Specialized FSR rear pivot bearings - DIY...?

Cheshley

While my bike (2008 FSR XC Comp) is in bits and I await the delivery of a new Bottom Bracket, I decided to take the rear linkage apart and have a look at the bearings which are, to put it bluntly, kn@ckered.

The first ones I have unfastened (shock link, seatstay end), fell apart as soon as I pulled the linkage apart, little angular shards of metal that I can only assume were round when they were first fitted, are now to be found all over the garage floor.

I'm always a big advocate of buying the proper parts for the job but as funds are tight, I don't really want to spend £40+ on a bearing kit from a Spesh dealer when I can buy TEN bearing units on Ebay (same part number and dimensions) for £8.99.

Has anyone else tried to do this job themselves? I need to (carefully) knock the outer race of the old bearing out of the frame recess but after that, how easy is it to get the new units in and properly seated? Is it something I'm going to be able to do myself or should I be getting my mate, who is a car mechanic, to take it and press them in properly?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

timberjack

i have changed all the bearings on my 07 stumpy, i used a hammer and a socket and managed no bother, i dont know if yours is the same but the small bearings in the rear drop out are seperated by a lip so i tapped mine out from the inside out with a screwdriver, do not try to knock both out the same way as they wont go past the lip, i knocked the new ones in with a hammer and a bit of wood

boomdocker

from a previous post by me on this subject:

I replaced all the bearings on my 07 stumpy last autumn.

IMHO there is no way to describe it other than a nighmare.

Firstly, most of the bearings were stuck in and seized (thet creaking sound as described by stumpyjohn), so when I tried to remove them some exploded leaving the bearing race stuckbehind. The only way to get these out was to have it tap welded at a machine shop so that they fell out.

So having removed all the bearings and fitted the new ones there was more pain trying to re-assemble. The biggest problem was trying to get the spacer washers back in - especially the chain stay pivots(?). There were a few I had to leave out - it was impossible to re-fit them.

All in all, this is a job I will NEVER do again myself, i'd go so far as to say I would live with seized bearings. My advice is find a good bike shop and let them do it. If you do want a go yourself be prepared for trouble!