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I need to replace my frame bearings but it's £60 for the official Specialized bearing kit. The Enduro ones seem just as dear. I've seen cheaper ones online, has anyone got any experience of KaTec bearings, or mbbearings.co.uk which are half the price?

As I've also got to pay £50 for fitting (I can't get one of the chainstay bearings out), I'd rather not end up with a £110 bill!

Over the last year I have replaced all the bearings on my scott and nic.

I used cheapish bearings off ebay as replacements and they seem to be working well. No need for the official kits.

How much is it for the kit to remove the bearings?

Can you ghetto together a tool to get them out? a sockets set, washers and a long nut and bolt usually do the trick although getting the right sized drifts can be a pain in the ass.

Cheers Jon. Tbh, I've never replaced bearings before, so not really sure what I'm doing! I got one chainstay bolt out, but the other side turns a bit, then gets stiff and I can see the frame flexing a bit, so don't want to end up cracking it.

You can make a great bearing press/extractor with a qr skewer and a range of sockets. It worked wonders on my giant when I got it resprayed both out and in!

You just need a drift (socket same size as bearing diameter) and a receiver (socket same size as frame where the bearing sits) place one on each side an a long bolt through the middle of the lot, spin a nut up on one side to sit snug against the larger socket and then spin a nut on the other side to sit snug against the smaller socket, then keep doing up the smaller one (slowly) and it will push the bearing out into the larger socket.

I recently bought a bearing puller set from katec for my s works stumpy and it worked really well. He was a very good seller and I wouldn't hesitate to buy his bearings or bushes. If you want to see if my tools work on yours you're more than welcome.

Thanks lads, I'll order the cheapo ones.

Much as I love the LBS's, I'd much rather tackle stuff myself. However, given the damage this learning curve has caused over the years, I fear I'll end up wrecking the frame. Can't even work out why the frame would be bending apart as I undo the bolt, so think LBS is the safe option.

If the bolt is not straight when you undo it the threads will grip on the inside and this will push the frame apart, even though you're undoing it !

do it up, then try again but slowlywith even pressure to keep it in line.

Where are you based, you may be close enough to get some help ?

Thanks, that makes sense. I did try a couple of times but same thing happened. I'm in Chingford

When Ive replaced bearings, they normally have a number you can just type in Ebay and youll find loads of suppliers selling bearings, often for a fraction of the price of 'official ones' I replaced a whole set in my old Spesh enduro for very little cost, as others have mentioned often you can make pullers and insertion tools out of sockets and a vice, etc I even replaced Shimano hub loose bearings and cup with sealed ones following a guide I found online.

Andy

Yup using a part number and somewhere like county bearings they'll cross match their catalogue and offer you all sorts of suitable replacements.