wheel bearing swap?

[Jon_P]

i got an old r bike rear spoke rim on ebay, it didnt have the wheel bearings. i called my local bmw shop and asked about getting new bearings and what ever else i needed. the owner told me to look on line of a guy in colorado who takes regular beaings and has a comversion kit so you dont have to run the bmw bearing system. anyone here of this because i cant seem to find a link?

my rim is off at the shop getting a new shoe put on so i cant measure it, but i thought i might be able to get a high speed wheel bearing that is sealed instead. has anyone done this? i still need to get a end cover but i thought a couple of bearings and a home made bearing spacer might do the trick nice.

[Ed Miller]

What bike is your new/old rim from?  Using that information you can find out what bearing BMW specified, which includes the size in mm, and probably source a sealed bearing replacement from any bearing supply store.  I don't know what the guy thought was complicated about the BMW "system."  I understand BMW went to sealed bearings later on, (in the LSs too?) but I don't know if they were the same size as the older type.

Of course, where will your replacement bearings have been made?  

So your wheel doesn't have the pre-load setting shims, either?

[MrRiden]

jon,
I have the luxury of a local supplier [Phoenix bearing belt and chain] who can set me up with just about anything as long as I speak their language. You don't say what year / model the wheel is from but If you do have that info the parts fiche at http://www.realoem.com/bmw/ should list some cryptic dimensions. From those figures a good industrial supply house would be able to tighten you up with a sealed set of nice Timken [http://www.timken.com/] bearings. the R65ls did feature sealed front bearings. There is no "BMW bearing system". BMW used , as do all motorcycle manufactures, standard bearing designs. Your local dealer is a dip$%!t and Ed is right on.
rich
Who may or may not be using locally sourced bearings in his rear wheel! 8-)

[Justin B.]

It's probably that his local dealer doesn't have the knowledge, or parts, to take a bare wheel and build a bearing/shim stack.  Rich is right, bearings iz bearings...

[MrRiden]

jon,
just to blather some more. I've seen the work your doing and I stand in awe. I know you'll get this worked out and hope you'll share it
rich

[Jon_P]

the link my local dealer was taking about

http://www.woodyswheelworks.com

the site doesnt have anything with his bearing kit, you have to call and talk to him.

i do plan on trying on my own. all i need is the measurements and my local bearing supplier assures me he can fit sealed bearings, i would have to build a bearing spacer which isnt much more than a piece of tube. this to i will make sure to take a bunch of photos and a list of what i used (if it works that is)