That's typical of metal shielded bearings, the metal is crimped into an outer race groove. Almost impossible to remove one without damaging it bad enough it won't fit back on. I'd never use one on a wheel bearing, they're not near as water resistant as plastic sealed, no matter what the specs might claim. I've changed thousands of both types and seen too many metal shielded in environmentally exposed applications that didn't hold up when they got wet. Big difference between "shielded" and "sealed". Shielded are fine for something like oiled bearings in electric motors in a closed and clean environment; wheel bearings, hell no.

 

You are thinking shielded bearing and not sealed. Its not.. It's a sealed bearing with a metal shield added over it.

There was nothing wrong with the early HD sealed bearings for 3/4 and 1 inch axles, they were pretty good.. The later ones that started in 2008 had issues when HD switched over to 6205 bearings.. Some did not have enough grease in them.. I suspect that some of these later issues are occurring do to improper installation.. HD seems to be have more issues with assembly of late that anything else.. The 6205 bearings have been used in other MC wheels for a long time..

There has been issues with some of the install tools.. Aftermarket sure screwed them up..

 

Didn't know that, haven't run across that combination before that I remember, from the pic just thought it was a shielded.

 

Hi
My 2015 needed a font bearing at 8,000mls😡

 

Sealed bearings with metal reinforcement have a "Z" in the nomenclature. I thought the HD bearings were 6205-2RS, and NOT 6205-2RSZ (note: RS and RS1 are the same seals).

 

No problems with the Dunlops and the mileage is fantastic .... 20,000 miles on the originals and the same for the D407 ( HD branded ) replacements.

 

So are you doing the Iron Butt UCC?

http://www.ironbutt.com/themerides/ucc/

Looks like an Epic Ride!

 

just put Dunlop American Elites on mine and specifically asked them to be sure to inspect wheel bearings which they said is SOP anyway, at 10,300 miles I was told all looked fine

 

Not all but many of the problems I have seen over my life with Harley-Davidsons are caused by the owners. This was first brought to my attention in 1978, I was in the Army and had a new XLCH and so did a couple of Buddies. Both of those guys had Elec Switch issues, their handle bars switches just fell apart, I thought it weird cause I had no issues. Then one day I saw them at the quarter car wash.

Seen many many guys break down on the road, the passing motorists surly thought to themselves, "there is another junk Harley". Upon inspection it was usually owner inflected and rarely the Bikes fault.

Not sure what to think about todays problems, reading about Guys on their 2nd and 3rd engines on bikes with hardly any miles on them gives me Pause.

 

Really? In what way, because they're still listing the same 9276A/9252 pairs (ABS) as replacements for the '17 FLHXS as they do for my '13 FXSB.

If you want the absolute best bearings you can always go with 2 sets of Ceramic bearings that are lubed with Mobil Polyrex aerospace grease. For ABS bikes they run a cool $215 a set. (You have to buy each bearing separately)

http://www.brocksperformance.com/Cer...1457+C170.aspx

http://www.brocksperformance.com/Cer...0170+C170.aspx