So after cleaning my bike yesterday I noticed quite a bit of play in the main pivot bearings of my 2005 fsr xc. I know it’s old but i love the frame. I’m confident with almost all other maintenance but never changed frame bearings. Are the main pivot bearings easy enough to do without bearing pullers? I have g clamps, vices etc.

Also I’ve found a few sellers on ebay with the full bearing kit for around £30. Are these likely to be OK or should I avoid them?

I got my LBS to do it (velocity cycles in Huddersfield)
Bob did a bang up job and I didnt have to learn a new skill that’ll only be required rarely
If you need a set of bearings you may want to speak to BETD

Is this a horst link frame? Most frame bearings are easy enough to press out/in with a threaded rod and some appropriately sized nuts, washers and sockets, but the horst link bearing is notoriously tricky to remove. There are some good videos on YouTube for that, though.

Yes its a horst link frame. The only bearings that need replacing are the largest ones behind the BB.

Had a look on Betd’s site but 05 fsr xc kits are not listed. Will give them a call tomorrow though.

Specialized website for schematic of pivots bearings etc

MB Bearings in Blackburn are pretty good at kits – as is Katec on eBay

As has been said tho – specialized are good at putting the schematics on the internet. That’ll give you the right size (probably 6802)

Thanks for the replies. I found a cheap blind bearing puller on ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-Inner-Bearing-Puller-Set-Kit-Remover-5-PCS-Blind-Internal-Slide-Hammer-/201189484743?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_Printing_PrinterInkCatridges_JN&hash=item2ed7d3e8c7

It lists compatible diameters but doesn’t say if they are the external or internal diameters of the bearings.

Anyone know if it will fit?

I did my bearings on my 05 epic. Won’t do that job again. It’s not the bearings especially but the washers and fitting if all bac together using my 9th hand. Next time I might let a shop do it.

I did my bearings on my 05 epic. Won’t do that job again. It’s not the bearings especially but the washers and fitting if all back together using my 9th hand

This, sadly. Every now and then I take the rear suspension apart, lift the bearing seals and give everything a good clean with IPA (no, not Greene King) and regrease. You can dab a lump of grease on the bearings to keep the washers in place, but something invariably falls off, lands grease side down and results in much slinging of profanity.

I’ll ask my LBS in that case. But don’t think they have the tools. Only other LBS’s are Evans and it’l be cheaper to buy the tools myself.

The puller i found above says 10-14mm on the smallest attachment but i don’t know if thats the internal or external bearing diameters. The dropout bearings are an 8mm internal diameter.

It lists compatible diameters but doesn’t say if they are the external or internal diameters of the bearings.

Anyone know if it will fit?

My guess would be that these are internal diameters since this is an expanding collet puller.

Gonna try and make one this week from some old bolts and washers. Seen a few videos and looks easy enough.

Most bearings, as long as they’re not completely knackered, can just be knocked out with a punch or pointy hammer. I don’t think I’ve ever had to use a threaded rod setup to remove a bearing.
The only time I’ve had a nightmare was when the centre of a bearing popped out, leaving only the outer-race behind – the bearing was extremely worn though, so I guess the same thing would have happened with a puller.

These are the horst link bearings soyyou can’t get behind them to tap them out.

I did my 05 stumpjumper recently. One came out easily with washers, stud and a couple of sockets; the other didn’t. it’s actually pretty easy to DIY a puller from bits but it only acts on the inner race. The second bearing in mine fell apart leaving outer stuck in place. I had to make a collet tool to grab the bearing outer from the middle. It was actually OK and worked a treat but not having the bearing fall apart would be easier.

My tips from what I learnt:
Change the bearings before they get too much play
Take as much of the gubbins off so you have good access to both sides
Make sure your puller is centred and square

I did all three wrong. The bearing was knackered. I’d left some bits on which were slightly in the way so my home made puller didn’t sit nicely square. Lesson learnt (and hopefully passed on)

Thanks for the tips. I’ll give it a go this weekend and report back. Just ordered the bearings from Katec on ebay so hopefully will be with me by the weekend.