Races might be ok once the old grease removed. However, if not, they are still available new from Yamaha.

I get my ball bearings from a bicycle shop - good quality and cheap as chips.

If you're tempted by aftermarket taper roller bearings, be aware that the upper won't fit properly (it sits too high) and so you'll have a mix of tapered for the lower and original ball for the upper - a few folks have gone for this set up.

 

Hi Great Uncle Al!

Thanks for your input.

Yes, you could be right about the old grease/etc. However, I think I'll price a set at Yamaha to see what I'm up against cost wise. It could be that I'll want a set on hand anyway.

Thing is I want the races/balls ON HAND before I commit to tearing down the front end (which ties up my lift table for the duration of the disassembly, removal/installation, reassembly process).

IF the existing races/balls can be cleaned and reused: Great. The extra set goes to stock. If not, then I have the new set on hand with no lost down time waiting for parts (which now ties up the lift table until it's done).

Tapered rollers:

Oh lands me, I went that route on my XT225. MISERABLE. Works great once done, but the installation and such was plum awful.

For the DT125 I will stay with the OEM system: Races and loose balls.

You can buy very high quality loose ball bearings from Amazon... or I've have a bicycle shop just give me a handful... Good hardware stores carry them too.

Don't buy them from Yamaha with their outrageous price for each ball... you can get a bag of 50 of each size for a fraction of what it would cost to buy them from Yamaha.

Races are easy to change. Pay attention to how they come out.... some parts diagrams have the upper race part numbers swapped.

MarkT:

Thanks for some input.

I'll need to check around to see if there is a bicycle shop in Fort Smith and if so, if they have the bearings. The manual I have shows their dimensions via inch... can I find such at a bike shop or on Amazon? OR, do I need to get the closest metric equivalent?

If it's their straight forward races, then changing the races is the easy part, it's getting to them. (Headlamp, ears, handlebars, forks, etc, etc.)

V-man

They are not metric. Buy inch sizes.

By the way V man, if you haven't looked yet, your bike should be on points . Either 6 or 12 Volt system.
Easy to fathom out which. If you're electric start then you're on 12 Volt and in that case, points.

Input! Yay!


MARKT:

Thanks. If races/balls are needed, I will likely avoid high dollar Yamaha bearing balls.


SHYTED:

Well... thinking it over... you may have a point. It really doesn't have a lot of miles on it. Perhaps it IS just dried/caked grease.


Dilemma:

I'm trying to avoid long down time. My riding season (cold/cool weather) will be winding down in another 2-3 months. I want to enjoy this bike as much as I want or can until that time.

However, if I take a chance and disassemble it hoping for dried grease and it IS the race/balls... then I don't want it down for another 1-2 weeks (or more) while I wait for parts... but neither do I want to put it back together so I can use it during the remaining ride season only to tear it down again in 1-2 weeks when the races/balls arrive.

I think I may go ahead and disassemble, clean/grease, and put it back together. IF that doesn't fix, THEN order the races/bearings and install them after my riding season is over. Can't hurt things anymore than what may be done already?

Hm. That might be my best plan.

In fact, I think I'll start the process Saturday morning. (Got a non-bike road trip tomorrow.)

V-man

Easy to loose ball bearings... I'd have a bag of each on hand before taking apart... then just replace them.

If it doesn't work you'll have plenty to replace them again when you get new races.

Amazon would deliver the below tomorrow to my area. Might check the availability where you live.

www.amazon.com/Campagnolo-Shimano-Front-...aring/dp/B006PQZC5G/

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006PR7Y3I/

And let’s be basic.. aint like that are spin like a sprocket…
Sneezles61