I’m a month into a new full-suspension frame and some of the bearings are already crunchy, and a couple had seized up and stopped spinning. I popped the shields off and serviced them with the hopes of getting through this very wet fall/winter.
Do you have any tips for making bearings last longer? Should I be packing new bearings with extra grease, or does popping off the shields compromise the waterproofing, negating the preemptive maintenance? Is it better to gently wash your bike with a hose, or let the dirt dry then brush it off? Can over-torqued pivots and poor frame tolerances contribute to premature pivot bearing wear?
Nov. 30, 2021, 7:45 a.m. - DMVancouver
I’m a month into a new full-suspension frame and some of the bearings are already crunchy, and a couple had seized up and stopped spinning. I popped the shields off and serviced them with the hopes of getting through this very wet fall/winter. Do you have any tips for making bearings last longer? Should I be packing new bearings with extra grease, or does popping off the shields compromise the waterproofing, negating the preemptive maintenance? Is it better to gently wash your bike with a hose, or let the dirt dry then brush it off? Can over-torqued pivots and poor frame tolerances contribute to premature pivot bearing wear?