Portuguese wheel bearing

openroad · Jun 8, 2011

Still working on the front end, '74 850, the Portuguese bearing feels very rough, the other not great, 19,000 miles approx. Found that weird looking wire-like meal piece working out when I was wiping the grease away. Maybe a shaving of some sort.
Does this mean I probably have a Port bearing in the tranny?

debby · Jun 8, 2011

openroad said:
Does this mean I probably have a Port bearing in the tranny?

There's only one way to find out!

And having had one of those bearings fail and lock up the gearbox when I was riding down the highway, I highly recommend that you do so sooner rather than later.

Debby

AntrimMan · Jun 8, 2011

Looks like an element from a wire wheel or brush.
Grease looks new too on that one.

Yeah, best to replace those and then have a look in the box.
I imagine if you open it up you should be prepared to make the replacement.

openroad · Jun 9, 2011

AntrimMan said:
Looks like an element from a wire wheel or brush.
Grease looks new too on that one.

Couldn't have got contaminated on my pristine workbench, absolutely not, well, there may be a an odd wire wheel bit here and there....
That grease is at least 30 years old. Wish I aged that well.

"And having had one of those bearings fail and lock up the gearbox when I was riding down the highway, I highly recommend that you do so sooner rather than later.

Debby"

It's almost next on the list. Got the engine running, now running gear (bearings, chains, brakes), then the tranny. I'll be referencing this site a bunch when that happens.

MIKE

Torontonian · Jun 9, 2011

74 850 ? You are the proud owner of a portugeuse layshaft bearing. Pick up a bottle of Douro Port ,a bit of stilton cheese ( hint: smells like month-old wet socks) and a good cigar (Cuban preferably but you may have to buy cuban seed item) . These will be consumed after you change out the bearing using a high temp hot air gun with the gearbox in the bike ,no need to remove it. Salute the makers of the old bearing with a sip of the Port or wine then smash it with a hammer . Enjoy a safe future knowing she won't lock up on you at speed.

openroad · Jun 9, 2011

Sounds like a plan, maybe no stinky cheese....the rest works for me. Or maybe the cigar, either, since I quit smoking. Haven't quit wine drinking yet! Yep, now it's a plan.

Torontonian · Jun 9, 2011

Open road , the British invented Port as a necessity of buying barrelled red wines from Spain and Portugal ,then noticing dramatically that the fresh wine barrells were exploding inside the sailing ship holds on the way back home to supply those tipsters of old. The answer was to sail into Duoro Port , Portugal and add distilled alcohol to each barrell to bring the alcohol level up to 18 % which would halt fermentation during the journey home. The Brits loved the new product , not to be confused with a layshaft bearing issue. B.T.W. I have a box of Cubans beside me after our last of 4 trips to such island and you are most welcome to burn them up with us should you visit Canada. Peter.

Portuguese wheel bearing

openroad

debby

AntrimMan

openroad

Torontonian

openroad

Torontonian

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