Re: Spark plugs and other things

[Robert Silas <robert.silas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

That's the idea-
Bob Silas
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Eckhard Grohe 
  To: oilheads@xxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Saturday, June 11, 2005 6:30 AM
  Subject: Spark plugs and other things


  My personal take on a lot of the work we do on our bikes is that we do what 
  we can to  feel comfortable with the state of the bike.  Don't need any 
  nagging doubts in our minds when we're deep in the twisties.

  Eckhard.


  > Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 21:45:53 -0400
  > From: Robert Silas <robert.silas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  > Subject: Re: Spark Plugs and other stuff.
  >
  > Bob,
  > Thanks for that info.
  > The bearing I changed also used in LTs where, according my information, 
  > people had problems with it.  If a bearing happened to be a lemon it still 
  > unlikely that it'll fail at a very early life.  My replaced bearing had 
  > about 1,000.000 miles of life time (160,000 km), so I could assume that 
  > another bearing may be good, let's say, for 50,000 km.
  >
  > In the fall I may go for a ride:  Montreal - L.A. - Montreal, and I'd like 
  > to do the same trip next spring too.  Two trips to L.A. amounts to about 
  > 35,000 km.  I don't want any failure of anything at a place far from home. 
  > If something happens, not to far from my garage, it costs me the towing 
  > only (forget the bearing).
  >
  > Next year, if I'll be still around at 80, I am planning a trip to L.A. by 
  > myself, alone only.  So you understand that no reasonable maintenance is 
  > too expensive or is redundant, in my case.  After that trip I may not go 
  > for long rides or not only by myself.  In case I still would ride on long 
  > trips in subsequent years, I don't mind to change bearing again.
  >
  > Apart of all the above, you are right in your analysis of life of 
  > bearings.
  > Thanks for your comments
  > Bob Silas
  >  ----- Original Message ----- 
  >  From: Bob Hadden
  >  To: oilheads@xxxxxxxxx
  >  Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 5:31 PM
  >  Subject: Re: Spark Plugs and other stuff.
  >
  >
  >  Just one note on bearings and seals.  Ball bearings are rated based on
  >  the design life under their designed load.  A typical rating would be
  >  the B10 rating, listed in a number of hours where 10% of the bearings
  >  would fail.  There is another hour rating at 5% and 1% etc.  The actual
  >  numbers aren't important unless you are the design engineer, but the
  >  concept is important to us users.
  >
  >  If a bearing or seal fails at, say, 10000 miles, it was likely one of
  >  those 10% (or 5%, or 1% depending on the selection the engineer made)
  >  that are just going to fail.  So you replace it and move on.
  >
  >  If, at 10000 miles (or 120000 miles in Bob Silas's case) you decide to
  >  replace a bearing or seal that hasn't failed, you may not have done
  >  yourself any favors.  The fact that the original bearing hasn't failed,
  >  means it's one of the good ones.  You have no idea if the one you put
  >  in is a good one or not.  So it's a crap shoot to some degree.  I have
  >  no idea what the design life of the bearings in our bikes is, but it's
  >  something to think about when you decide to change out a good bearing.
  >
  >  This above logic also applies to seals.  If the seal isn't leaking,
  >  don't mess with it.  If you take something apart anyway, you should
  >  always replace the seal, because you could well have wrecked it when
  >  taking apart the item.
  >
  >  Some of this goes back to the old saying:  If it ain't broke, don't fix
  >  it.
  >
  >  Bob,  Don't get me wrong here.  I'm not saying you shouldn't have
  >  changed out the parts you did.  After all, 120k is a bunch of miles.
  >
  >  OK,  Time to go back to riding.
  >
  >  Bob Hadden '05R12GS, '62R27
  >
  >
  >  On Jun 10, 2005, at 9:26 AM, Robert Silas wrote:
  >
  >  > Clive,
  >  > <snip>
  >  > The cage which holds the 19 balls in place in the large roller bearing
  >  > broke, cut the seal and let the oil escape from the final drive.
  >  > I had at least 50% more milage at that point and I figured better
  >  > change bearing and seal, which I did.  The bearing which I replaced
  >  > was in perfect shape.
  >  > <snip>
  >  > Regards
  >  > Bob Silas

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