Grease Everywhere

Some while back, on a very hot Norfolk Summer day, the SQ4 decided that the rear hub had had quite enough of that nasty, sticky grease thank you and vomited it all over the rear tyre and brake.

The trip home was rather gentle, especially as I had to descend from Norfolk's highest spot (!) to sea level, about 90 metres.

Pulling it all apart, there was grease everywhere. The parts washer is a very useful tool:

There are quite a few parts in the QD rear wheel, which is why I am writing this post. Here's an illustration from Draganfly, where we buy all the parts we need:

Putting wheel back together goes like this:

Put in the 4440B-50 grease retainer

Next comes the bearing. I'm using a modern double seal bearing, so we don't have a repeat of this grease leakage problem:

Knock the bearing in

Add the spacer 4346-50

Use a good quality peg spanner designed for the job, and the locking ring will go in easily. I've omitted the original seals, since I am using double sealed bearings.

Eagle eyed readers will notice the 4346-50 spacer is missing...

Locking ring trial fit

Turning the wheel round, we put in the 4471-50 Bearing Spacer Tube, whose smaller end locates in the 4440B-50 Grease Retainer. The Spacer Tube serves to allow the wheel spindle to pass through both sides of the wheel easily. The larger end of the spacer tube locates in another Locking Ring on the other side:

That's the wheel finished. Next, we turn our attention to the brake drum. Clean the bearing recess thoroughly, and include the slot for the circlip. I use Wagamamma chopsticks for jobs like this. Being bamboo, they are strong, flexible and be carved to the shape of the slot. When its all clean, press in the new bearing.

The pictures show the bearing in place, along with the 4440-50 Grease Retainer and the circlip.

Don't be fooled by this picture though, the fixed spindle comes next, with it's circlip.

With the grease retainer in place, you can fit the fixed spindle but you can't get the circlip in...