Firstly before I start its worth noting that my bike has ZXR forks. I recently replaced my front wheel bearing as the old ones collapsed on me! I've fitted new ones but when I tighten the spindle up it pinches the bearings and results in the wheel being difficult to turn. I noticed that the centre spacer wasn't quite snug between the bearings but the bearings were 100% all the way seated in the wheel. So I assumed the spacer may have been damaged and lost a mm or 2 when the bearing went. I waited for a back order on a new spacer which finally arrived today.... but obviously due to my post here, it didn't work!

Properly fucked off with the thing now as all I wanna do is ride before the shit weather kicks in. My last resort is a new wheel if I can find one!...

Are you 100% sure you replaced the bearing with exactly the same part number? Probably a silly question but I'm struggling to see what else would be affecting things. Does the ZXR wheels have different sized spacers like the NC30's?

I ordered the bearings from wemoto and are exactly the same as the ones removed. Both outer spacers are exactly the same length. I don't know whether this is standard for the zxr swap (I bought the bike as it is). Problem is it can only be an issue on the inside of the bearing can't it?...

RoninZX-10R wrote:Does the ZXR wheels have different sized spacers like the NC30's?

If the spacers are different sizes on each side of the wheel (like the nc30 is) did you put them in the correct side?

The inner spacer is the issue, not the outer spacers. The bearings are being crushed when the axle nut is tightened. Is it possible that one of the bearing recesses in the wheel is damaged and although the bearing appears fully seated, one is not.

I'm thinking this may be the case.... I noticed one of the seals do not sit completely flush which will obviously be my first attention. Thing is I cleaned it all up before seating the new bearing and wouldn't have thought I'd miss anything abnormal. But then I suppose we're talking mm!

Cheers guys. I'll have to order more bearings then as I believe your not suppose to use them after knocking them out?

If you can push the bearings out and they still run smoothly you should be able to use them again. Driving them out tends to cause the balls to intend the races and then you have a rough running bearing.