what are you guys doing for the wheel bearing grease? when I had a rzr I used a tool and put grease in all the wheel bearings and the machine never had issues. I don't see anything on the expedition for wheel bearing grease. I can't even find a tool for it.
wheel bearing grease
- Thread starter Hammer
- Start date
They are sealed and not serviceable
If/when ever have an issue with the stock wheel bearings, my plan is to change them out with Sandcraft taper bearings. I’m running a really deep offset wheel and my Xpedition is always loaded pretty heavy so I know I’m putting a lot of strain on them, but no issues so far with 2000 miles on them.
johndeerefarmer6
Well-known member
I believe the rear is a sealed unit like on the Turbo R. The front is a regular bearing
I use Lucas Red n Tacky and all of my bearings- UTVs trailers, and farm equipment
Pirate14
Active member
The same tool works for all Polaris SXS machines. I'm using the same one I bought for the RZR800 wheel bearings.
This photo shows an Xpedition front wheel bearing pressed into the Bearing Carrier.
This is the top of my tool: It's available from TwoGuysHobby.com Designed for 44mm bearings.
These are the components. The greaser. Note the groove, full of grease, at the middle. This is where the grease comes from and
goes into the bearing. Then a backing plate to keep grease in the bearing and a wing nut to hold the backing plate in place.
This is the grease I'm using. I use it on my Bobcat skidsteer and excavator for 26 and 23 years with no issues.
Hope this helps,
Pirate
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Pirate14
Active member
Well, Yes and No.
The front wheel bearings can be greased. See my response to Hammer on how I grease them.
The rear wheel bearings cannot be greased. I can't say if any other Polaris machines have this type bearing. But my General did not.
This photo shows you the "ASM - UNITIZED HUB" as sold by Polaris. There are three pieces.
The piece with the five studs is the front piece. The studs are the wheel studs. The brake rotor goes over them and then the wheel.
This piece rotates with the tire/wheel. The means of checking the bearing condition is to rotate the tire and feel for roughness.
The back piece has four threaded holes for bolting the bearing assembly to the Bearing Carrier.
Here is photo of the Bearing Carrier showing the four bolts that thread into the back piece of the Wheel Bearing Assembly.
As one can see, there is no large snap ring to keep the bearing from backing out of the Unitized Hub Assembly.
My2026 Service Manual shows one can remove a large snap ring and press the Rearing Wheel Bearing out. Thus the Service Manual is not
correct as it shows the bearing can be pressed out. My 2026 and PolarisParts123.com show Polaris sells only the Unitized Hub Assembly for $209
I'm not going to try this until I have too!
This photo is of a side view of the assembled Bearing Carrier and Unitized Hub Assembly:
Hope this helps explain things.
Pirate
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johndeerefarmer6
Well-known member
I keep this in stock as it fits both of my machines.
johndeerefarmer6
Well-known member
$147
Pirate14
Active member
You are most correct. What EPI Performance is selling for the Xpedition rear wheel bearings is essentially what Polaris sells. A complete unit.
Not sure where they are getting the other two pieces. But still not a bearing you can grease. No two piece inner bearing race.
I wonder what that bearing is? Ball bearing or Tapered roller bearing?
Pirate
Pirate14
Active member
I forgot to add this. The Front axle castellated nut requires a 29mm socket. A 30mm is just a touch to big and you'll see the corners of the hex's getting deformed as that is the only point of impact with the socket.
The correct Cotter Pin is a 5/32" x 1.5"
The correct Cotter Pin is a 5/32" x 1.5"
johndeerefarmer6
Well-known member
Ford Super Duty's use a sealed assembly as well. They have needle bearings
Polaris wheel bearings are all ball bearings. Sandcraft has two upgrade kits, one a ball bearing, the other a taper roller. The tapered roller bearings require a very specific torque on the spindle nut to set the bearings preload. The ball bearings aren’t as particular.
johndeerefarmer6
Well-known member
You talking Sandcraft replacements for the sealed hub assembly or the regular (greaseable and replaceable) bearings?
They’re definitely for the front bearings. I just haven’t ha a set of rear bearings go bad yet to have something to disassemble and pull measurements on. Despite them calling it a unitized assembly, it’s just press fit together. So there’s a good chance the bearings are the same, and the hub is machined to press-fit tolerances.
johndeerefarmer6
Well-known member
Thanks. I don't want to try and disassemble my new EPI one so will wait for one on one of my machines to fail then I will take it apart
Pirate14
Active member
Unfortunately, you can't replace the rear wheel bearings. You have to buy the Polaris:
Since there is no snap ring, on the back, to keep the bearing in place and to lip on the front to press the bearing to.
I'm just not sure how one would replace the bearing. Thinking, it must be quite an interference fit.
Pirate
Ryan2
Active member
@johndeerefarmer, @JTBarlow
I know this is an older thread but im wondering if the EPI hub is more heavy duty and better than the factory hub for the front. I have a ton of noise coming from the driver side front wheel. If i push on thefront of the X and rock it back in forth real hard i hear the popping in the hub. Its at the dealer getting the SCR stabilizer installed on a new rack and i told them to do bearings and brakes while its open. Its the third time i replaced that bearing in 800 miles. Maybe its a bad hub causing the issue. IDK..
I know this is an older thread but im wondering if the EPI hub is more heavy duty and better than the factory hub for the front. I have a ton of noise coming from the driver side front wheel. If i push on thefront of the X and rock it back in forth real hard i hear the popping in the hub. Its at the dealer getting the SCR stabilizer installed on a new rack and i told them to do bearings and brakes while its open. Its the third time i replaced that bearing in 800 miles. Maybe its a bad hub causing the issue. IDK..
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johndeerefarmer6
Well-known member
It appears identical to the Polaris hub as far as I can tell.
The noise you hear may be the bearing/hub issue. A Polaris tech posted on a FB group that he had had several where the wheel hub binds on the inner race of the bearing. The wheel hub is slightly too small and it binds when the load changes. He said he takes them apart and greases them and that stops the noise for awhile. He said sometimes new wheel bearings and hubs fixes it as well
Ryan2
Active member
Thanks, this knocking is driving me crazy. Ill report back on the fix.
