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Kona Process 153 Frame and Main bearing maintenance

PB Forum :: Kona
Kona Process 153 Frame and Main bearing maintenance
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flag Adrianhj83
Posted: May 10, 2020 at 15:33 Quote
jambhino wrote:
Ok i'll need to give that a go next time i strip the bike down cheers.

I just used the largest Allen key and really gently tapped it out, hollow bolt is fine. Saying that might get some dowel next time ????

Has anyone taken the chain stay main pivot bearings out. not sure if becase of the grub screw they might tap out as opposed to getting a proper tool.
flag eshew
Posted: May 11, 2020 at 8:42 Quote
The grub screw is only for the hollow bolts, just a little extra friction to keep them in place.

Chain stay main pivot comes out just like the one above it, a dowel and a bunched up paper towel as a plug can help to tap out the hollow bolt without damaging it.

Those bearings come out just the same, if the metal cage between them is tight, it has some cut outs that allow you to tap on the inside facing part of the bearing. A tap or two should provide enough space to freely move the metal spacer wherever you want and start tapping those bearings out.

Do yourself a favor and try and safely clean up the threads on the hollow bolt and chain stay. Some of those threads might be packed with old locktite.

Just did a similar service on my '15 operator supreme. Seat stay bearings were dry and seizing. Needed to clean and add fresh waterproof grease. But the hollow bolt wouldn't budge. A little oil and a heat gun on the threads got it moving. Prior to that I had a 3 foot breaker bar on the 10mm Allen key, stuck hard. The heat gun helps to soften the blue locktite. Used the same dowel and paper plug to remove the hollow bolt. They are a tight fit. I did have to clean the threads with a little brass brush and a wooden skewer. Tons of locktite was used.
flag blowmyfuse
O+
Posted: May 15, 2020 at 18:39 Quote
Yet again I prove that if you don't want to ride your bike, work on it yourself.
Tapped the bearings out in the main pivot on the seat tube at the clevis.
And the "kit" the shop ordered is utter bull. It's a "everything" we got kit supposedly. And the bearings for my frame are NOT in this stupid $85 kit.

The Kona part sku on the front reads: XC BK#8
SKU# CMPXCBK08
flag TreeBeak
Posted: Jul 21, 2020 at 1:51 Quote
I'm about to strip my own 153 to get it reprayed and this post is extremely helpful. Thanks for taking the time to post your experience all. Never stripped a bike before but seems doable..
flag dkcove
FL
Posted: Aug 17, 2020 at 15:05 Quote
TreeBeak wrote:
I'm about to strip my own 153 to get it reprayed and this post is extremely helpful. Thanks for taking the time to post your experience all. Never stripped a bike before but seems doable..

How did the respray turn out?
I'm thinking of having mine done in matt black if I find someone to do it
flag TreeBeak
Posted: Aug 18, 2020 at 23:35 Quote
Havent done it yet. Not had time sadly. Also need to see how the bearings should be removed. Kona advise not using a puller. Try bobjackson cycles maybe?
flag SP3NGL3R
Posted: Aug 20, 2020 at 19:54 Quote
[edit] made an image of torque/screw specs from Kona info for reference during rebuild: https://imgur.com/gallery/Gd1xTpH

I just did this myself and struggled with a couple of things I'll share. ... So this'll be a big one and I fully desire feedback. Particularly in the advice category, but praise is fine too Wink .

I am NOT a mechanic or builder by any means. But I'm more than capable of generic things around the house. I have yet to figure out the nuances of derailleur settings (but then so do most LBS' frankly), and I was able to do this with the right tools.

BTW: I did them all, 1-by-1 with bike still in stand, which may have introduced forces others won't face. But I was being a bit experimental and didn't feel like re-doing my shifter line)


Ideal Tools/Parts Needed: (for a 2019 Process 134 SE, check your model carefully if buying bearings as they are different and Kona doesn't publish the sizes)
- Allens: 4,5,6,8,10 (and like a 2 for the Grub, might be a 1.5)
- Bearings: 6804 (x2), 6800 (x2), 6902 (x6) (KonaParts.com: Bushing & Bolt Kit #0Cool , or 3rd party bearings in the sizes mentioned which you can read off the side of an existing bearing for your bike.
- Pedal tension bolt: Shimano TL-FC16 (I used a baby spoon with a large flat handle, butter knife could work too as it's only finger tight)
- Shifter Cable: if you plan on doing a full tear-down
- Blue (medium) threadlock
- Blind-Hole Bearing Extractor: I got a $70 automotive one online that has small bits and a slide-hammer (google: B07BNMB42N)
- Bearing Press: I got the $45 "made for bikes" pocket one from BocaBearings (google: BIKE BUT-001)
- (recommended) Torque wrench: you don't want to over/under tension these things
- patience/skill the first time, but mostly confidence that whatever you break you can likely replace
- grease: I used green/marine-style but I'd like to hear what others say. It was white before the tear-down and had gone pastie (I guess lithium grease by default)

Teardown: I worked my way from top-tube to hubs, to BB (in that order, opening up, and reinstalling at each point)
- Backwheel -- out (obviously)
- Shock -- just de-pressurize (optional), de-bolt it and take it out, but there are two washers at the top-tube end that you don't want to lose
- Pedals/BB -- I pulled this of to clean it too and make for easier access to other bearings: left-side, pinch-screws, then tension bolt, then a light mallet on the axle to pop out drive-side. There's also (on mine) a ever-so-subtle washer on the inside of the left crank at the axle. Found it on the floor after completion, but new where it went luckily.
- That little message talking about the Grub Screw before axle? do-it! ... it's teeny-tiny under the left side (don't lose this screw)
- getting that main pivot apart was the 2nd worst part, getting it back it was slightly worse.
--- secret to getting it out (for me anyway), the 10mm Allen is double sided on the inside of the axle (you can tighten/losen from this way too) so I was able to use my Allen key's long-side and a gentle malleting tapped it right out. It's under a lot of friction down there.
--- secret to getting it back in: I used an 8mm Allen on the drive-side to help randomly guide the main bolt to catch and thread through
- washers: The symmetric flying saucer one goes on the inside of the bearing and it'll just plop into place nicely. The asymmetric, goes 'flat-side' towards bearing. I found the best way to get it back together was to stick the washers in place with grease
- seat-stays: remove the upper/rocker end, then to the hub end so you've got clearance to fully remove it. Don't try to do this one one end at a time, just pull both and reassemble from hub end first.
- bearing removal: YouTube for how to use a slide-hammer if that's what you got, but do NOT try to tap them out from the inside of the bearing (you'll regret it when the fly apart leaving the outer race inside your frame)
- bearing install: YouTube again for how to do this right. be it DIY with socket bits and a c-clamp or whatever. Just do it right.
- re-installing all the screws: it can be annoying, especially as the washers will tend to shift about. I held them in place with grease, slid the swing-arm on carefully. Then used a smaller allen or a pen or whatever you have, to just cicle around around the inside of the hole before trying to slide the screw back in. This just ensures you've got a clean line to get it back in there to the threads on the other side. This round I did a bit of grease on the screws, next round (with new bearings) I'll grease everything else and use a bit of the blue threadlock on the screw-head. #1 reason is to get correct torque (slightly lubricated), #2 reason is to avoid whats called "dry weld" that can happen on dry metal-metal. #3 being the obvious, to keep it in place.

This round:
It was midnight when I started and I just kind of wanted to do the tear-down for rebuild the next day. I ended up going halfway to a full rebuild. I pulled it all apart, cleaned everything up with a rag, spun all bearings as I went (you'd be surprised how helpful that was on it's own), greased, and re-installed. Finished at about 1:30am. Now I'm ready to ride this weekend and have that first round of fear behind me. I'm sure I can do the full rebuild next time in about 30 minutes. But, I'll be re-checking all my bolts before and after with a tool, and with my eye during the first few rides.
flag SP3NGL3R
Posted: Aug 20, 2020 at 20:04 Quote
TreeBeak wrote:
Havent done it yet. Not had time sadly. Also need to see how the bearings should be removed. Kona advise not using a puller. Try bobjackson cycles maybe?
What's their suggestion for removal?

For installing though .. I saw a cool technique last week on YouTube. Once you get the first set out. Completely disassemble one of each size. Cut (with a Dremmel) a notch on one side of each of the large racers making a C-washer in the exact size of the new bearing's outer race, throw away the inner/bearings/bits. Use that with a press (legit bearing press, or the DIY version) to ensure only pressure on the outer race for install of the new bearing. Thought it was a great hack.
flag TreeBeak
Posted: Aug 21, 2020 at 0:24 Quote
SP3NGL3R wrote:
TreeBeak wrote:
Havent done it yet. Not had time sadly. Also need to see how the bearings should be removed. Kona advise not using a puller. Try bobjackson cycles maybe?
What's their suggestion for removal?

For installing though .. I saw a cool technique last week on YouTube. Once you get the first set out. Completely disassemble one of each size. Cut (with a Dremmel) a notch on one side of each of the large racers making a C-washer in the exact size of the new bearing's outer race, throw away the inner/bearings/bits. Use that with a press (legit bearing press, or the DIY version) to ensure only pressure on the outer race for install of the new bearing. Thought it was a great hack.

Hi, They suggested using a screwdriver to carefully tap them out. This was a reply to someone elses thread on the official Kona forum. The reply was from one of the Tech/admin people. Thanks for posting your process and results. Hopefully get some time this weekend to strip it down but.....I'm going on a biking holiday in a week Eek Might leave it till after...
flag SP3NGL3R
Posted: Aug 21, 2020 at 16:35 Quote
TreeBeak wrote:
I'm going on a biking holiday in a week Eek Might leave it till after...
enjoy. I just picked up the desired hex sockets to use with my torque wrench too. Now perhaps I'll return my slide hammer. Cheers
flag dkcove
FL
Posted: Sep 13, 2020 at 9:12 Quote
shiggyplop wrote:

Also one note with the pivot bolt through the rocker. If its been a long time without grease you may find it wants to bind a little and actually try to actually spread the rocker. make sure as your loosening it feels smooth and you can actually see the bolt head coming out and not pushing the other side of the rocker out.

I'm having this issue at the moment,on the bolt attaching rocker to seat post
Bolt is turning while using allen key, but only spreading rocker rather than retracting.
Any insight on this?Is it a split bolt or does the rocker split?
flag dkcove
FL
Posted: Sep 13, 2020 at 9:15 Quote
2015 DL by the way,Can't see any grub screw on the rocker either
flag eshew
Posted: Sep 13, 2020 at 9:19 Quote
Sounds like it's stuck to the bearings, rubber mallet the threaded side when it spreads the rocker a mm or two to get it un stuck.
flag dkcove
FL
Posted: Sep 13, 2020 at 9:49 Quote
eshew wrote:
Sounds like it's stuck to the bearings, rubber mallet the threaded side when it spreads the rocker a mm or two to get it un stuck.
.

You legend!
Worked a treat,that and a load of lubricating spray, thanks for that.
flag eshew
Posted: Sep 13, 2020 at 9:54 Quote
Glad it worked! Don't forget to pop the seals on the new bearings and fully pack em with grease prior to install.

 


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