apex lower chain case bearing

[Blue Dave]

I just changed mine and it was, and now it is still oriented with it being open to the chainside for lubrication.

Mmmm..... was it changed once before which would explain why it was not oriented as the factory would have originaly installed it?

 

[ZapeX2]

I would say yes it was changed. It had a new track on it when I bought it a couple years ago.... The bearing looked like it was just installed when I did my skid and track change, but I changed it anyway...

 

[Blue Dave]

I would say yes it was changed. It had a new track on it when I bought it a couple years ago.... The bearing looked like it was just installed when I did my skid and track change, but I changed it anyway....

That makes sense. I am going to run my new bearing with the open side towards the chain for the reasons stated below from my previous post.

"I think that Yamaha probably installs this bearing with the seal facing towards the inside of the chaincase realizing that many owners will neglect to change the gear lube yearly and this offers some protection against metal particles that will contaminate the gear lube especially during break in.

With 6000 miles on my sled and the gears and chain "worn in" I believe that with yearly gear lube changes that this bearing is better off installed with the open side facing the inside of the chaincase."

 

[thor452]

as far as i know im the only one who ever had this bearing out on mine as i bought it with 126 miles on it and when i did the track could see the bearing and it was exposed to the chain oil and seems as there was even a funky spacer that went against it it was still like new so i never even removed it. Is it possible that the seal is supose to be twards the track like every other sled i have ever known? how do you grease that bearing if it is not lubed by the chain oil?

 

[Blue Dave]

as far as i know im the only one who ever had this bearing out on mine as i bought it with 126 miles on it and when i did the track could see the bearing and it was exposed to the chain oil and seems as there was even a funky spacer that went against it it was still like new so i never even removed it. Is it possible that the seal is supose to be twards the track like every other sled i have ever known? how do you grease that bearing if it is not lubed by the chain oil?

Maybe Yamaha is not 100% consistent on the orientation of this bearing during assembly? I could have sworn that my original bearing was oriented with the open side towards the chain. It wasn't until I saw this topic that I started second guesing myself.

Like I said, I am going with the open side towards the chain but I am curious if there are any others who have a sled where it came from the factory this way.

 

[sledneck22]

I am getting interested in what way actually come stock. I bought an 08 leftover last year with zero miles so this weekend I'll have to check it. Just for clarification. Can you see/feel the back side of the bearing on the inside of the tunnel to determine if there is a seal or not?

 

[Blue Dave]

I am getting interested in what way actually come stock. I bought an 08 leftover last year with zero miles so this weekend I'll have to check it. Just for clarification. Can you see/feel the back side of the bearing on the inside of the tunnel to determine if there is a seal or not?

No, you can not see this bearing from inside the tunnel unless the drive axle is removed. There is an oil seal pressed into the back side of the chaincase that seals to the drive axle spacer.

 

[sledneck22]

Ahh gotchya... well next time the chaincase is apart I'll have to remember to snap a picture... might be a while though haha.

 

[Blue Dave]

I just pressed the old crankcase seals and bearings out and new ones in on Digital Fusion's Apex. His lower chaincase bearing had the seal facing towards the inside of the chaincase. He wanted to leave it this way because he is installing a new chain and gears and he is concerned about metal particles getting into this bearing.

However on sleds with a "fully broken in" chain and gears that receive yearly lube changes I still feel (as does my local Yamaha dealer) that this bearing is better off with the seal facing towards the tunnel as shown below.

When putting the drive axle back in I installed the "cap" p/n 8FN-47377-00 as shown below that Yamaha added on the newer Apex models that protects the inward seal on the speedo side drive shaft bearing from being damaged by ice build up.

 

[LJ 452]

The seal is facing the gears from the factory, this is how Yamaha has done it for a while. I can't remember for sure but I thought that there was a weep hole on the top of the housing that allows oil to flow in to the bearing area, between the actual shaft seal and bearing. Some models may have it some may not. I would agree that either removing the seal all together, or facing towards the shaft won't really hurt anything as long as you change the fluid regularly, and more importantly actually remove the cover and wipe all metal powder from the case. After the break-in the amount of powder is significantly less and would be less critical.