hi all, i have an 89 yfm250 moto-4 yamaha that i need to replace the rear axle bearings in. just for grins i loosened up the huge nuts that hold the axle in place. im wondering, can this job be done at home? has anyone tried this with any success? as always, any and all replies will be greatly appreciated. thanks

 

Yep, as a matter of fact i just did the bearings in my Moto-4. Take off both back tires and hubs. remove the outer brake disk cover, followed be the caliper and disk, and the inner disk cover. Completely remove both of the big axle nuts from the differential sid of the axle. Slide a large nut over the threaded end of the axle, followed by the hub nut, castellated side in. (THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!!! IF YOU INSTALL THE HUB NUT WITH THE CASTELLATED SIDE OUT LIKE YOU NORMALLY WOULD YOU WILL RUIN THE NUT AND THE THREADS ON THE AXLE!!!). Apply a good penetrating oil to the old bearing seat, and let it soak. Take a BFH and beat the nuts on the axle until the bearing slides free of the Carrier. Now set the end of the axle on a steel plate on the floor and drive the old bearing off towards the differential side of the axle. Clean any rust off the axl;e, greas the center section (between the diff. splines and the brake splines). Slide the new bearing onto the axle from the diff. side. Now you can put the axle back through the carrier, line up the splines and push it through until you can thread one axle nut onto it. You can use the axle nut to pull the bearing into the carrier. Tighten the axle nut and jam nut, then install the brake assembly (it looks cooler if you leave the brake covers off), followed by the hubs, then the tires.