[Iceblue]

Newbe here how do you check bearings and ball joints

so i am new to Polaris so got to ask i have a 2013 400HO and was wondering how do you check wheel bearings and ball joints for wear or play ...

 

[RVS Performance]

Other than visually for obvious damage, lift the machine off the ground and try to move the wheels and feel for play. From the outside push against the top and pull against the bottom and vice versa to try to rock it in and out that way. And also grab the front and back of the tires and try to rock that way too. Hope that make sense. Bearings are sometimes harder to feel and have to be removed to spin by hand. Also spin the wheels and listen for any noise or grinding of the bearings.

 

[Iceblue]

great thanks for the input should be any play

 

[polman500]

If you detect some play you'll want to then look closely at the bushings while wiggling the wheel to determine whether the play is actually in the bearing or the bushings. It can sometimes be hard to tell where it is unless you watch really close.

 

[Iceblue]

ya just finished cleaning her up and checked all 4 wheels the left rear wheel has a little play up and down but not side to side does not seam to be the bushings only a little where the hub meats the back of the wheel..

 

[Iceblue]

so i called my local Polaris dealer and the service guy said to have a little play in them is normal i got about one mm of movement of the tire top to bottom but none side to side and smooth and quite when turning the wheels up off the ground does that sound normal to you guys... service guy said they can have as much as a half inch of play that is when you move the wheel with one hand on top and one hand on bottom and wiggle tire back and forth and you can see the top of the tire move looking at the bearing area it is barely visible and the bushings don't move....

 

[RVS Performance]

Sounds like you are fine. The 1/2" he's talking about I bet is mostly tire flex that you will see.

 

[polman500]

Yep, your good.

 

[Iceblue]

ya i think i measured from the frame to the rim on the inside and wiggled it and can only get 1 to 2 mm with the naked eye so good for now my buddy next door is on his third Polaris so i will get him to look tonight probable me just being fussy...but thanks for the input guys ...Ray