I have an 04 yeti ASR, love it thats why ive kept it .
But There is one small thing that lets it down. The needle roller bearings in the dog link is a major weak point. No matter what grease i use one wet winter and it seizes and needs replacement @ £50 a set cos you cant buy just that bearing you got to buy ” A Kit”.
I Kow the newer yetis dont use thease bearings any more so
What do they use and could it be retro fitted to mine?

‘A kit’? Shirley you could get the bearing number, and pick up the correct number from your local bearing company?

Im making it up entirely, but if you knock it out it WILL have its size printed on it.

you need to worry about Internal diameter, External Diameter, and Width.
as long as these sizes are the same you can put what you like in there! i replaced my cheapo OE caged bearings:

(note the cages between the balls)

with full complement bearings

I have occasionally wondered if they would last longer if replaced with cylinder bearings

Im sure a STW engineer will be along shortly to tell me why i shouldnt have done, or do this.

if you feel that way inclined, i understand replacing bushings in the shock with needle roller bearings:

makes the suspension SUPER plush, but at the cost of having to replace a 15 quid bearing 3 times a year.

Olly thats the bearing that keeps failing me where do i get hold of them?

Where are the seals?

Surely there’s a 2RS version of that with seals to cover the cages?

they are just stock images i found on tinterweb!

look up the bearing size and google it?
do you already have the bearing size?

Needle bearings are generally used because of a lack of space i think (or at least, greater width than height), you are not likely to be able to uprate these bearings to something more solid.

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/needle_roller_choice.php?gclid=CLDAs_T0oLoCFbPItAodlh0AKQ

Bushings (as in shock bushes) are used because they take very high loads, and dont turn more than a few degrees (think of the amount of rotation at the shock/frame interface)

so i would suggest you could either:

find the bearing size, and just keep swapping it out at regular ish intervals (10 to 15 quid a bearing)

OR, if you know of a machineist, get someone to make you a bushing mount. A steel sleeve in the bearing hole, a steel sleeve on the bolt, and a gap the right size between the two! To take a betd hula hoop (3 quid each)? your ride might not be quite as smooth, but it should last a good while, and be a 15 second job to swap out.

Just swapped them with new bearings. Im looking at the old bearings, cant see no markings on them. Might be worth having a chat with a bearing specialistand see how i get on.

they will be laser etched text, super small. If you know exactly which frame it is, it will be on the internet somewhere.
Equally, some careful measuring with a digital calliper will tell you too.

a bearing specialist will be able to measure and match easy.

http://www.yeticycles.com/pdf/manuals/0506OwnersManualASR.pdf

THIS yeti manual lists the bearing sizes. though I understand they changed the sizes one year. Make sure you find the manual for YOUR frame.

500060016 AS-R DOGBONE/BEARINGS “03-05

300020027 AS-R 16MMX8MMX5MM BRG 688 2RS

300020026 AS-R 16MMX8MMX5MM BRG W/EXT RING

300020025 AS-R NEEDLE BRG .5 ID X .687 OD X .3125

ASSUMING I have the right area of the manual for the year of bike,and the correct bearing. This is the size (the measurements in the manual are in inches, this website works in mm, so i had to google the conversions:

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/p92297/BA85ZOH+Imperial+Needle+Roller+Bearing+1/2×11/16×5/16+inch/product_info.html

bit cheaper than your bearing kits!
you may need to change the inner sleeve too? sold seperatly

at that price I might replace the bushings on my Reign! same price as a bush, will work LOADS better, and at that price who cares if they last 3 months!