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Vpp Frames.
Had mine replaced 8 rides ago (month) already got play in the top linkage.
No wonder the bloody things are Free!
Get about 12 months out of my Blur LTc bearing before they start wearing.
Usually the lower link bearings.
EDIT: that reminds me, must chase up Jungle as my replacement haven't turned up yet (after 6 weeks)!
I'd try taking out the cotter bolts and tightening up the internal pinch bolts. Probably not your bearings. The inner pinch bolts tend to loosen off during the first month.
I'd of thought it was more likely that you need to readjust the axles. These need occasional tightening. Checkout the santa cruz website of how to do this. Very simple to do and only requires allen keys.
Careful you're not overtightening the axles too, check for play as you're tightening them, when it's gone put the collet and bolt in.
Is that why SC put grease ports on? as they were handing out oodles of free bearings?
Follow the service maintenance and check torque as per schedule, use the grease gun regularly (though maybe get a better one as the SC one is frankly crap).
I got two years out of mine with a lot of riding in shitty conditions including last years mud fest in Morzine (which I think finished them off). Possibly they'd be on there longer as bike was ex demo when I got it.
I'm not complaining. Cost was only labour and costs less than my time faffing around trying to do it myself with bodge tools, or having to buy various bearing pullers.
Had a GT with the I-drive funkiness before and the bearings needed doing almost every 3 months. Although they were whacking great headset size bearings and generally they just needed cleaning and re-grease. SC ones are probably similar, but if the bearings are free and they're getting pulled then may as well replace anyway.
My blur ltc used to go through them in 8-10 months, one of the few things that annoyed me about it.
had a Mk1 Nomad, eating 90 quids worth of bearings and axles in 6 months was one of the reasons I got rid of it.
What sort of bearings are we talking about here? Frame pivot bearings/swing arm bearings glued/interference fit?
Just curious like. Ta.
Should add, mine's a mk2 Nomad.
Had a Mk1 Blur LT, it ate bearings
The newer ones are meant to better as the angular contact bearings can be adjusted (well the tension on the axles can be adjusted) to reduce play
Got a LT2 one the first in 2008 and have never needed to change the bearings, just dropped them out now and again, cleaned and greased and still going strong.