My Sportsman has a clicking noise in the rear and the wheel is wobbling in and out. I plan on tearing into it this week, but just curious if any one else has had to replace theirs and was the bearing tight in the housing or loose. A while back my friends went out and the housing was worn so bad that the bearing was very loose in the housing and we had to replaced it.

 

if the wheel is wobbling as you say it might be bad. good luck. the clicking noise is usally a cv gone bad, hopefully its just the bearing.

 

I had the same thing on my 02 500. I thought it was a CV and turned out to be the bearing just needed repacked. Mine didnt have the side to side play you are describing just the clicking. I have heard of people drilling a small hole into the bearing cavity from the out side, tapping it and putting a greasezerk in the hub. This would allow you to keep the bearing greased better but I would think if you did it in the wrong spot you could weaken the hub.

 

That sounds like a good idea with the grease fittings. Both sides make the clicking noise, just the right side is wobbly. It probley will be next week before I tear into it and see.

 

they should be sealed bearings. personally i would dare try drilling into one to put a fitting.

 

They are not sealed bearings (at least mine were not). There is a seal on tn the hub but the bearing is open ball bearings in a carrier. There is a dead space in the center of the hub between the inner and outer bearings that seem like you could pack like a typical wheel bearing, like I mentioned I wouldnt know where the best spot in the hub would be to drill it and tap it but it seems like it would work.

 

thats weird that it would be an open bearing w/out a grease fitting. it wouldnt last long w/out grease in water.

 

The bearings are sealed from water with an inner and outer seal on the hub that the axle passes through. The bearings are inside the hub much like the wheel bearing on a trailer except they are ball bearings instead of tapered roller bearings like you usually see on a trailer or car. They packed just like a regular wheel bearing. I think the people that are drilling the hubs are taking the idea from the easy lube bearings you see on a lot of trailers.

 

has anyone found wheel bearings for less , like from a car parts place or bearing cop. ?

 

rickkkk, the Federal-Mogul # 510013 will work.