How long should the pto side driveshaft bearing last?

[Firecat_Freak]

Last year, i was able to feel a tick, in the left running board where your foot sits. I ended up changing the bearing and i'm pretty sure that fixed the problem. This year i'm feeling the same thing again. It's been less than 2,000 miles since I put that bearing in, probably more like 1,500 or less. I took a look at the bearing, and I don't see any visual evidence that it's bad, however there is some grease that looks like it is coming out a bit. I put a mechanics stethoscope on the bearing, and i'm fairly confident that the catching sound is coming directly from the bearing.

So my question is, how long should this bearing last? If it's less than 1,500 miles, it's pretty ridiculous.

 

[kidastra]

did you change it with a Yamaha bearing or an aftermarket?

 

[Firecat_Freak]

yamaha one.

 

[vx700xtc]

Did you pack it with grease?

 

[Firecat_Freak]

No, changed it out with a new one sometime last season.

 

[number1kyster]

My rule of thumb is this: If you repack it every year it should last quite awhile. If you don't repack it, it should be changed at the end of every second summer that the bearing has been in there. In other words two seasons max. Mine let go half way through my third season.

 

[snowbiscuit]

bearing

Original bearing on 06 RTX with 10,600 miles, just repack it every year. Only take a few minutes and do it when changing oil at end of season

 

[Firecat_Freak]

Are you guys pulling it out to repack it then? Are you pulling both seals off or just the sensor side seal? Thanks

 

[thor452]

sensor side seal only here and mine have never gone bad on all my apexes.

 

[JERSEYJOE]

LEFT DRIVE BEARING

WE CHANGE THEM EVERY 2 YEARS. SOMETIMES IT'S A 15 MINUTE JOB, SOMETIMES THE BEARING FREEZEES ON THE SHAFT. YAMAHA BEARINGS SEEM TO LAST LONGER. I JUST PULLED MINE APSRT AND IT'S STILL DECENT AFTER 3500 MILES.

 

[mr. shide]

I needle grease the bearings at the beginning of every season. If your careful you can slide the needle between te seal and the steel portion of bearing without damaging the seal. . I do this with most of my idler wheel bearings also. Amazing what a couple shots of grease will do for a ball bearing.

 

[rxrider]

The seals are easy to remove, use a tiny flat screwdriver on the Outer rim of the seal.
Always repack the bearings at the end of the season (clean them if needed). The drive shaft bearing will fill up With water during Winter. If you leave it over the summer it will rust.

 

[TBay Sledhead]

I find that if you use marine grease that you do not get rust in the bearings even if not done at the end of the season. I had 16,000 km on the drive bearings and only changed them because of a track change.

 

[rxrider]

Great advice