[dsattler]

Wondering if anybody has some instructions for replacing the rear wheel bearings, both sides, for an 86 Honda fourtrax 250?

Just joined the forum, some really great stuff!

 

[Fourtrax]

Welcome to the forums, One of our very capable techs will be along soon to give you the play by play on what you need to do.

 

[shadetree]

welcome to the forums, first remove both rear tires and hubs...on the right rear..remove the brake drum..you will need to remove the 1/2 round metal plate as you are taking the brake drum off...after you get to the brake shoes..you will see 4 bolts inside the center....before you take them out..unhook the brake arm from the cam..it's held on with a 10 mm bolt,,after thats off..take the brake backing plate off...after thats off..you will see the outer axle bearings in the end of the tube...from the left rear..take the hub nut..screw it back onto the axle backwards..just enough where you leave a few threads stick out of the nut..with a brass hammer..or any hammer if you don't have a brass hammer..with a piece of wood..or something soft..hold it against the nut..and hammer it out the right side.it should come out the right side..i don't remember if the bearings come out from the right rear when you remove the axle < sorry..its been awhile since i done a trx250..if just the axle comes out..then all you do now is...find a long enough....small enough pipe..that will fit inside the bearings if they all stayed in...from the right hand side..stick the pipe..and angle it where you hit the bearings on the left side..work around each side of the bearing as your hitting it..this will keep it from wedging in the axle tubbing..after you remove the left side..with the pipe..or what ever your using as a punch..knock the right rear side in the same manner...now..after you remove the bearings from the left hand side..you will notice a small wedge looking spacer kinda thing....don't forget to put it back on the axle..it goes on the axle with the taper facing in..sooo..put your axle in from the right side..after you get it in far enough..put this tapered spacer on the axle..with taper facing in..you can now put the left bearings in..just don't knock the axle back out of the bearings..so this spacer doesn't fall off inside the axle tubbing !...after your done with the left side..go to the right side..install the bearings..put your brake backing plate on..put your brake arm back on the brake cam..put your brake drum on..put that 1/2 metal back on and around the lower half of your brake drum cover...bolt the brake drum back up....then your wheel hub..put wheel hub back on left side..then wheels..then yer good to go.

 

[dsattler]

Thanks Shadetree. Awesome explanation. I'm going to tackle this over the weekend. I'll try to take some pics along the way so that others can follow behind me. Thanks again. More to follow........

 

[submarine 300]

Thanks Shadetree. Awesome explanation. I'm going to tackle this over the weekend. I'll try to take some pics along the way so that others can follow behind me. Thanks again. More to follow........

Oh boy we love pics. So take a bunch!

 

[dsattler]

Shadetree, I have it all apart. Left side looks easy, I see the bearing in the axel tube.
The right side, I have the outer brake drum off, as well as the inner drum and can see the brake pads. I took off the bake cable cam. Now do I pound out the axel from the left side as it or do I take off the nuts that hold right side to the frame? If I do that the whole right side will slide out with the axel attached. (not sure I see the 4 inside bolts you refer or the brake backing plate.)

Thanks for the help

 

[Helmut]

or do I take off the nuts that hold right side to the frame?

Yeah, I believe those 4 nuts are the nuts that hold the backing plate on. Take the 4 nuts off and the backing plate should come off and the axle should pull out the right side, if I remember right. It's been a long time since I've worked on one of those Fourtrax 250s.

I believe the right side bearings are in the backing plate, if I remember right.

 

[dsattler]

I tool off the four nuts, it pulled away from the frame but the axle stayed attached to the backing plate. Any thoughts on how to get the bearings out with the axle still in place?

 

[Helmut]

The axle should knock out of the backing plate.

 

[dsattler]

Guys, all went well. I could not bang out the left side bearing with a pipe going in from the right side. There is a flange on the axel that the bearing rests up againt that won't allow you to get a pipe on the outside race. I took off the left axel and banged them out that way.

I would recommend that you spray everything with PB Blaster and let it sit for a few hours before you try to remove the bearings. Works much better.

Replaced the right side drum brake pads while I had it apart.

Everything else went exactly as you outlined. Great job, much appreciated!
Sorry about the lack of pics. Just didn't work out this time.

 

[Helmut]

Glad you got it fixed. It's been so long since I have put bearings in one of those 250s that I had forgot exactly how they were set up.

 

[shadetree]

Guys, all went well. I could not bang out the left side bearing with a pipe going in from the right side. There is a flange on the axel that the bearing rests up againt that won't allow you to get a pipe on the outside race. I took off the left axel and banged them out that way.

I would recommend that you spray everything with PB Blaster and let it sit for a few hours before you try to remove the bearings. Works much better.

Replaced the right side drum brake pads while I had it apart.

Everything else went exactly as you outlined. Great job, much appreciated!
Sorry about the lack of pics. Just didn't work out this time.

that flange is what i was speaking of in my first post..you have to remove the whole axle out of the rear before you can get to the left rear bearing that sits inside the axle tubbing..from the way you explained your process..you left the axle in the rear diff/axle tubbing...lol..anyway..to answer your question about the left rear bearing...the axle has to come all the way out of the rear in order to get to the bearings..and helmut was correct about the right rear bearings..they rest just inside the brake backing plate. edit : unless you remove just the left rear axle tubbing from the diff...lol.

 

[shadetree]

Glad you got it fixed. It's been so long since I have put bearings in one of those 250s that I had forgot exactly how they were set up.

yeah..it's been a long time sinse i took one apart myself !..lol