Cube AMS 125 Pivot bearings

boomdocker

Want to get myself prepared for replacing the pivot bearings on my AMS 125 in a few months time.

I am trying to find a list somewhere of what I need, but am struggling. Can't find anything on the Cube website.

I don't really want to have to take it apart and THEN go looking for the bearings...

Anyone done this before with this bike?

Any advice gratefully accepted.....

supersonic

The type of bearing you need should be written on the bearing itself.

boomdocker

yes, but I am trying to avoid talking the pivots apart to find out. surely someone in Cube must have a list of the bearings.......

supersonic

You would have thought so.

Have you emailed them or phoned them, or the importer?

boomdocker

yes, spoke to the main uk dealer. they can get me a whole bearing kit ie bearings and all the bolts etc... but its 100quid+. i would rather just buy the bearings!! also emailed cube in germany but no reply....

FSR_XC

When you know what you need you might try www.akbearings.co.uk

Cosmo040180

or here not sure if there any good personally but a mate recommended them thou

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/index.php

cheesetastesgood

How did you get on finding the replacement bearings...I will have to carry out the same work soon.

Viente

I had a creaking noise mainly when cycling uphill, on my AMS HPC, and stripped it down today.
The main suspension pivot for the bottom arm, near the bottom bracket, is a 6803RS, if that is any help :?:

weeksy59

send a PM to 'Crust' on here. He did his recently.

boomdocker

i never got the required information, so in the end i sent it to the lbs who serviced the bearings for me

ilovedirt

It's not hard to just take the bearing caps off and read the number on the bearing, as long as you leave half of the bolt in, nothing is going to fall apart.

cooldad

Holy etc...... Batman.

ilovedirt

I don't even know how I managed this one, I'm sure I only found it 4 pages back while trying to find another recent one... :?

Paddywack0

I have just done the pivot bearings on my Cube AMS125 and will share for all and sundry what they are. Mine were so bad that I took a chance and disassembled the whole lot and measured them 'cos I couldn't find the details anywhere on the web and couldn't find any markings on the bearings themselves.

Anyway, to save everyone else the hassle - on my AMS125 2009 model you need:
2 x 6803RS for bottom bracket end of the swing arm. These are 17mm inner diameter by 26mm outer by 5mm approx £3 each ex VAT. (RS is rubber sealed)
4 x 6882RS for the sprocket end of the swing arm. These are 8mm ID x 16mm OD x 5mm approx £2.50 each
2 x 6982RS for the pivot up by the seatpost. These are 8mm x 19mm x 6mm approx £2.30 each

Total cost: about £28 inc VAT and postage.

I got them from Simply Bearings: http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/deep_groove_metric_choice.php
But search for Mountain bike bearings on ebay and there are lots of vendors.

You can also get a set of bushings for either end of the Fox RP23 and a tool to fit them for about £8.50 here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111054916178?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

The only joint I didn't look into was the one at the bottom of the triangle on the downtube. I don't know if this contains bearings (probably) or bushings, but it seemed OK on my bike so I left it alone.

Fitting them is not as easy as buying them though! You need a good selection of long bolts, washers, socket sets, G Clamps etc. to take out the old ones and push in the new ones. Oh and lots of lithium grease.
The most difficult ones were the big ones behind the bottom bracket. Once you have removed the cranks and unbolted and removed the outer shank you are left with two bearings at either end with an ali shaft sitting inside and inbetween. This makes getting at the back of the bearings to knock them out nigh on impossible.
This is what you should find inside: https://www.cube.eu/en/equipment/spare-parts/bearing-sets/product/cube-bearing-set-ams-125-18-22-pivot-arm/ It's the short barrel at the top that sits between the bearings.
The choices are: rig up some kind of press tool and push the whole lot through until one bearing falls out, then you can remove the central barrel and then push the other bearing back through the other side. Or attack the bearings with a screwdriver and a hammer (they're coming out anyway). I chose the 2nd option 'cos I knew no better, but would try the 1st option next time. this is the kind of thing you need for the press tool: https://flic.kr/p/WCeuXv
The other bearings are a doddle compared to those ones. Just press them out with a tool. The one for the bushings above came in quite handy. Just beware that the ones near the seatpost only push from the inside out. there is a ridge around the inner edge of the frame that stops them going inward.
If you use lots of lithium grease you can gently tap the new bearings back in with a wooden mallet to align them and then press in with your tool.
I have no idea what the torques should be on the bolts, but beware of over tightening. The head snapped off one of my socket screws when I was doing it up a bit overzealously!

It took me quite a few hours to do over quite a few days, but saved me a bomb in parts and labour and the satisfaction was great.
Hope this helps someone else.

Nick

P.S. From what I can tell these bearings should be the same on these bikes: Main Pivot Bearing/Srew Kit I fits for Cube models AMS 100 (from 2007), AMS 125 (from 2007), AMS HPC (from 2008), AMS WLS (from 2007) und XMS (from 2010).
However, please don't blame me if yours turn out to be different!

Paddywack0

Update 2020. Replacing these again a few years on. They have lasted pretty well! This time I replaced the one at the bottom of the triangle by the headtube that I didn't do last time....and yes the bearings are yet another different size! and there's 4 of them!
4 x 6800RS 10mm x 19mm x 5mm. The arrangement is similar to the big one down by the bottom bracket with a collared shaft with 2 bearings on either end. Again you need to push in from one end to remove the first 2 bearings and then push back the other way to get the other 2 out. Not easy and my bearings that had been in for at least 10 years! collapsed completely. This time I have ordered a complete set from here: https://www.kineticbikebearings.com/frame-pivot-bearing-kit-cube-ams-125.html which works out a lot cheaper and probably better quality than ordering individually.