Brand new pivot bearings - pack with grease?

I have a new set of bearings for my frame pivots, and am going to swap them in closer to spring. Before I install them, is it worth popping off the seals and they packing them with as much grease as I can, or is that not necessary? The previous ones near the dropouts became rough pretty early on in their life, so I'm hoping to avoid that.

Yes. I've found that it extends the service life of the bearings dramatically. In the PNW, the killer is water ingress and a good quality grease (Belray waterproof grease, FWIW) will help with this. I also find that bearings are usually (and correctly so) underfilled, with lightweight, low friction grease because by design they are meant to turn circles and thus distribute grease evenly inside the bearing. Not the case with suspension bearings.

Also use a seal picker to remove the seal. Not a blade of any sorts that will likely damage the seal.

Cool, good info. Thanks.

how is a seal picker different than a pin (or pack ice fisherman)?

how is a seal picker different than a pin (or pack ice fisherman)?

Don't know what that is but I've seen people cut their seals all too often with an knife, by accident of course. Seal ruined.

always like to do seal work with my pack ice fisherman too, superior tool for the job…………….

As part of regular maintenance I clock the bearings in my suspension. Rotating the inner race 90 deg will move a new set of balls into the load area.

Don't know what that is

think seal hunter, green spray paint and protests
I think attaching a picture of a club with a spike on the end is unnecessary

but seriously, how is that dental pick looking seal picker much different than using a pin?

As part of regular maintenance I clock the bearings in my suspension. Rotating the inner race 90 deg will move a new set of balls into the load area.

if they are working properly they should fully rotating around the bearing as the suspension cycles up and down .

on the subject of grease I wish I could get some of the stuff we use on the CNC head stock and tailstock bearings , it,s a special aircraft landing gear grease that is around $400 per tube . designed to work in all temps and all environments.

and I hope those regreasing are not mixing the greases !!

if they are working properly they should fully rotating around the bearing as the suspension cycles up and down .

There are no pivot points (at least not on my bikes) that undergo a full revolution, so how would the bearings be fully rotating? Clocking bearings as mentioned above is a good idea as you do tend to get a 'flat' spot in the small area where the rotation occurs over time.

There are no pivot points (at least not on my bikes) that undergo a full revolution, so how would the bearings be fully rotating? Clocking bearings as mentioned above is a good idea as you do tend to get a 'flat' spot in the small area where the rotation occurs over time.

it's a ratchet type movement as the balls in the bearings are independent from the inner and outer race .

The Enduro Max are simply "full complement" type without the usual metallic or polymer retainer cage. grease load is as light as any when I've opened them to inspect

the old Race Face BB (Diablous era) used full compliment bearings with very short lifespans.

Poor sealing and lack of grease, meant balls corroding and grinding together - the retainer cages can be self-lubricating to a degree, which is a last resort once grease is flushed

obviously full complement don't have those lubricating elements

we just take all bearings, and pack 'em full of PM600 military grease :)