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[muddypaws]

My 2012 will soon hit 75,000 miles and will be ready for tires. Wheel bearings look great but should I change front and rear as preventive maintenance? If so just use harley bearings or are there other better ones?

[Jeff G]

You got 75k out of the HD bearings,why would you switch to another brand? Just saying

[grc]

Wheel bearings are cheap Muddy.  Since the wheels will be off for the tire change anyway, it makes perfectly good sense to replace the bearings with that kind of mileage.  As for the brand, I have no idea if there is anything on the market that's any better, but as Jeff mentioned if the H-D parts lasted 75k, why change to something else?

Jerry

[Twolanerider]

Solely in the FWIW category; I change wheel bearings at whatever tire change is closest after 50,000 miles.  They are inexpensive and too easy to change while easily at hand in the garage to have to worry with an extra failure on the side of the road.

[bakon]

Had wheel bearing on front of 2010 Limited go bad at 30k. Couldn't feel it but voltage gauge would bounce all over the place after 20 miles of over 65 mph. Less than that or slower and no problems. I searched for reason all over the place, hooked meters up all over the place and rode it, changed battery and gauge....guy suggested the wheel bearing as he seen it before...fixed it. ABS bike but wasn't the ABS bearing that was bad. When pulled the abs felt fine, the plain bearing was little rough. 

Was told the 2009 and up uses a cheaper bearing and more of these will be going bad in future. All buddies are still good on theirs and haven't really read much more about them going bad.

[T-Roy]

A friend of mine just had rear wheel bearings go out on the rear of a 2014 Street Bob with about 10000 miles or so. I will be getting new tires at around 30,000 miles just before going to Sturgis. Sooooo I believe I will get new wheel bearings at that time also, just for peace of mind.

[ultrafxr]

Replaced front wheel bearing on my '12 last summer during tire change at about 38k miles.  Dealer tech said it was bad, dunno for sure but ESP covered it so for $50 what the heck.   

[muddypaws]

$50 is the same cost of the bearings...

[ltank]

I got almost 80,000 miles on mine the feel good. No reason not to get 100,000 plus out of a set.

[Indenial]

I guess this answers my question---I have 78K on my 2009 and have the original wheel bearings on it.  No problems and dealer says they are still good. So I guess I'll continue to ride.  How long are you guys getting on them before you have problems?

[Rooster]

My 07 bike's front wheel bearings needed replaced at 20 some thousand range. I had the rear replaced later when the rear tire needed replacement.

[hdbrad03]

Front bearings 2009 FLTRSE3 at 19,000.

 

  Brad

[Rebel1]

I had to replace the rear bearings at 10k on my 2010 flhtc.  Found the right side bearing only had a trace of grease.  Since then I've replaced the bearings every other tire change BUT I carefully pop the rubber seal out and add a little high temp EP2 grease. 
Over the years I have found that lots of new sealed bearings have very little grease in them.  Not just on Harley's but most sealed bearings.
Bob

[Yellow09SERG]

I had to replace the rear bearings at 10k on my 2010 flhtc.  Found the right side bearing only had a trace of grease.  Since then I've replaced the bearings every other tire change BUT I carefully pop the rubber seal out and add a little high temp EP2 grease. 
Over the years I have found that lots of new sealed bearings have very little grease in them.  Not just on Harley's but most sealed bearings.
Bob

You might be surprised how little grease it take for the sealed or lubed for life type bearing to survive for a long time. Overlube can actually cause problems by building up a lot of excess heat.  Even on some bearings in the 180 mm bore range a couple shot from a grease gun last a long time