Hello all I have an 08 ZX14 that has 3900 miles on it. The original BT014 is now showing wire so I pulled the wheel off tonight so I could take the wheel with me tomorrow to have a new tire put on. I was cleaning up the spacers and the inside of the hub where the bearings are located and noticed that the right side bearing was not turning with my finger tip. The left side bearing is very free spinning and I have no trouble turning it with just the tip of my index finger on the inside of it. I could not even move the right side bearing with any number of fingers! The only way I can get it to turn is to stick the axle inside of the bearing and put a tad bit of side pressure and turn the axle. It does not feel notchey or anything it just feels super tight. Does this sound like a bad bearing to you guys or what? I would think that both sides should be free spinning for the most part. I've always thought that the rear wheel was a little hard to spin but I just figured it was the tension of the chain causing that but now I see why it's hard to turn.

I've felt the same sealed bearing drag. If you feel nervous, reinstall wheel without the chain on. Hand tighten the axle nut tight enough so the axle does not spin up the swing arm. Hold at 12 and 6 o'clock. Spin a few degrees forward, a few degrees backward. Did you feel any kind of noise coming through the axle area or the wheel feel like something is not right?

If you pass the smooth/no noise back and forth; keep the hands in the same position. Now you will pull the 12 o'clock toward you, push the 6 o'clock away from you and vice/verse. Did you have any movement at all? Smooth, no knock, no problems.

Remove the wheel. Place this time, the sprocket carrier and axle in the swing/no spacer/nut needed. Before, you had all the shims or say the rear wheel parts > To check how all the wheel bearings feel under their torque setting, (92ft.lbs. gv/take for lining up the cotter pin).

What you'll do now is make sure that sprocket carrier just free spins for a few seconds or more until it stops. Just watch and hear for noise. Apply the same hand positions and movements like the wheel. I have a vid floating around, where I cut a section of the tape just for something like this thread. A low rev of the engine you watch the walk of the wheel. That's how smooth flowing that whole bearing system moves; you and I think it's tight.

Hey DEK-how did you spin the rear wheel?On a rear stand?-Well,if you did,as dumb as it may sound-MAYBE your tire is rubbing on the stand crosspiece.Mine did that-wheel could barely move UNTIL I ran her for a few more runs and wore the tread down some.Plenty of grease in that bearing there?Any crunching sound?

No noise or roughness to the bearing at all. Maybe it's ok then just seemed a little tight to me considering the other side is real free feeling. Thanks for the help guys!

OK Hub I see now what you're tallking about. I realize now that the bearings ARE supposed to be tight like this. Anyway I'm glad that they're ok. Thanks for the info Hub!

I see now what you're talking about.

Sometimes grease in a bearing will go bad and turn into a plastic like goo. It can be worse than a crunchy bearing as the damage isn't done to the balls, but causes the race to slide on the shaft and grind into it.

I'd clean out the bearing and repack it with fresh grease or just buy a new one.