their headset ones, they have been as good if not better than the originals.
I have to stress that we don't have to change them as often as most people seam to.
Thanks Tracey,
I will probably do the same, the full kits on e-bay are only a few quid more than the two individual tools (Specialized specific) that I was going to buy. Also good to know about Blueseal bearings.
Cheers
you will no doubt find that at least haf of the bearings are scrap.
buy the tools and replace every year imo. of find a mate to share the cost
1st thing to go is always the shock bushing.
Very cheap and easy to do.
Could it just be this?
Having said that/\ I need to do my bearings and would love a recommendation for a puller/pusher set.
Thanks
Ours is like this
And a different version of this
Just done mine on my Camber for the first time. I didn't use the sort of extractor that Tracey linked to but will next time.
I bought this set of presses. They worked well but I'd just buy the cups if I was doing again and use my own rod/nuts/sockets for spacers.
Much easier than I thought it was going to be. Just make sure you print off an exploded diagram of your bike first!
Get one of the expanding bolts from bearing tools and it will be easy.
i also got some top hats made so you can push the bearing out into them on linkages etc.
I just did my Trek by pressing them in with pipe grips very gently one side then the other. Turned out to be way easier than any homemade press I've tried.
Also, if you want to strip it down first before ordering, you may find that some of the bearings are okay. I did just the main pivot on mine, left the rest, then when the main pivot went again I did the others from the rocker linkage. To might've been okay but I got them anyway. The two rear pivots at the wheel I didn't change and are still fine.
On Simply Bearings they are £4-6 not £8.
If you have a vice, and a selection of large sockets, it's easy. Just done all 8 on mine. Orderer via Wych Bearings for £35 for the lot. Enduro 6901 LLU bearings near the BB for the larger pivot, and 6 x Japanese EZO 698 2RS.
It took a while as the rear triangle was removed and put back together, so £60 labour isn't bad for maybe 2 hours work.
Many thanks for all the advice. I am in the process of ordering the bearings/tools and will do them myself. Tools aren't cheap, but I see them as a future investment.
Just a quick update ......
I did the main BB pivot first and the bearings were shot to bits, rust and muck everywhere and they were as graunchy as a graunchy thing can be. The bearing removal tool wouldn't shift either of them. One came out whole after I used a long bolt which happen a perfectly sized round head on it and gave it a good whack. The second one came out in two pieces, had to resort to a screwdriver and hammer to remove the outer casing which was rusted into the frame.
The replacements went in very easily with the tool from bearingprotools.com. The bearings at the end of the chain stays looked like they had been put in yesterday and were moving freely and soundlessly, so left them in place. As the other sections/bearings all seemed ok, no movement or noise, I stopped there, if if ain't broke .....
Haven't ridden the bike, but happy that the suspension is now much better.
Definitely helped having an exploded diagram to hand as washers tend to fall in all directions as you dismantle the frame, also having the right tools makes it less of a faff.
Cost was £101, £69 for the tools and £32 for the bearings, but the tools are an investment for the future, already have a mate who wants to do his bike and the I doubt I will need the other bearings at some point.
Thanks again for all the advice.
Yeah I reckon a shop would have charged more and done them all, even the good ones. So you've done well.
Its always a great feeling of achievement when you tackle a new fettle successfully