This is perhaps a silly question. Can a sealed wheel bearing (front wheel) be installed backwards.
In the usual idle hands do the devils handiwork scenario, I've been busy mucking about with some old wheels (12 years old) that have sealed bearings. I was going to replace them but they proved to be an odd size and difficult to find. So cleaning and greasing was the next option. After removing and taking off the (soft) seal on one side to clean I noticed they spun rather easily. Remembering that some remove the seals for racing I tested them without seals and they certainly rotate longer so I wondered if doing that and reversing them on reinstallation, so the open side of the bearing was up against the stops in the hub and somewhat protected from picking up dirt, would be a bad thing.
Tell me how wrong this would be....đ
In the usual idle hands do the devils handiwork scenario, I've been busy mucking about with some old wheels (12 years old) that have sealed bearings. I was going to replace them but they proved to be an odd size and difficult to find. So cleaning and greasing was the next option. After removing and taking off the (soft) seal on one side to clean I noticed they spun rather easily. Remembering that some remove the seals for racing I tested them without seals and they certainly rotate longer so I wondered if doing that and reversing them on reinstallation, so the open side of the bearing was up against the stops in the hub and somewhat protected from picking up dirt, would be a bad thing.
Tell me how wrong this would be....đ
