HDI bearings upgrade

[BigJoe]

I plan on upgrading to hdi bearings on my 2006 Avenger700. What I need to know from someone who has this up-grade to tell me to prevent water from getting into the bearing from the axle. There's no rubber seal and only one grease nipple for the bearing. Thanks

[curtisbyrne]

the HD bearings are designed like that and to not leak! read the manual on how to put them in it shows them putting silicone around bolt holes but not the axle as i think it is a tight enough fir for water not to enter.i would apply something around the axle just because but the manual states nothing like this? the grease also creates a seal around the bearing and flange..... there on all new models now and are the best thing Argo done yet to decrease maintenance intervals!

[curtisbyrne]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6dar38RLIxAUjZuUjJQaHR2UEU/view

[Craig_B]

Would this upgrade apply to a machine built in 1983?

[BigJoe]

That's only a metal housing that shaft comes through and l'm sure you're not going to keep water out unless you flood the bearing and make a grease seal. I Seen it on youtube that a guy was checking his hdi axle bearings after one year use and he found his bearings were worn because of water getting in. Argo dealer ccould not answer that question. If that housing flange was that close of a fit to prevent water from coming in it would be rubbing the shaft . Thanks for the comments

[BigJoe]

I guess the only way I'm going to prove I'm right or wrong is put a hdi bearing onto a shaft and pour water onto the shaft to see what happens. Thanks again, great site

[Sparx]

That's only a metal housing that shaft comes through and l'm sure you're not going to keep water out unless you flood the bearing and make a grease seal. I Seen it on youtube that a guy was checking his hdi axle bearings after one year use and he found his bearings were worn because of water getting in. Argo dealer ccould not answer that question. If that housing flange was that close of a fit to prevent water from coming in it would be rubbing the shaft . Thanks for the comments

Upkeep is imperative on initial break in of the machine, especially the bearings. Not just for greasing, but keeping the housings snug on the bearings. The first couple hundred hours can be critical to how long they will last and keep the machine sealed. I've owned two new machines so far and they were identical in the amount of tension they needed to keep tight and amount of grease within the break in. If I had not kept up on them within the at least 25 hour intervals I was doing I'm sure they would be in horrible shape, but both machines are like new up to this date with no slack or leaks whatsoever.
I use snowmobile synthetic grease in my bearings and track tuners as I use the machine down to -40. It has been working great with little to no resistance in the cold weather. After 100hrs of maintenance it's amazing how everything has settled in and does not seem to need tightening and grease other than maybe a pump or two.
I do my maintenance at opportune time, in the down season and whenever the tires come off if I'm switching from tracks to tires and vice versa. I still check the bearing hub tension just in case for peace of mind and am surprised in the lack of slack my axles have with the amount of stress my tracks must place on them. I also try to prevent as much axle weed wrap as possible, even cleaning as much as possible when I can out in the bush. With tracks it is tricky but you can get creative with winching the machine at an angle up a tree, or driving up on logs or stumps and such.